Where Creators
Meet Tastemakers

We believe in making music work for the people who make music matter. And that’s why BaseNote’s community is a lot like the crowd at a show.

Here, fans both loyal and new can invest in and interact with the musicians they love, and when one succeeds, the other does, too.

Arrows in a circleMicFans

How It Works

Unlike typical crowdfunding platforms (like Kickstarter and Patreon), BaseNote is an app for music investing. Think “Robinhood for Music”.

As listeners invest, BaseNote collects the cash and distributes it to the artist. Instead of waiting years for royalties to accrue, artists can immediately use the money to record new music, go on tour, film music videos, and more.

In return for the investment, artists pay their investors a share of their streaming royalties. Fans succeed when artists succeed.

Fans -> Investors -> Promoters
Think of your investors as your street team. Not only do they love your music, but they have a financial interest in seeing you succeed. Your investors rep your band by posting on social media, wearing merch, bringing friends to concerts, and more.

Post in the BaseNote app to keep your fans informed about new releases, concerts, and other ways that they can drive your success.
The BaseNote app.
Fans at a concert

A Home for Fans,
Old and New

The BaseNote app is your showcase for songs, music videos, photos, and more. Effortlessly populate your profile by syncing with social media. Increase streams and drive ticket and merch sales by linking out to other platforms.

FAQ

How is this different from Patreon or GoFundMe?
Chevron
Patreon, GoFundMe, and Kickstarter are examples of “traditional” crowdfunding platforms that allow artists to take donations, in exchange for perks. In contrast, BaseNote is a crowd investing platform. Your investors pay you for a small portion of your future master streaming royalties. This model allows you to raise much more money, and gives fans a financial incentive to help promote your band.
Who are your competitors and how do you differ?
Chevron
We’re often compared to traditional crowdfunding platforms like Patreon, Kickstarter, or GoFundMe (see question above). Below the surface though, we’re more similar to a royalty marketplace like Royalty Exchange. We’re different from Royalty Exchange in a few important ways. Our low investment minimums (less than $10) mean that any of your fans can afford to buy a share. Our product design puts the focus on you and your music, helping to maintain fruitful relationships with your fans. And our technology and white-glove service makes onboarding to BaseNote a breeze.
Is this like when David Bowie sold his Bowie Bonds?
Chevron
In 1997, David Bowie sold the royalties of 25 albums to accredited investors for $55 million. We are offering a similar experience with BaseNote, but have opened the doors for you to take investments from anybody who wants to invest, not just accredited investors.
How does recoupment on BaseNote compare to typical record label deals?
Chevron
There is no recoupment on BaseNote investments. With a label deal, the artist must recoup against their advance and any other expenses paid by the label, and they typically receive no money from their master recordings until their balance is zeroed out. With BaseNote, artists choose the master streaming royalty percentage that they sell to investors, and for how long. Artists receive the royalties they didn’t sell as soon as they come in from the distributors, and at the end of the investment term all royalties revert to the artist.
If I raise funds through BaseNote, how are those funds taxed?
Chevron
Capital from investors is treated as funding (not income), so in general, you should not need to pay income tax on this. We encourage you to check with your tax advisor on the specifics of your situation.
How much can we raise? How is this determined?
Chevron
The amount you can raise is influenced by your historical earnings, the percentage of streaming royalties you choose to sell, and investor demand. Ask us for a free analysis, customized to your situation. At launch, we can help you raise anywhere from $20 thousand to $5 million USD.
Can I raise on BaseNote if I’m already working with a label?
Chevron
Yes! If you have an artist-friendly label that you love, we’re happy to work alongside them.
Is BaseNote based on blockchain or NFTs?
Chevron
Although our platform bears some resemblance to web3 products, BaseNote is not based on blockchain technology. While we admire the community-driven goals of web3/NFT projects, crypto can cause complexity and consumer confusion. BaseNote is a platform built on solid fundamentals, that both artists and fans stand to sustainably benefit from.
Fan cheering at a concert

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