In the grand scheme of the crowdfunding landscape, music campaigns are small fry compared to tech, games, or visual arts, running from a few thousand dollars for a single up to $50,000 for a more established artist looking for higher production values. For contrast, a reboot of television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 recently made news by bringing in over a million dollars in one day. This month, I'm looking at three campaigns on the higher end of the funding scale. It's always a risk given crowdfunding sites' “all or nothing” policy, but two are well on their way to being funded and the other is already fully funded.
Chris Pierce- Songs for the Heavy Hearted (click here to view campaign)
The most well-known, at least in the roots community, artist on this month's list is also the one with the most modest funding goal of the lot. Chris Pierce has been featured in No Depression a few times, most recently this month in an edition of Amos Perrine's Through the Lens column, where Pierce's performance at AMERICANAFEST's Neil Young Tribute was call a “showstopper.” Pierce is currently running a $25,000 Indiegogo campaign to fund his new album Songs for the Heavy Hearted, and he's brought along some heavy hitters as guests, including Allison Russell, Garrison Starr, and Steve Earle. Backer perks for this campaign include the album in digital, CD, or vinyl formats, as well as a PDF of the album's liner notes, a private online listening event, and priority access to tour tickets.
Wyatt Edmondson- Make Light of the Dark (click here to view campaign)
Wyatt Edmondson is a fixture of Nashville's local music scene, appearing often in various Broadway venues and also playing the historic Bluebird Cafe. His sensitive acoustic songs touch on themes of loss, disability, and uncertainty, informed in no small part by his own disability, the visual impairment retinitis pigmentosa. Edmondson's ambitious $42,500 Kickstarter campaign is his second one, having successfully funded his 2020 EP If I Don't Try on the same platform. This go around, Edmondson is working with Grammy nominated producer Bobby Holland, who is not only a veteran producer and mixer but who also relates to Edmondson's music through his own retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis. In addition to being able to get the album in digital and CD formats, you can also get campaign perks like a recording of the stories behind the songs on the album, a “making of” documentary, handwritten lyrics, and an acoustic guitar customized with lyrics and illustrations.
The Longest Johns- Ends of the Earth (click here to view campaign)
Bristol, UK-based trio The Longest Johns have seven albums under their belt, one of which was funded through Kickstarter. The group, whose mix of A Capella shanties, traditional British folk songs, and originals in the traditional style, as well as their geeky sense of humor, has brought them a large following, as is evidenced by a whopping $68,000 Kickstarter goal which they've already blown through and are in stretch funding territory. The band is working with producer Paul Worthington and the new album features all original songs except two traditional tunes. They also have some of the most unique backer perks I've seen in a campaign. Sure, you can get the album in CD, cassette, and splatter or picture vinyl formats as well as some usual perks like shirts (though they offer kids' sizes, something I haven't seen before) and stickers. But you can also get The Longest John branded socks, a tankard, a puzzle with the album's artwork and a 20-sided die suitable for your next game of Dungeons and Dragons.
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