It’s wild: New York has transformed into the NFT capital of the world this week.NFT.NYC feels like a conference built on FOMO. I’m here for it and I still feel like I’m missing out. That’s why this new form of digital art is doing so well. The community is strong and people want to be a part of it.There are culture-shaping drops happening on every corner. I’m learning a ton and connecting with so many great folks. The real difference between Web2 and Web3 -- as it pertains to music -- is the removal of the platform middleman. Artists were renting space in the streaming economy. Now, fans own a piece of the action and become true investors in people they believe in. This empowers artists to build new, direct relationships with their artists and to take control of their art.It’s all about community, ownership, and experiences. This IP is ours. We’re collectors. We can turn our love and admiration into a mutually beneficial financial situation.I’m in the city for a few more days before heading to L.A. for ComplexCon & WORLDZ. Then it’s back to Miami where I’m speaking at the Miami Crypto Expo on November 11th. The event, held at the James L. Knight Center, focuses on music, brands, and Web3. Tickets are still available and I’ve got discount codes, so hit me!It’s going to be a great run of learning and meet-ups. I’m looking forward to sharing key insights from the next couple weeks.
BEATS
The Recording Academy And Music NFT Platform OneOf Announce Exclusive GRAMMY Awards PartnershipThe Recording Academy and green NFT marketplace OneOf have teamed up for an exclusive partnership to release NFTs that will commemorate the 64th, 65th and 66th GRAMMY Awards. (Grammy.com)
The Changing Landscape of Music PublishingOver the past 6 years Blackstone has acquired and partnered itself into a unique position of strength in the Music Publishing industry. The deal with Hipgnosis signals a new strategy. Previously, Blackstone has worked to tie together different centres of administration that make up the back-end of the music publishing industry, across the US and Europe. Now that is in place, it is moving into the increasingly active world of rights acquisition. (Dan Fowler)
The Lucrative Afterlife Of Music Estates: A Complex Balancing Act Between The Past And The FutureIt is a type of “cradle to grave” marketing that all broad consumer brands have to work with, although in this case the core product has already completed the journey to the grave. (Music Business Worldwide)
Amazon Is Building a Clubhouse Competitor That Turns Hosts Into DJsAmazon is next on the list of companies getting into the live audio game. The company is building a new app, codenamed “Project Mic,” that gives anyone the ability to make and distribute a live radio show, complete with music, according to a presentation viewed by The Verge. This project’s big goal is to democratize and reinvent the radio. The app will be focused on the US initially. (The Verge)
Six Fitness Brands Using Music to Build Their FollowingsPeloton proved there was a big market for high-tech home fitness -- and that music could play a major role in it. Now other companies are jumping in to compete with their own soundtrack strategies. (Billboard)
Is It Time to Hire a Chief Metaverse Officer?Brands are entering the metaverse through virtual stores, AR, gaming and digital fashion shows. While many have relied on external partnerships, an internal expert or team might be on the horizon. (Vogue Business)
TuneCore Strikes Partnership With Peloton MusicTuneCore, one of the world’s largest DIY music distribution platforms, has struck a partnership with connected fitness brand and luxury exercise bike maker, Peloton. The deal will see TuneCore start distributing its artists’ music to Peloton Music. TuneCore Artists who want to send their releases to Peloton Music, can now head to the Store Manager section in their account dashboard. (Music Business Worldwide)
Read Sir Lucian Grainge’s First Statement To Investors As The CEO Of A Publicly-Traded Universal Music GroupIn addition to filing its first financial results today, the company conducted its first ever earnings call as a publicly-traded company. On the call, UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge addressed investors himself, during opening remarks in which he hailed the “beginning of a new wave of growth and evolution” in the music industry. (Music Business Worldwide)
Nas Says In-Game Audio Ads are a ‘dope Medium’fFor Promoting Music. How Important Could They Become for Artists?The music business has long known about the power of audio ads for its products – and the modern industry certainly knows about the potential for its artists’ collaborations with video games. (Music Business Worldwide)
Music Industry Makes Commitments and Demands Ahead of UN Climate Change ConferenceAs the UN Climate Change Conference – or COP26 if you prefer – kicks off in Glasgow this weekend, the UK live music industry has reaffirmed its aim of reaching net zero emissions across the sector by 2030, while also promoting a number of music-led events taking place around the conference itself. (Complete Music Update)
Twitch Announces Partnership with Hip-Hop Icon T-Pain“This partnership means that I have been seen,” T-Pain says in a statement. “With so little representation on the service previously, the fact that Twitch came to me means they actually see our community and understand the value of our contribution to the streaming world.” (Digital Music News)
BYTES
Check out this amazing podcast from The Tim Ferriss Show with special guests Chris Dixon and Naval Ravikant. The trio dives into trending topics such as Web3, Crypto regulation, and the power of the NFT.
Speaking in Cleveland on October 30, Jay was charming, loquacious, and introspective. Alongside the likes of Tina Turner, Carole King, Gil Scott-Heron and one-time enemy LL Cool J in this year’s class, he pulled back the curtain on one of the most important careers in the last century of American music. (GQ)
Music wearable Mictic raises $2.5M to get you shredding, scratching and strumming. Switzerland-based Mictic has created a pair of wearables that turns thin air into your concert hall. Imagine a theremin without the theremin, hooked up to a clever loop station, and you’ve got the right idea.
Jay-Z has shared new songs “Guns Go Bang” and “King Kong Riddim” as part of the soundtrack to new Netflix movie The Harder They Fall. "Guns Go Bang" features Kid Cudi while "King Kong Riddim" includes Jadakiss, Conway The Machine, and U.K. rapper BackRoad Gee.
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner. If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!