How is Crypto being used in the music industry

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(By Crypto News) Bitcoin’s entry into the music sphere could be compared to a fresh, rhythmic beat, heralding a new era of financial and creative freedom. It’s more than just a novel mode of payment—it’s about altering the traditional tune of the music industry. This piece delves into the potential resonance between crypto and music, exploring the already visible changes, and the possible harmonious future awaiting ahead.

The major allure of Bitcoin lies in its financial features: minimal transaction fees and the elimination of middlemen. This digital currency facilitates a direct financial rapport between artists and their audience, ensuring a larger share of the revenue lands in the creators’ pockets. Moreover, the ease with which cross-border transactions can be conducted is music to the ears of many musicians, especially those with a global fanbase. They can now effortlessly receive funds from admirers across the globe without being out of tune with currency exchange rates or enduring long waiting periods.

Further, the robust security architecture underpinning Bitcoin transactions, thanks to blockchain technology, acts as a formidable fortress against common financial woes like fraud, ensuring the integrity and safety of the funds involved.

Early birds: music labels embracing Bitcoin

Various music labels and platforms, both big and small, have begun to integrate Bitcoin as a payment method, resonating with the trend of leveraging cryptocurrencies in the music industry. Here are some examples:

Indie Rap Label TBT: An indie rap label named TBT (The Best Things) forged a partnership with SoundCloud to accept cryptocurrency payments for their music and merchandise. This move signifies a step towards embracing digital currencies within indie music circles.
Kobalt Music: On a larger scale, the British music label Kobalt has disclosed its intentions to include Bitcoin revenues, indicating a growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies even among more established labels.
Beatport: Beatport announced in April 2021 that it would start accepting Bitcoin as a new payment option from June 2021 onward. This initiative marked Beatport as one of the early digital music retailers to accept Bitcoin, paving the way for others in the sector.
Mastodon (Under Warner Brothers Records): The band Mastodon, under Warner Brothers Records, emerged as the first major label recording artist to accept Bitcoin. This Atlanta-based hard rock group collaborated with BitPay, a Bitcoin payment processor, to facilitate cryptocurrency transactions for their music.
Tradebit: Tradebit, a download store, has also opened its doors to Bitcoin payments. This platform provides a secure digital content marketplace for users to buy and sell music, among other digital products, using Bitcoin.

And don’t forget that artists also started embracing NFT. Rammstein singer Till Lindemann sold 10 non-fungible tokens of an unreleased music video for €100,000 including a dinner with him. The industrial/techno acid-house band Lords Of Acid has dropped an NFT on the Cardano Blockchain. And Chris Liebing did first NFT drop, “Another Day”, in 2022 in collaboration with XLR8R.

Bitcoin’s potential and that of other crypto in music

Bitcoin could potentially be the catalyst for a new age of musical entrepreneurship, where artists, unshackled from the traditional financial chains, take the helm of their creative and economic journey. The decentralized ethos of Bitcoin grants artists a higher degree of control over the distribution of their music, making them the true custodians of their art.

Moreover, the immutable and traceable nature of blockchain technology, which powers Bitcoin, provides a robust shield against potential copyright infringements or other industry-related disputes.

The global outreach of Bitcoin also composes a symphony of opportunities for musicians to tap into new markets without the cumbersome paperwork often associated with international financial arrangements. This new rhythm of global accessibility is a boon especially for indie artists, making the world a stage where the music, unhindered by geographical or financial boundaries, truly commands the spotlight.

This amalgam of benefits not only sketches a brighter economic horizon for individuals in the music industry but also heralds a more vibrant, secure, and inclusive global musical arena, resonating with the tunes of fairness, innovation, and unbounded creativity.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor

Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

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