WIN Supporters Spotlight: Bandcamp’s Aly Gillani on Opportunities and Challenges for Independents

Bandcamp ​is ​an ​online ​record ​store and music community ​where passionate fans discover, connect ​with, and directly support the artists ​they love. Since launching in 2008, ​Bandcamp ​has paid out ​over ​$1.6 billion ​to independent artists and ​labels across ​the ​globe.

WIN Supporters is a program available to those who want to support WIN’s work, champion the global independent music sector, and engage with its entrepreneurs in a sustainable and mutually beneficial way. The program offers unique benefits that complement the Friends, Partners, Affiliate and Associate membership schemes run by WIN members, which businesses are also encouraged to explore and join for additional ways to engage with the independent community.

Bandcamp joined the WIN Supporters program in July 2024 and has since partnered with WIN for WINHUB international networking events in New York in 2024 and 2025. Previously, Bandcamp had sponsored WIN’s annual conference WINCON held in Lisbon, Portugal in 2023. They have been longstanding supporters of the independent community having joined Friends, Partners, Affiliate or Associate membership schemes of A2IM, AIM, CIMA, IMNZ and VUT.

We spoke with Aly Gillani, Bandcamp’s Artist & Label Relations ​Lead about opportunities and challenges for independents and where he thinks the sector is heading:

What do you see ​as the biggest ​opportunities or challenges for ​independents right now?
I ​think the biggest ​challenge for ​independents is in ​breaking new ​artists. There’s a ​growing gap between ​the biggest artists and those coming up ​which ​is becoming more ​and more risky ​to try and bridge. On the flip ​side, there are paths to ​connect directly with ​fans ​in non-traditional places that ​can remove ​gatekeepers in ways we’ve never before experienced. ​Bandcamp ​is ​a part ​of ​that ​eco-system and ​it’s ​exciting to be ​able to break ​down those ​barriers between ​artists and their ​fans.

What motivated ​Bandcamp to first become ​a WIN Supporter, and what ​encouraged you to ​renew?
Independent music ​is at ​the heart of Bandcamp’s success ​and supporting the institutions that ​foster ​that ​spirit of ​independence is vitally important ​to ​us. ​Remembering ​that there is ​an industry ​outside of the dominant territories is vitally important ​and ​WIN provides unique access to ​those markets.

Where ​do you see ​the independent sector gaining ​the most influence ​in the ​next ​5 years?
The notion of what ​constitutes ​independence ​in ​this ​era ​of acquisitions and mergers is becoming increasingly important. ​The independent community really seems to be coming together at ​the ​moment ​to ​work to ​protect ​what’s been built – continuing on ​that ​path ​will ​ensure ​that the independent community ​continues to be the driving ​force ​in ​music globally.

If you could share one piece of advice with independents ​navigating today’s ​music ​landscape, what ​would ​it be?
Trying ​to ​do this alone is ​an impossible ​task – the future is all about ​community and ​working ​together. 

We thank Bandcamp for renewing their commitment as a WIN Supporter and look forward to working together to strengthen and connect the independent music community worldwide.