PledgeMusic

PledgeMusic operated a rewards-based crowdfunding platform for musicians. Artists would offer pre-sales of albums, exclusive merchandise, and VIP experiences in exchange for fan pledges. The company retained a percentage of each campaign's revenue, typically 10–15%, before distributing the rest to artists.

PledgeMusic failed due to a liquidity crisis. By early 2019, the company had stopped paying artists, and in June 2019 the UK entity entered administration. The US bankruptcy case listed approximately $1.6 million in liabilities. The company's cash-flow problems were linked to its practice of holding customer funds until after campaign expenses were paid.

PledgeMusic was founded by Benji Rogers, a musician and entrepreneur who later co-founded DotBC, a blockchain-based music rights platform. Rogers served as CEO until the company's collapse.

Many artists were affected, including pop singer Amanda Palmer, rock band The Used, and metalcore group Memphis May Fire. These artists had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through fan pledges but did not receive the funds from PledgeMusic.

No. The original PledgeMusic website was taken offline after administration. The current domain now redirects to a casino affiliate site that promotes online gambling and has no connection to the original music crowdfunding business.

PledgeMusic was headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with a US office in New York. The company served musicians and fans worldwide, with campaigns from artists across North America, Europe, and other regions.

PledgeMusic was a rewards-based platform similar to Kickstarter but focused exclusively on music. Unlike Kickstarter, which does not hold funds long-term, PledgeMusic held pledges until campaigns met their goals and often disbursed net proceeds after expenses, creating a cash-flow risk that contributed to its collapse.