As the music industry continues to grapple with the fallout around live event cancelations due to COVID-19/coronavirus, musicians have, in large part, turned to live streaming as a potential salve to make up for lost exposure. Leaning on internet-based distribution is nothing new, of course; musicians and creators of all kinds have been leaning into D.I.Y. models of fan engagement and distribution for decades.
Good Charlotte performers and brothers Joel and Benji Madden—and their company MDDN.co—have had their finger on this particular pulse for a couple of years now, with their direct-to-consumer artist platform, Veeps: an event management tool that provides digital ticketing services for V.I.P. experiences with the express intention of "giving power back to the artists, 100% commission-free." With so many artists turning to live streaming, the Madden brothers are confident that Veeps can be a help—especially its "digital touring" platform, where bands are able to provide unique fan experiences that go beyond an Instagram live.
"Veeps is for live experiences, V.I.P.s, meet and greets, anything in the V.I.P. space," Joel tells the Recording Academy over the phone. "Veeps is the platform that allows artists to be able to operate on their own, commission-free. We saw a need for artists that are new, emerging, developing and independently minded artists who really depend on every dollar of their touring income."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1 more sleep til <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelMadden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoelMadden</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/benjimadden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benjimadden</a> go live to perform your favorite <a href="https://twitter.com/GoodCharlotte?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoodCharlotte</a> songs! Tickets are available at <a href="https://t.co/XYYt6XZmTK">https://t.co/XYYt6XZmTK</a> all proceeds from this event will be donated. Hope to see y’all there!! <a href="https://t.co/wuP4jbEPCx">pic.twitter.com/wuP4jbEPCx</a></p>— Veeps (@Veeps) <a href="https://twitter.com/Veeps/status/1245452670623760384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With 350 currently artists using the platform—including plenty of big names like Larkin Poe, I Prevail, Cradle of Filth, and, of course, Good Charlotte—Veeps recently launched the ability to ticket live streams, with bands being able to track sales on an interactive dashboard, manage merch orders, utilize document sales and cash out directly to their bank accounts within 24-48 hours upon show completion. Once bands claim an artist page, creators can determine everything from customization is in their hands, with everything from a personalized logo to a fully custom branding that includes background, picture and video, not to mention a unique URL.
Touting Veeps as a "boutique experience," Joel and Benji take a lot of pride in their creation and its artist-friendly mission. "The secret sauce of it is the people behind [the platform] that are working every day," Joel says. "They love what they do. They love artists. They really are in it because they're fans of music and they're fans of experiencing music. So it is a really, truly special little platform that's especially [handy] in this time where we've been just trying to help people figure out their business solutions. W want to make it count for everyone the most we can.
As for what Joel is doing to get through our ongoing COVID-19/coronavirus quarantine, he's hanging at home with his wife, Nicole Richie, and their kids, who are currently being homeschooled. "Everything around the house we've been doing together as a family," he says. "Playing instruments, playing board games and going for a lot of walks together. We dyed our hair the other night. It's like anything goes. If you got an idea, we're doing it.
"It's a team effort, but this has been nice family time," he continues. "As scary as these times are for everyone—from work to life—we always try to look at everything and find the best in it."
If you wish to support our efforts to assist music professionals in need, learn more about the Recording Academy's and MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.
If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit the MusiCares website.
