Bypass: Music Industry News for Independent Artists

Saturday edition - 2 min read

Bandcamp Just Banned All AI Music (Yes, All of It)

What’s Up

Bandcamp drew a line in the sand. They just outright banned AI music. And no, excuses like "I only used AI for the drums" won’t work this time.

So What

Just last year, Spotify allowed AI “bands” like Velvet Sundown to rack up hundreds of thousands of streams. Deezer reports 50,000 AI tracks uploaded daily. On Bandcamp, you're competing with actual humans. Still hard, but at least you're not losing to keyboard typists. Oh, sorry, we mean 'artists.'

Now What

Use Bandcamp. Stay if you’re there. Start if you’re not. They’re encouraging users to spot and report AI tracks where they see them. Bandcamp’s not pulling punches.

[Full story at Hypebot]

Apple Just Made Their Tools Stupid Cheap

What’s Up

You are respectfully invited to attend Adobe’s funeral.

January 28, 2026.

Please dress in black. Apple already did.

Apple is launching Creative Studio. That’s Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, MainStage, Motion, and Compressor all bundled for $12.99/month or $129/year. Students get it for $2.99/month.

So What

Think of Creator Studio as the indie starter kit. You want TikTok videos? They’ve got Final Cut Pro. Thinking of making album art? Well, say hi to Pixelmator Pro. Logic Pro alone is worth the subscription price, and the new version adds AI Synth Player and Chord ID. Meanwhile, Adobe’s charging $23 a month for a single program.

Now What

If you've been eyeing Logic, wait until January 28 and subscribe instead. Students get everything for $2.99 a month. You can still buy these apps individually if you want, but the subscription gets you everything plus updates across Mac and iPad.

[Full story at Hypebot]

Your 8 Paydays for 2026

What's Up

Last year, we told you about Bandcamp Fridays. Oh, you forgot. That’s fine; everyone does. Consider this your reminder that they still exist and still matter. Bandcamp Fridays for 2026: Feb 6, Mar 6, Apr 3, May 1, Jun 5, Aug 7, Oct 2, Dec 4. On these days, you keep 100% of the sales.

So What

Bandcamp Fridays are one of the few things in music that pay actual money. Fans know these dates matter and show up ready to buy instead of "saving it for later." Any releases, merch drops, or limited editions you have will perform way better on these days.

Now What

Get yourself ready for Feb 6. Plan your 2026 releases around the other dates. Don’t trust your memory either. Save these dates. Tell your email list about two weeks ahead of time. Your fans want to support you; just remind them when.

[Full story at Hypebot]