Patagonia Inc., the environmentally minded apparel company, has teamed with some of today’s top artists, representing a range of genres, to form the Patagonia Music Collective. The Patagonia Music Collective was launched in the United States on March 1 at www.patagonia.com/music.
Exclusive tracks will be sold at $.99 each, with net proceeds going directly to the environmental organizations of the artists’ preference. Musicians on board thus far include Maroon 5, Philip Glass, Mason Jennings, John Scofield, Umphrey’s McGee, Ben Solee, Drive By Truckers, Bobby Long, String Cheese Incident, Ziggy Marley, Los Lobos, Big Head Todd & the Monsters and many more.
«Musicians have been interested in partnering with Patagonia on our environmental work for years, but we didn’t have the right platform to work together effectively,» notes Rob BonDurant, Patagonia’s vice president of marketing, «The Music Collective provides us with a way to partner directly with enviro-minded artists and to engage their fans in environmental efforts. It’s truly a new model for green giving.»
The Patagonia Music Collective was launched with 22 tracks bundled into two volumes of 11 tracks each. It will continue as a long-term project, with one new benefit track and three emerging tracks to be released each subsequent week. Exclusive benefit compilation albums will be available at varying intervals at Patagonia stores worldwide.
The collective encompasses all genres of music from pop to roots, reggae to indie rock, jazz to alt-country, and supports a similarly diverse range of environmental action. By featuring previously unavailable material from both established and rising artists, the Patagonia Music Collective aims to engage a diversity of fans directly in environmental giving.
As the latest in an extensive series of initiatives Patagonia has lead to further environmental action and awareness, the Patagonia Music Collective builds upon the success of such programs as 1% for the Planet (a coalition of 1400+ companies that pledge to give 1% of their annual sales to enviro organizations) and the Conservation Alliance (a coalition of business that grants 100% of its member dues to grassroots environmental groups). The Patagonia Music Collective is not a record label, nor is it simply a downloads-for-charity campaign. It is a perpetually evolving program that allows musicians to direct money to specific environmental causes while giving listeners rare access to previously unavailable music.
The program will roll out internationally in Japan, the UK, Canada, and elsewhere this June.