A2IM and RoadNation Unveil 'Road-Less Concert Series'

RoadNation, the pioneering platform that enables artists and fans to build tours together, and A2IM (American Association of Independent Music) today announced a new program for independent artists to earn money from livestream performances. The program will kick off with a livestream concert April 17th featuring performances by AZRA, Rayvon Owen, RuthAnne Cunningham, Stefan Poole and Speelburg. The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), Women In Music (WIM), The Music Business Association and the Music Managers Forum-US (MMF-US) are promotional partners of the series, with the first show this Friday set to be featured on the Twitch homepage.

The coronavirus pandemic -- with the wave of concert and festival cancellations left in its wake -- has particularly impacted the lives of independent musicians, most of whom rely upon touring for the majority of their income. While the collective music community has admirably rallied to raise millions of needed dollars for a variety of charitable causes, the organizers seek to help independent musicians earn critical revenues directly from their work.

The "Livestream Road-Less Series" will provide all indie artists the opportunity to perform and monetize livestreams through a branded channel and experience on streaming platforms such as Twitch. Artists will get a free customized RoadNation.com page to sell unique experiences and merch like a virtual meet-and-greet, shoutout or instrument lesson.

The series will also include curated virtual concerts featuring groups of independent artists. The April 17 virtual concert, set for 4pm PT / 7pm ET, is the first in a series. A portion of all revenues generated will be donated to the ​Sweet Relief COVID-19 Musicians Fund​.

"During this difficult time, A2IM is proud to lead this industry effort to help indie artists earn income from livestreams," said Dr. Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of A2IM (American Association of Independent Music). "Indie artists often live from gig to gig, relying upon touring for a significant part of their income. Live gigs are not possible in a world under quarantine from COVID-19. The Road-Less Livestream Series enables indie artists to nourish their connection with fans and monetize online performances in order to pay their bills and keep creating."

"Like so many of us in the music community, we are heartbroken to see the toll that the coronavirus exacts on artists and all who help bring music to life," said Steve Marks, Founder and CEO of RoadNation. "We want to do our part to create powerful moments where artists can do what they do best -- bring music to life -- and fans can again feel that special connection to their favorite artists and support their work."