Crowdfunding Replacing Labels?

Many articles have been written on the impact of crowdfunding on entertainment.  Has crowdfunding begun to replace labels in the Christian market?  Below is a partial list of artists who've gone this route in recent years:

Artists who have been on labels fairly recently, but are now cutting out the middleman with crowdfunding:
Thousand Foot Krutch (Kickstarter)
Jars of Clay (PledgeMusic)
Disciple (Kickstarter)
Manafest (PledgeMusic)
Fireflight (PledgeMusic)
Jimmy Needham (Kickstarter)
Audrey Assad (Kickstarter)
Abandon (Kickstarter)
Hawk Nelson (Kickstarter)
Mike Farris (Kickstarter)
Seabird (Kickstarter)
33Miles (Kickstarter)
Beckah Shae (Kickstarter)
Anthem Lights (Kickstarter)
The Monks (Kickstarter)
Gungor  (Kickstarter)
The Vespers (Kickstarter)


John Elefante (Kickstarter)
Steve Taylor (Kickstarter)
Guardian (Kickstarter)
Bryan Duncan (Kickstarter)
The Choir (Kickstarter)
John Schlitt (Kickstarter)
Out of the Grey (Kickstarter)
Crystal Lewis (Kickstarter)
Bloodgood (Kickstarter)
Michael Roe (Kickstarter)
Big Tent Revival (Kickstarter)
Pillar (Kickstarter)
Carman (Kickstarter)
Daniel Amos  (Kickstarter)
Christafari (Kickstarter)
OC Supertones (Kickstarter)
Natalie LaRue (Kickstarter)
Cherri Keaggy (Kickstarter)

Fresh off labels:
Warren Barfield  (Kickstarter)
Scott MacIntyre (Kickstarter)
Chris Sligh (Kickstarter)
Robbie Seay Band (Kickstarter)
Children 18:3 (Kickstarter)
The Sonflowerz (Kickstarter)
Benjamin Dunn (Kickstarter)
Samestate (Kickstarter)
Sevenglory (Kickstarter)
Tal & Acacia (Kickstarter)
Above the Golden State (Kickstarter)
After Edmund (Kickstarter)

Did we forget anyone?

Thousand Foot Krutch Featured on TV and Enjoys Career Best Sales

Going independent has energized THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH as its momentum continues to build following the release of the band's 5-star acclaimed, seventh studio album, The End Is Where We Begin. After entering at No. 1 on the Hard Rock, No. 3 on Alternative and Independent and No. 14 on the Top 200 Billboard charts, the recording continues to sell 41% ahead of its previous best selling album while Canada's favorite modern rockers get ready to launch their stadium shaking rumbles on main stages across North America during this festival season.

Billed as a top headliner for the first time at Christian music's largest festival, Creation Festival, for its 34th annual event (6/29, www.creationfest.com/ne), as well as headlining for the first time Creation 2012 Northwest (7/19, www.creationfest.com/nw), TFK is also featured on the main stages at 8 other festivals. The band will also be featured on the Uproar Festival along with Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Papa Roach, POD and others.

"TFK's The End Is Where We Begin is ahead of the last album's sales by 41%, which is unheard of today!" exclaims Shawn Fowler. "Digital singles' sales numbers are even stronger; up 64%. And the festival season is sure to drive that upward momentum as the recording continues to be featured at all the major retail outlets."

In addition to the festivals, TFK is gathering significant radio airplay across multiple formats. Its adrenaline-infused Active Rock single, "Let The Sparks Fly," hit No. 2 this week on SiriusXM Satellite Radio's Octane Big-Uns Countdown (www.siriusxm.com/octane) as its CHR No. 15 and climbing single, "Be Somebody," became the second-highest radio spin-gainer last week in the format.

The band also continues its string of sports entertainment song placements, including new songs from The End Is Where We Begin on ESPN (NASCAR, NCAA basketball), EA Sports NHL 2013 releasing this fall and, most recently, "War of Change" was named as the official theme song for WWE's "Over The Limit" pay per view event happening May 20 (www.wwe.com/music). WWE programming reaches nearly 16 million people per week in the US alone and 14 million more monthly online. "Light Up The Sky" further became the soundtrack for the L.A. Kings' (NHL) playoff reel (http://ht.ly/aFciK).

Thousand Foot Krutch Charts at #14 With Indie Release

Thousand Foot Krutch's biggest debut ever hits No. 14 on Billboard Top 200, No. 1 on multiple Retail Charts and sales tracking 72% ahead of last CD.

Announcing their independence from label life last year, TFK raised money through Kickstarter, then released  its seventh studio album, The End Is Where We Begin, to not only wide critical acclaim, but also its biggest sales debut ever. Since its release last week, the album reached #6 on the iTunes® Top 10 Albums chart, climbed to #2 on the iTunes Rock chart (No. 1 in Canada) and earned the #8 spot on the Rock Singles Chart while capping the week with it highest ever chart position on the Billboard Top 200 at No. 14 with 23,659 albums sold, marking a 72% sales jump over the band's previous best-selling album, Welcome to the Masquerade. The album also landed at No. 1 on the Hard Rock Billboard charts.

The new CD has already had song placements on ESPN (NASCAR, NCAA basketball), WWE and EA Sports NHL 2013 releasing this fall.

The new album is a testament to the bond the band has with its fans. Thanks to the TFK armies across the globe, who helped fund the album through Kickstarter and allowed the band to self-release, TFK has achieved their greatest successes to date.

"Since day one we've actually been uncomfortable with the term 'fans' because these people mean so much more to us," says TFK front man Trevor McNevan. "They're the friends and family of the band, so to speak, and I think they've grown to trust us over the years, which is something that's been built between us and not manufactured."

TFK Cancels Creation Festival Appearance

Thousand Foot Krutch announced that they will not be performing at Creation Northwest this Friday due to frontman Trevor McNevan's emergency surgery late yesterday evening. McNevan was taken to the emergency room for appendicitis, which resulted in an routine appendectomy around 8 p.m..