Some really uplifting reading; the Bandcamp 2016 year in review.
…every aspect of Bandcamp’s business was up in 2016. Digital album sales grew 20%, tracks 23%, and merch 34%. Growth in physical sales was led by vinyl, which was up 48%, and further boosted by CDs (up 14%) and cassettes (up 58%).
Unfortunately, times are not so great for the artists overall with the rise of streaming services.
As more people subscribe to music rental services, the already paltry rates paid to artists are going down (and no, artists don’t necessarily make it up in volume).
Buy your music directly from independent artists, and don’t let the record companies decide what is available to you!
Source: Everything is Terrific: The Bandcamp 2016 Year in Review « Bandcamp Daily