EVEN has been making a name for itself in the world of direct-to-fan commerce.
The New York-headquartered platform specializes in enabling ‘superfans’ of artists to access exclusive benefits from their favorite act.
Those benefits might include first dibs on merchandise, tour tickets, private events, or behind-the-scenes content.
More commonly, it means giving hardcore fans the chance to buy and/or access new music before it lands on streaming services.
Since launching in April last year, EVEN has onboarded 80,000+ artists across 2,200+ labels in 110+ countries. It says that fans are paying an average of USD $20+ per release via its platform.
Furthermore, EVEN says it’s the only ‘superfan platform’ to report sales to Luminate for Billboard chart eligibility.
Now, EVEN has been unlocked for a brand new partner: Secretly Distribution (SD).
The independent distribution/services arm of Secretly Group, Secretly Distribution works with a range of independent artists and labels including Rhymesayers, Captured Tracks, A24 Music, Chrysalis, and DFA, plus Secretly’s own labels such as Dead Oceans, Ghostly International, Jagjaguwar, Secretly Canadian, and the Numero Group.
All SD’s distributed labels now have ‘seamless access’ to EVEN’s direct-to-fan monetization tools, with all artists across SD’s labels receiving EVEN profiles without any setup required.
“I’ve been a fan of Secretly Distribution for years – they’ve consistently supported and developed some of the most innovative independent labels and artists of our time,” said Mag Rodriguez, CEO and founder of EVEN.
“SD has proven that an artist-first ethos can power culture, and with EVEN’s direct-to-fan platform, we’re taking that one step further.
“This partnership creates the infrastructure artists need to deepen fan relationships and build sustainable careers alongside their streaming presence.”
Mag Rodriguez, EVEN
“Now, every SD-distributed artist can launch exclusive drops and experiences at the click of a button, turning superfans into real supporters before the music even hits streaming.
“This partnership creates the infrastructure artists need to deepen fan relationships and build sustainable careers alongside their streaming presence.”
Secretly Distribution artist release pages on EVEN will auto-generate from existing distribution workflows via industry-standard DDEX.
SD’s partners will be able to sell albums, singles, podcasts, and exclusive experiences directly to fans through these pages.
Importantly, all eligible music sales made by SD via EVEN will count toward Billboard charts.
“Secretly Distribution is very excited to be partnering with EVEN — a platform whose vision and ethos deeply resonate with our own.”
Charley Kiefer, Secretly Distribution
Charley Kiefer, VP Global Digital Strategy, Secretly Distribution, said: “Secretly Distribution is very excited to be partnering with EVEN — a platform whose vision and ethos deeply resonate with our own.
“This collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting innovative models that empower artists and labels.
“By opening this door, we’re creating new and meaningful ways for our distributed partners to connect directly with their most dedicated fans.”
EVEN claims that “established acts are generating 2-3x their yearly streaming revenue from superfans from a single release” on its service.
The company cites research suggesting that 43% of ‘superfans’ will pay above minimum for direct-to-fan artist releases.Music Business Worldwide
