FL Studio goes web + Bandcamp's 2026 calendar
Bypass: Music Industry News for Independent Artists
Christmas edition - 2 min read
You Can Use FL Studio In Chrome Now
What’s Up
FL Studio just checked into your browser. Good luck getting anything else done. It's in public beta now, so join the waitlist at fl.studio.
So What
Don’t get it twisted. This isn’t some watered-down 'lite' toy. FL Studio Web comes loaded with the native plugins and sounds you know and love. Image Line's big plan is to keep you from making excuses about making music.
Now What
Join the waitlist for early access. Pricing TBA. If you've been putting off learning production or need a faster way to sketch out ideas, this is it.
Let the Algorithm Choose
What’s Up
Ok, be honest, you’re bad at naming videos, aren’t you? YouTube knows. This week, they dropped Title & Thumbnail A/B Testing to all creators with Advanced Features. That means you can test up to three different titles and thumbnails to see which one keeps people watching.
So What
Picking the right title and thumbnail on the first try is harder than you think. YouTube measures watch time, so don’t even think about clickbait titles. With their new system, you get to run A/B testing for two weeks, after which it automatically picks the best title and thumbnail based on watch time.
Now What
Stop before you finish writing the 'YOU WON'T BELIEVE' title. Check your YouTube Studio settings and make sure Advanced Features is on. Then start testing on your next upload.
The 2026 Payday Calendar
What's Up
All good things happen on Fridays, and “Bandcamp Friday” is the best one any indie could ask for. They’re running eight of Bandcamp Fridays starting February 6. On these days, they waive their revenue share, meaning you keep 100% of sales. (Other dates: Mar 6, May 1, Aug 7, Sep 4, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4).
So What
These days generated $19 million for indie artists in 2025, basically paying better than actual 9-to-5s. It’s the only time the platform steps aside and lets you keep the bag (all of it).
Now What
Open up your calendar app and add these eight dates. Why plan a release for a random Tuesday when you could drop it on a fee-free Friday?
While You Were Making Music...
🤖 Universal teams up with Splice for AI tools [they went from "sue 'em" to "hire 'em" real quick]
Today's edition by Jordan F.
For indies who ship music, not excuses.
Related News & Guides
Third time's the charm? + Free CAA program (deadline May 22)
The No Fakes Act has been reintroduced in Congress for a third time, giving artists legal rights over AI-generated use of their voice and likeness on streaming platforms. The Twigs countersued FKA Twigs seeking a permanent ban on the name after a 2013 email showed FKA Twigs acknowledged their prior claim. CAA's free professional development program The Hubb, now in its ninth year, accepts applications from college students and recent grads through May 22.
The kids are buying CDs again
Disc Makers reports CD revenues up 9%, with May running 24% ahead of last year, driven by teenagers choosing $10-14 CDs over $25-40 vinyl. DistroKid now requires artists to self-disclose whether their uploaded music is AI-generated or AI-assisted at the time of upload. French Montana debuted his track "Grimey" exclusively to his 149,000 SoundCloud followers one week before its full streaming release.