Should Your Band Start A Patreon in 2023 (Case Study)

Patreon has gotten a lot of hype AND hate in the music community. Some artists swear by it, while others find it cheesy and you could be focusing on more important things.

But should YOUR band start a Patreon? It depends on where you are at in your career.

If you're at the part of your career where you have built up a base of not just casual fans, but TRUE fans and SUPER fans, you would be crazy to NOT have a direct-fan-supported element to your business model. All fans are not created equal. Give the fans that want more something more and don't be afraid to ask for a bigger amount from them!

If you're just getting started or have a bunch of casual fans, but very few true fans, it may not be the best thing to focus on. Spend some time developing depth with your fans. That means going to shows, replying to comments, hanging out with people, etc. It's won't happen overnight, but once you build a collection of fans that are invested in you, they will return the favor!

A Band That is KILLING it on Patreon: Lords of the Trident

Let's look at a case study of success on Patreon. We talked with Fang of Lords of the Trident (the most METAL band on earth) on the Music Business Mindset Podcast. They have 300 active patrons that support them every month ranging from $1 to $50.

It's one of my personal favorite episodes both for the content and the fun time we had chatting. If you are considering anything to do with crowdfunding for your band, this episode is a MUST listen!