Over the past few years, tech startup Vampr has been amassing users and funding, with the goal of allowing musicians to share their works and collaborate with other users. Vampr was recently ranked second in Fast Company’s list of the “10 Most Innovative Music Companies of 2022” and has amassed 1.5 million global users, which include Anthony Kilhoffer, a Grammy Award-winning producer who worked as an engineer on every Kanye West album from The College Dropout to The Life of Pablo.
Being a musician in 2022 can be tough. The coronavirus has also negatively impacted Australia’s live music industry, with the constant cancellation of concerts and festivals, along with the shuttering of gig venues.
While the internet and streaming have allowed musicians to reach a global audience and given them 24/7 access to their music, these musicians will barely receive a few dollars from thousands of streams on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music.
The short sell of Vampr is that it’s “the LinkedIn for musicians”. Founded in 2015, it’s a platform that’s dedicated to supporting musicians by allowing them to network, collaborate and distribute their works. While it’s constantly compared to LinkedIn, there are also shades of Tinder in its service, as users are able to swipe left or right on potential connections.
While the tech startup is based in Los Angeles, it was founded by Australians Josh Simons and Barry Palmer – the latter of which you’d better know as the lead guitarist of pub-rock icons Hunters & Collectors. It recently raised AU$1.25 million in its latest equity crowdfunding round, bringing its total funding to just over AU$4.7 million.
So how does it work? For example, if you need a bassist to lay down a groovy riff, you check through Vampr’s catalogue until you find someone whose sound fits what you need. Or, if you’re a musician with a few freshly recorded songs, you can upload them to Vampr, where other users are able to pay you for their use.
While the app is free to use, Vampr also provides a Pro subscription that offers more connections per day, the ability to narrow search your area and unlimited uploads on your account. Most importantly, the Pro service also allows users to upload their music to services like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube while keeping 100% of the royalties.
You can find more info about Vampr here. You can download the Vampr app via the Apple Store and Google Play. A Pro subscription costs US$2.99/month, with a free 7-day trial.
Chris is an E-Commerce Editor who works across Pedestrian Group’s many titles. He firmly believes that pop culture peaked with Prince's 'Batdance'.
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