—
UPDATED: We have exciting news to share.
—
We have a tough message to share today: We’ve decided to conclude the Drip platform on March 18. Before then we’re committed to doing right by our creators and paying them in full.
We started Drip five years ago because we believed existing networks hadn’t yet solved for the needs of creators: recurring income, support from their fans beyond likes and follows, and the data needed to have more control over their careers.
The first prototype of Drip was based on what we knew to be true as lifelong music heads and we were honored to have top independent labels like Stones Throw, Dirtybird, Fool’s Gold, Now-Again, Morr Music, Domino Records, and OWSLA join us. The community told us they loved it, so we kept experimenting. We invited artists like They Might Be Giants, Christopher Willits and King Britt to take part.
Fans joined these communities; they paid their favorite creators directly; and they got access to high quality, often rare and exclusive music plus more. From live events and guest list spots, to one-on-one hangs and exclusive products, we were constantly inspired by the types of interactions that Drip encouraged. Some fans even landed jobs at the labels and others were signed as a result of being discovered in the platform.
Over the years, we’ve hosted some of the world’s best artists and independent labels, and have generated millions of dollars for them in direct support from the most dedicated fans in the world. It’s been an honor and a joy to be part of this community.
At the top of the year we took a hard look at Drip, our future, and the various routes we could take to get there. Between timing, funding, and everything needed to realize this future, we made the decision that now was the time for Drip to come to a conclusion. For now, we’ll be taking this moment to regroup and refocus.
There were no subscription services that met the needs of our creators, so we built it. We experimented, we had a great time, and we’ve made some great friendships along the way. In the time since we began, we’ve been happy to see several services emerge to tackle some of the same problems. We like to think we even inspired some of them.
Throughout the next month we’ll be looking to partner with these services to help our creators continue. We’re also giving members until March 18 to export their music, data, and say farewell. Read more at our FAQ
To our members, our creators, our team, and our investors: Thank you for joining us in creating a special place for the best fans out there. We’re optimistic on the future of this space and we’ll continue working on new ideas.
Sincerely,
Sam, Miguel & Team Drip
We’d love to hear from you here in the comments or on twitter @Drip.
