The emergence of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, is a developing trend there in the music industry. NFT transactions enable consumers to bid on one-of-a-kind content from their favourite artists in auctions. Those tokens, as well as the transactions that entail them, presently strengthen the artists who sell them. Only time would tell if NFTs are just here to stay, as they are brand new breakthroughs.
Previously, the music industry has been heavily reliant on royalties. While streaming does provide some recurring royalties for an artist, a physical record sale typically results in a single payment to the musician, regardless of how many times the album is listened to. And even if the record is sold by the fan who has it, the royalty holder is not paid anymore, making it more difficult for most artists to make a livelihood solely from their music. That’s where NFTs step in; continue on to learn about the various ways NFTs have been upsetting the conventional music industry.
What Exactly are Music NFTs?
Even though many people identify non-fungible tokens (NFTs) primarily digital photographs sold as blockchain-based assets, NFTs can be used in a variety of ways. Music NFTs are one of the fastest-growing ecosystems in the NFT business.
A Music NFT is indeed a certificate of ownership that may be bought or sold for a distinct audio or musical piece. NFTs use blockchain technology to give incontrovertible proof of ownership, as well as a certificate of validity that can be verified at any moment. NFTs have been stored in a different ledger, similar to crypto tokens, making them hard to counterfeit. Artists could claim full ownership of their music using NFTs, eliminating the need to share income with middlemen such as music labels as well as lawyers.
How Music NFTs work?
A music NFT is a certificate of ownership for a one-of-a-kind musical work which can be sold. The owner has complete control over how the composition is being used.
The word “NFT” is used to refer to a variety of fungible tokens (i.e., numerous copies exist and therefore are owned by different parties) that are protected on a blockchain as well as offer the owner exclusive access to music, album art, or music-related videos.
Music NFTs are enabling composers, musicians, as well as musical artists to communicate as well as engage with their listeners in innovative ways, despite strict rules of what constitutes a non-fungible vs. fungible token.
How NFTs could change the Music Industry?
Music fans seem to be a very active group. Selling music as well as accompanying artwork just on blockchain allows an artist to connect directly with their fans with no need for a record label or music streaming service. Because there is less hand in the cookie jar, it can result in a higher profit for the author if done correctly. Minting music NFTs, on the other hand, isn’t free because Ethereum gas expenses (the cost of computing as well as recording a transaction on the blockchain) as well as NFT marketplace fees for listing as well as selling work can pile up quickly.
Are NFTs capable of displacing record companies and streaming behemoths? Probably not in the near future. There is something very to be said about the broad distribution that comes with collaborating with a more established industry leader. Nonetheless, payment to artists via music industry intermediaries was always contentious, as well as the internet age seems to be no exception, with many musicians criticising streaming services for their paltry reimbursements.
With several high-profile artists adopting NFTs to fund major remuneration in the last year, the groundwork could’ve been built for another music industry change down the line.
Web 3.0 and the Value of Music NFTs
NFTs seem to be especially valuable to independent musicians that are not signed to a music label inside the Web 3.0 age, when “people produce content, people make money.” This is due to the fact that NFTs allow artists complete ownership and control over their works. Furthermore, musicians are not bound by streaming services because they can disseminate their music to the public through their own. Furthermore, NFTs are opening a new path for independent musicians, providing them with a fantastic opportunity to diversify their revenue streams as well as develop exclusive content for their audience.
NFT marketplace for Music NFTs
Despite the fact that the world’s largest NFT marketplace, OpenSea, offers a specialized catalogue for music NFTs, many musicians choose to debut on music-specific platforms.
Inside the NFT universe, Catalog is the principal marketplace for single-edition music NFTs, sometimes known as 1/1s. It’s based on the Zora protocol, which further powers OpenSea’s Zora rival marketplace. Artists successfully sold $2 million worth of music NFTs on Catalog since around February 2021.
Limited editions, such as 10 NFTs related to one track, are preferred by some artists over 1/1s. Sound.xyz is a good option for this, as it offers virtually daily drops wherein collectors and merchants can mint limited editions of music NFTs. These newly issued NFTs can be promptly resold on secondary markets including OpenSea as well as Rarible.
Foundation, Arpeggi, as well as FormFunction are among the other platforms that allow artists to create 1/1s.
Different music genres have their own platforms. Groovetime seems to be a platform for dance music NFTs, while HEAT is an upcoming platform. Beat Foundry permits the creation of generative music, a genre that involves human-computer collaboration.
Music NFT DAOs
Decentralised autonomous organisations, or DAOs, are similar to crypto-based investment cooperatives. NFT artists may be eligible for awards from some DAOs. Members of MusicFund receive NFTs, which they vote on every month to contribute ETH to three performers through the community fund. The best three artists will each get 0.6 ETH, 0.25 ETH, as well as 0.15 ETH. In addition to acquiring funding, the artists also gain recognition. Bel moved on to record singles on Catalog after winning MusicFund’s second round of subsidies. (Audius, that also runs Audio Grants, is yet another crypto music grant-maker, though that’s not a DAO.)
Other DAOs are focused on making investments. With the objective of incubating NFT artists as well as investing in music NFTs, Noise DAO began with 65 first members who’ve already pooled together 1,720 ETH thus far and.
Friend with Benefits organised an overcrowded party throughout NFT.NYC in June 2021 that featured DJ performances by Caroline Polachek, Doss, Pussy Riot, Channel Tres, as well as others, in conjunction with investments.
The Top 3 Music NFTs
In the past year, a group of artists have explored the NFT notion, which has sparked interest among fans. The following are 3 of them:
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon’s NFT initiative NFT Yourself, a collaboration between the rock band Kings of Leon as well as the crypto world, served to raise awareness about the possibilities for musicians as well as the crypto world. Limited-edition digital versions of the band’s current album, When You See Yourself as an NFT, were available, along with digital art as well as a collectible vinyl record. Other works of art centered on the album’s concept were also sold, some of which came with additional advantages like lifetime front-row tickets to Kings of Leon gigs. The sales of the NFT record totaled around $2.5 million.
Grimes
WarNymphs, Grimes’ 2021 NFT release, was more than simply a music NFT; this was also a compilation of digitally made art and film set to music. Just on NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway, a single original item titled Death of the Old was auctioned for about $389,000. Grimes’ NFT project received $7 million in funding.
3LAU
Despite a slight fan base as well as the auctioning of only 33 NFT-linked vinyl records, DJ Justin Blau, better known by his stage name 3LAU, composed music history by launching the first blockchain-based album Ultraviolet earlier in 2021 as well as earning $11.6 million. The performance of 3LAU demonstrates the value of knowing supply and demand, therefore brings us to our final issue.
How to make an investment in Music NFTs?
Maybe you’re a musician who’s considering joining the NFT. Maybe you’re a music collector, investor, or gambler debating whether or not buying music NFTs is a good investment. It’s a new and exciting trend in either case, but there really is no assurance you’ll earn profit.
If you’re considering minting NFTs, keep in mind that blockchain technology may allow you to form a more direct contact with fans, but it’s not free. The costs of getting a project “on-chain” can build up quickly. Purchasing music NFT is the same. Marketplace costs, Ethereum network gas fees, as well as any royalties the artist withholds during secondary trading will diminish your resale revenues (if you plan to sell an NFT later).
Music NFTs have been constructing a bigger, purer paradigm again for the music industry which is better for fans and musicians alike. The finest investments would be those who improve the world place without compromising profit, as the ethical investor realises that in an ethically produced community, profit leads people.
So music NFTs are a powerful investment tool, as well as the great news that you’re ahead of the curve. Funding NFT marketplaces, launching NFT collections, as well as leveraging NFT funds are the 3 primary ways to engage in music NFTs right now. Let’s take a closer look at each one individually.
NFT Marketplace
Coinbase declared the launch of an NFT marketplace previously last year, OpenSea hit $3 billion in monthly turnover, and Visa is equipping NFT innovators. NFT marketplaces are rapidly gaining traction, as well as the music business is following suit.
There are now a plethora of NFT marketplaces to select from, with several of them being publicly traded corporations or organisations with native cryptocurrencies that may be invested in.
Because music NFT marketplaces are different from art NFT marketplaces in that they will be designed to promote relationships between artists as well as fans rather than just facilitate purchases, music platforms are likely to be ethnically diverse. Frontrunners inside the movement include Steve Aoki as well as Todd McFarlane’s OddKey, as well as the previously mentioned Royal, which was supported by a16z.
NFT Collection
Investors that wish to give their portfolio a special connection might build an NFT collection by acquiring NFTs from artists they admire.
Building a music NFT collection is analogous to acquiring art, whereas participating in a marketplace seems similar to (and often exactly the same as) investing in a stock. Individual priorities must always be considered when weighing aesthetic value, personal interest, as well as collectibility.
NFT Funds
As TradFi incorporates Web3, NFT indexes are becoming more visible as risk-averse options. If a personal music NFT collection becomes too risky, investors might seek exposure through products such as the Bitwise NFT index fund.
Under certain regions of the world, however, NFT collectors could utilise their own NFT collections as loan collateral to gain quick access to funds to compensate for the often sluggish liquidity of NFTs.
Future of Music NFTs
NFTs are rethinking cultural and creative expression through music. Investing in music NFTs isn’t only a numbers game; it also necessitates a consideration of societal ethics, personal interests, as well as pop culture.
Finding a trend, artist, or piece that connects with you, then deciding what mix of marketplaces, personal collections, as well as funds fits your tolerance for risk are the best strategies for investing in music NFTs. Keep in mind that when it comes to Web3 decentralisation, collaboration as well as community ultimately triumph.
NFTs aren’t just another trendy abbreviation. When you look at the features and benefits of NFTs, the potential for more equal pay, more collabs as well as remixes, as well as tried-and-true scarcity appeals. NFTs appear to be on the verge of transforming the music world. The trick would be for NFTs to keep reinventing themselves as well as evolving artistically, much like the musicians they sponsor.
