The main thing: you can interact with your superfans for free => merch sales! There’s no content moderation like on Facebook and Instagram, no reach caps, no advertising fees etc.

I discovered that bands have Discord servers when I was doing research on Sleep Token.

What is Discord?

“Discord is a chat app, similar to programs such as Skype or TeamSpeak, or professional communications platforms like Slack. It’s geared specifically toward video game players, providing them with ways to find each other, coordinate play, and talk while playing. It supports video calls, voice chat, and text, allowing users to get in touch however they please.”

It depends on the tech skills of your audience. At the moment, metal and rock are beneficial the most from Discord.

queens of the stone age
60 online. 665 total members

lacuna coil
34 online. 233 total members

ghost
300 online. 2104 total members

babymetal
805 online. 3364 total members

tool
249 online. 2172 total members

If there’s a band’s Reddit community, there’s also a discord server. You can create a server (“page”) for your band early-on to start gathering superfans. Of course, there’s no organic reach, but if your follower count is getting to several Ks, you should consider investing your time in slowly learning how Discord operates, cos if you’re reading this, you’re probably “old” 😀

I won’t be surprised that with the current c0v1d situation:

livestreams or some sort of live video interaction will be more and more popular

plus

facebook/instagram/youtube/twitch etc copyright content moderation will force musicians to find alternative ways for video streams like zoom/skype/etc

plus

Discord as an advanced interaction tool during the live streams.

OR

Use discord altogether for live streams.

OR

A new social media platform will appear in 2021 that doesn’t have music copyright / content moderation madness.

The Times They Are A‐Changin’