Fans Divided Over Bassnectar’s Return Album

June 9, 2023

The once-beloved electronic artist Bassnectar has dropped his first album since being accused of sexual abuse in 2020, which has sparked controversial takes across the internet.

The new album, “The Golden Rule” was released to Bassnectar’s private fan site, “The Other Side” which may be accessed at unlocktheotherside.com. Although there is no cost to a “Freestyle” membership, according to the website, fans have the option to upgrade to a paid “Unlocked” tier with additional access.

Unlocked members have access to “tickets, new music, behind-the-scenes content, the Bassnectar Community discord, and all T.O.S. live events.” The current membership fee typically sits at $150 per year, however, The Other Side is running a special sale for $125 annually to celebrate the “launch week” of the new site. With this membership, a select group of fans had first access to the new Bassnectar album.

The tracks from The Golden Rule have also been uploaded to a SoundCloud profile called “TheGoldenRule” which is not hidden behind any membership. This is also where Bassnectar’s comeback mixtape, “Music for Optimists – Mixtape #29” was posted.

Despite the multi-layered controversy surrounding Bassnectar and his return to the music scene, many fans are supporting the new album. The tracks from The Golden Rule have already amassed around 30k plays on SoundCloud. In response to a Reddit post about the track “Every Song In Your Memory”, one fan said, “The wait was fn worth it, it’s been on constant repeat. First time listening to it I got major Massive Attack meets Bassnectar vibes [hands up emoji].” Another person replied, “Best song on album.”

At the same time, many have taken it to Twitter to criticize the legitimacy of the artist’s return. One user said, “how is bassnecatar allowed to drop an album,” while another said, “Bassnectar just dropped an album… please excuse me while I go throw up.”

Earlier this year, Bassnectar announced his plans to come back to the music scene by way of The Other Side. The future of the project is unclear, but it seems music fans will never get on the same page.