Fanfunding for music

The music scene is looking for new answers. More and more people like you want to live their dream as a musician and use better tools, software, and services to produce their music affordably on their own. Getting started has never been easier. At the same time, venues are getting more expensive and audiences are spending less: that puts clubs at risk and reduces stage time.

With record sales, streaming services, and concerts, you can hardly earn the money you need as a newcomer or an established musician. Festivals and clubs are struggling with high costs. But nobody wants to give up live music. The good news: there's fanfunding. Totally underrated, and crisis-proof at that, as fanfunding campaigns in the millions during the corona years have shown.

Fanfunding, crowdfunding for music, has been on Startnext since 2010. Thousands of newcomers, clubs, and festivals have funded themselves here. Follow them and launch your first fanfunding campaign.

Download our presentation from Most Wanted Music Berlin 2024.

There are no limits to your imagination. A look at thousands of projects from recent years shows that musicians have successfully funded all of this:

• studio recordings

• professional mixing

• collaborations with bands/orchestras

• small tour

• ticket sales for own events

• LP production (reissues, rare editions)

• promo for your releases

• charity campaigns

• festivals

• event venues

Even as a newcomer, you can already offer plenty that brings you closer to your dream and turns your supporters into true fans. The rewards on Startnext are a great playground to get creative. The more individual your rewards are, the more your fans will identify with you.

• Concert tickets / VIP tickets / backstage passes

• Records (CD/vinyl)

• Digital downloads (videos/tracks)

• Living room concerts

• Artwork

• Individually written lyrics or song elements

• Vocal or instrument coaching Classic merch (t-shirts, caps, cups, etc.)

Musicians raise between €1,000 and €150,000 per campaign on Startnext. Most manage to raise between €4,000 and €8,000 for their studio productions. How successful your campaign becomes depends on a few factors:

• How well known are you already?

• How well maintained are your social media profiles?

• How many followers do you have?

• Are you more mainstream or niche?

• Have you already performed in public?

• Do you have a recognizable image?

• Are you comfortable asking fans and people who don't know you yet for money for your album or tour?

Ten examples that show how it's done:

1. Thomas Godoj (Rock) -  710.635 €

2. Sören Vogelsang (Liedermacher) - 134.332 €

3. Lisa Spielmann (Pop) - 13.750 €

4. Sebastian Barwinek (Folk Sänger) - 9.636 €

5. Lissy Fey (Deutsch Pop) - 8.930 €

6. Yunus (Deutsch Pop) - 8.430 €

7. Alin Coen & Stüba Philharmonie - 19.930 €

8. Das Elfte Gebot (Folkmetal) - 120.434 €

9. Joint Venture (Liedermacher) - 72.874 €

10. Diana Ezerex (Pop) - 23.731 €

Thousands of musicians have successfully crowdfunded on Startnext before you. What is holding you back?

• fanfunding since 2010 in the German-speaking region continuous

• growth of your own crowd

• your own blog and mailing feature for your campaign

• internal pinboard

• messaging tool between you and your crowd

• more than five different funding options

• your own artist profile with all your campaigns parallel campaigns possible

• our own app ecosystem with tools for fulfillment (Postfunder) and within Playground, promo (Geistesblitz), feedback (Improvisor) and our exclusive ticket App (Pass)

• API & MCP for your own applications in your web and AI workflow

• Startnext is financed through success commissions, AI credits, and voluntary contributions from the crowd

• Startnext is a B Corp, doesn't distribute profits, is free of investor interests, and was founded in Germany