This is the first part of our series on the sustainable music industry. In this article, we introduce cratedigger.fm – a project created by Rumkraft's founder to help music lovers support artists directly.
Do you remember the feeling of browsing records?
Imagine standing in a record shop. You flip through crates filled with vinyl, find a cover that catches your eye, turn it over and read about the artist. Maybe you ask the clerk if she can play it for you. You discover new music through serendipity and curiosity – not through an algorithm.
That experience has almost disappeared in the streaming era. Spotify and Apple Music serve us music based on what they think we want to hear. We rarely discover something that truly surprises us.
It was exactly this feeling I missed, and that's why I created cratedigger.fm.
What is cratedigger.fm?
cratedigger.fm is an online radio for independent music. The concept is simple:
- Discover new releases from curated labels, independent artists, or ALL of Bandcamp
- Build playlists with your favorites
- Support artists directly by purchasing on Bandcamp
- Own your music in high quality – forever
It feels like browsing in a record shop – with focus on discovery, support, and ownership.
Explore curated labels or all of Bandcamp
cratedigger.fm gives you two ways to discover music:
- Curated labels: Listen to a growing collection of hand-picked record labels – selected by the cratedigger.fm team for their commitment to independent music.
- All of Bandcamp: Search by genre tags and explore Bandcamp's entire catalog with millions of releases from artists worldwide.
Try the player below – hit shuffle and let yourself be surprised:
The problem with streaming
Streaming has made all the world's music available for a fixed monthly price. But there's a downside that rarely gets discussed.
Artists get pennies
Streaming pays artists fractions of a penny per stream. It takes thousands of plays to match a single vinyl sale.
You own nothing
Your "library" can disappear overnight. Licenses expire, services shut down, albums get removed. You're renting – not owning.
Algorithm bubbles
Algorithms trap you in echo chambers. They're optimized for engagement, not genuine musical discovery. You hear more of the same.
cratedigger.fm is the answer to these problems: a digital record store where you discover, listen, and buy directly from artists.
Why Bandcamp?
Bandcamp is unique in the music world. While streaming platforms pay artists fractions of cents per stream, Bandcamp gives artists 82% of each sale. And on the monthly "Bandcamp Fridays," they give artists 100%.
Since Bandcamp Fridays started in March 2020, the program has generated over €130 million ($140 million) in direct payments to artists and labels. In 2025 alone, over €18 million was paid out.
Read more about Bandcamp Fridays →
Ownership vs. leasing
When you buy music on Bandcamp, you own it. You can download it in high quality (FLAC, WAV) and play it without internet – forever. Streaming, on the other hand, is a kind of "leasing" of music. If the service shuts down, or an album gets removed, you lose access.
| Streaming (Spotify, Apple Music) | Bandcamp / Ownership | |
|---|---|---|
| Artist revenue | ~€0.003 per stream | ~€8 per album (82% of €10) |
| Streams to match one album sale | ~2,700 streams | 1 purchase |
| Audio quality | Compressed (128-320 kbps) | Lossless (FLAC, WAV, AIFF) |
| Ownership | Leasing – can be removed anytime | Permanent – your files forever |
| Offline access | Requires subscription | Always available |
| DJ use | Not allowed in most cases | Fully supported |
How to use cratedigger.fm
- Go to cratedigger.fm
- Click "Start Radio" to begin listening
- Create a free account to save favorites and build playlists
- When you find something you love, click to buy directly on Bandcamp
All cratedigger.fm features
cratedigger.fm is more than a radio – it's a complete tool for music discovery and collection:
Endless music radio
Hit shuffle and listen to new releases from curated labels, or flip the radio to ALL of Bandcamp's catalog. Discovery without algorithms – just great music.
Playlists and favorites
Save the tracks you love in your own playlists. Build your collection of upcoming purchases.
Import your Bandcamp wishlist
Already have a wishlist on Bandcamp? Import it directly and keep track of all your wanted music in one place.
Price estimate
See what your entire wishlist will cost before you commit. Perfect for planning your purchases ahead of Bandcamp Friday.
Collection overview
Keep track of what you've already bought – so you don't purchase the same thing twice.
Export tracklist
Export your session tracklist as a Markdown file – perfect for DJ sets and archiving.
A sustainable music industry starts with us
We often talk about sustainability in relation to the environment. But what about sustainability in the music industry? Can artists make a living from their music? Can independent labels survive without major contracts?
Streaming has democratized access to music – but it has also concentrated revenue among the biggest artists. According to IFPI, global music revenue grew to over €35 billion in 2024, but the majority goes to a small handful of artists.
Direct purchases – through platforms like Bandcamp – are a way to ensure that the money actually reaches those who create the music.
From listener to collector
There's something special about owning music. When you buy an album, you invest in the artist's work. You get high audio quality, you can download it to your DJ software (like Rekordbox), and you have it forever.
For DJs, Bandcamp is particularly valuable. You get WAV/FLAC files without compression, and you support the producers and labels that release the music you play.
Read more about our DJ courses →
What's coming in the next part?
In part 2, we take a step back and look at how music technology even came to be. From the first live concerts to the invention of the gramophone and vinyl record – how did technology change our relationship with music?
The series continues with radio and cassette tapes, the digital revolution with CD and MP3, and concludes with a deep dive into the streaming vs. ownership debate.
Who Pays the Artist? – Series Parts
- Part 1: cratedigger.fm: How to Support Artists Directly (this article)
- Part 2: From Live to Vinyl: Music's First Revolution
- Part 3: Radio and Cassette Tapes: Democratizing Music
- Part 4: CD, MiniDisc and the Digital Transition
- Part 5: Streaming vs. Ownership: The Future of Music Culture
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Om forfatteren
Ras 'Kata' Kjærbo
Ras Kjærbo is an Ableton Certified Trainer and one of the driving forces behind Rumkraft. He teaches Ableton Live and music production, and is passionate about sharing his knowledge on everything from sound design to live performance techniques.