Bandcamp founder Ethan Diamond: Music is essential, as well as welfare of artists

“It can’t be that music is a commodity, or content to use to sell advertising or a subscription plan. Artists have to come first” - Bandcamp founder Ethan Diamond said in a Guardian interview about his service. It's his second internet project actually - he sold his first company, an email service called Oddpost, to Yahoo in 2004. Unlike streaming services, Bandcamp takes the idea of ownership as crucial to its success - “by doing that it makes [fans] feel like they’re part of that music’s creation”. Diamond, a musician himself - saxophone player - believes music “is essential for humanity. If you’re serious about that, then the welfare of artists is essential”. This year he practiced his beliefs by waiving Bandcamp's fees in favor of artists...