Digital distribution firm CD Baby has announced that it is closing its HostBaby website building service for musicians. Existing accounts will be migrated over to rival service Bandzoogle, starting later this year.
The company told users that it wants to “put all our energy into what we do best, namely distributing music, creating tools for independent artists, and helping them collect their royalties worldwide”. It also seemingly admitted that HostBaby’s website building offering has lagged behind others in the industry, saying that Bandzoogle offers “better, more modern technology and themes”.
Artists who have used HostBaby to date will continue to be able to build websites using pre-made templates, and, once the transition is complete, will also be able to add crowdfunding and subscription options.
“Bandzoogle shares our focus on artists, with tools that help them wherever they are in their career”, says CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux. “They have built the best hosting product for indie musicians, and they back it up with amazing customer service. Like us, they keep ahead of a fast-changing business and think hard about what tools will best support artists’ dreams and goals. I can’t think of a better partner in web hosting, and I’m glad we finally get to work more closely together to promote indie music as a whole”.
CD Baby says it aims to make the migration for existing users as seamless as possible. As it prepares for the transition, HostBaby has stopped accepting new sign ups, and – in the future – CD Baby will promote Bandzoogle to its distribution clients.