Roland Corporation, a trailblazer in electronic musical instruments and applications for creators, today announced its support for the upcoming Bandcamp Friday, set to take place on October 4. This initiative, spearheaded by Bandcamp — the online record store and music community where passionate fans discover, connect with and directly support the artists they love—aims to empower artists by eliminating revenue shares, ensuring that all proceeds go directly to them on every Bandcamp Friday.
Since its launch in 2020, Bandcamp Fridays have been a crucial lifeline for artists and labels, and this month's event promises to extend that support even more. In this exciting collaboration, Roland is rolling out a series of initiatives throughout October aimed at fostering creativity and strengthening community connections. These initiatives include exclusive access to the free Roland Ultimate Studio Suite and exclusive artist events, offering unique creative opportunities for both artists and fans.
Exclusive Free Roland Ultimate Studio Suite*:
Roland is offering a powerful set of tools to inspire both Bandcamp artists and fans. The free Roland Ultimate Studio Suite unlocks access to over 50 legendary Roland instruments— including the iconic TR-808 and TR-909—along with a suite of studio software instruments, effects, artist sample packs, and preset collections for both hardware and software. The offer also includes:
- A 3-month trial of Roland Cloud Ultimate
- 50% off Roland Cloud Lifetime Keys
- 25% off Roland Lifestyle apparel and merchandise
This exclusive offer provides Bandcamp artists and fans the opportunity to unlock new creative possibilities just in time for Bandcamp Friday on October 4. To learn more about how to access the free offer and to learn more about the Roland x Bandcamp partnership, visit: https://www.roland.com/bandcampfriday.
“Roland is excited to provide Bandcamp artists access to our Roland Ultimate Studio Suite of tools to fuel their creativity and grow their audience,” said Roland Chief Marketing Officer Matt Wechsler. “The longstanding commitment from Bandcamp to empower artists through their platform aligns with our focus on supporting artists at every stage of their musical journey.”
Virtual Listening Parties:
As part of this partnership, Bandcamp will be hosting four Virtual Listening Parties featuring celebrated Roland artists. Fans will be able to enjoy full-album performances in an intimate, interactive setting. The lineup for these events includes:
- Shigeto – October 22, 2024, 6:00 p.m. EDT
- Svaneborg Kardyb – October 15, 2024, 3:00 p.m. EDT
- Kelly Lee Owens – October 18, 2024, 1:00 p.m. EDT
- The Hard Quartet – October 4, 2024, 6:00 p.m. EDT
During these Listening Parties, artists stream their latest albums in full and interact directly with fans via live chat. They can discuss the inspiration behind their music, share stories, and answer fan questions in real time. These events go beyond the traditional album release experience, providing fans with a deeper connection to the artists and the music they love. Fans can sign up to follow the featured artists on Bandcamp and will automatically get notified for Listening Party updates.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Roland to support Bandcamp’s 5 million+ artists,” said Bryan Biniak, Bandcamp President. "At Bandcamp, supporting artists is at the heart of everything we do. Roland shares this same artist-first philosophy, with over 50 years of empowering musicians and fueling their creativity."
Special Roland x Bandcamp Artist Interview:
Additionally, Roland and Bandcamp will host an exclusive Roland x Bandcamp interview with the band Undeath on October 7, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. EDT. This special session is in celebration of the 100th Bandcamp Metal Show and will feature an interview between Undeath's Alexander Jones and Bandcamp Metal Show host Brad Sanders. The interview offers fans a unique opportunity to learn about the band’s creative process, dive into their musical journey, and uncover the stories behind their music. Fans can follow the band on Bandcamp to receive updates to watch the interview on Undeath’s Bandcamp page.
