As you know, I’m bullish on music livestreams and a big believer in the growth potential of that sector of the industry. Livestreaming has evolved over the past two years, from an afterthought to a key component of every artist’s live performance strategy. What served as a lifeline when in-person events were canceled is now attracting artists and labels, big and small, to connect with fans and drive new revenue.I love how livestreams break down the fourth wall and open up experiential possibilities with VR and the Metaverse. They build meaningful relationships between fans and artists, and lead to more sales of physical tickets and online purchases.This Friday, as part of the Digital Entertainment World’s Online conference, I’m discussing all of this: the importance of music live streaming; the intersection of hybrid, virtual, and in-person concerts, launch parties, and events; the Metaverse; and the business models that are driving the future of how they all connect.You can attend here, but message me if you want a ticket. “Our Future Of Livestreaming” talk is at 2pm ET.This weekend’s Super Bowl is actually the biggest livestream stage in the world, with the L.A. Rams playing at their home field, the brand new SoFi Stadium. SoFi won the Pollstar Award for new venue of the year, so you know they’re happy with their decision to acquire the stadium naming rights. In terms of global publicity, it doesn’t get better than this. Even if the Rams’ fortunes turn, the good looks will keep rolling in. A couple years from now, the 2028 the Olympics will be held at SoFi.The halftime livestream is sure to be a stunner with Snoop, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre all on the world’s biggest stage. I couldn't be more excited. Snoop made huge headlines this week when he bought his former label, Death Row. This is how it should be for the legendary label: its legacy is in good hands now. The only west coast rap news that could be bigger would be Dre finally dropping “Detox” as part of the post-game!The parties are obviously going to go crazy in Tinsel town, but the best seat in the house will be at home. There are a plethora of livestreaming options for game day. We’re in a new era of having to decide which stream we’ll enjoy the most, and which will be most engaging and creative. Here are a few that I’m interested in:
Monday, if you still have the urge to witness greatness from the comfort of your mobile device, check out Snap’s first virtual concert, a Valentine’s Day show with J.Lo and Maluma to celebrate their new movie, Marry Me.Livestreaming is having more than a moment. I hope you’re ready to tap in.
BEATS
State Of The Live Streaming NationReframing The Format Post-LockdownThe loss of touring income during the global pandemic spurred fast growth in a previously niche concert live streaming ecosystem. However, as the world begins to re-open and physical touring resumes, the live streaming industry is encountering a new set of challenges. (Midias Research)
5 Trends at the Intersection of Music and Brands in 2022For 2022, we have outlined the next five new trends we see—some as an extension of those previously discussed and some that are more recently emerging in a rapidly evolving industry. (Muse by Clio)
Lil' Miquela Founder Trevor McFedries Tells Jordan Matthew Wolfson About His Vision For A New Kind Of Internet In Our March 2022 issue.To help us make sense of his vision, the artist Jordan Wolfson, who knows a thing or two about creation in the age of the internet, spoke to McFedries about what the World Wide Web might look like when it’s for everyone, by everyone. (Interview Magazine)
Rolling Stone and Coinbase Are Collaborating with 12 Artists on an Exclusive NFT DropAfter a two-year hiatus, Rolling Stone is back at the center of Super Bowl festivities with the return of Rolling Stone Live. With a star-studded guest list, one-of-a-kind fan experiences, and a packed lineup of musical performances, Rolling Stone Live is bringing the heat to Los Angeles ahead of the big game. (Rolling Stone)
Best Music Marketing Campaigns of 20212021’s report is the biggest ever. It’s an incredibly useful resource for anyone doing music marketing – from DIY artist to major label. Each campaign in the report has a detailed overview of how the campaign was set up, how targets were chosen, and lots of data-driven successes along the way. (Musically)
Harry Styles, Foo Fighters, J. Cole, Chris Stapleton Win Big As Pollstar Awards Celebrate Return Of LiveHarry Styles and his sensational "Love On Tour" arena run took home Major Tour of the Year at the 33rd annual Pollstar Awards Tuesday, rounding out a momentous night where industry titans celebrated the return of touring following live's pandemic-related shutdown. (Pollstar)
Coachella to Auction Lifetime Festival Passes as NFTsCoachella has announced a new partnership with cryptocurrency exchange FTX to auction off lifetime passes to the festival as NFTs. Dubbed the “Coachella Keys Collection,” it includes 10 one-of-one NFTs that grant lifetime festival access and VIP on-site experiences for the 2022 edition of Coachella. (Pitchfork)
NFL Unveils Super Bowl Pre-Game Lineup: Mickey Guyton, Jhene Aiko, Mary Mary, ZeddCountry artist Mickey Guyton will sing the National Anthem, R&B singer Jhene Aiko will perform “America the Beautiful,” and gospel act Mary Mary will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” accompanied by the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, as part of the pre-game ceremonies for the Super Bowl on Feb. 13, the NFL announced on Tuesday. (Variety)
‘Rolling Stone’ Purchases A Majority Stake In Las Vegas’ Life is Beautiful FestivalRolling Stone is taking a step into the music festival world. The publication recently announced that it purchased a majority stake in Las Vegas’ Life Is Beautiful festival. The estate of Zappos’ ex-chief executive officer Tony Hsieh, who founded the Vegas festival, will retain a piece of the business and the terms of the deal have not yet been revealed. (Uproxx)
Turntable (tt.live) — aka ‘The New Turntable’ — Expands With Artist-Powered Playlists & Curator SessionsLast year, we profiled the emerging Turntable (tt.live), the modern-day reincarnation of the once high-flying DJ platform.Now, the beta–stage app – founded by 2011 Turntable co-founder Joseph Perla – is hosting shows with artists and playlist curators to reach the music industry. (Digital Music News)
Mike D, Kid Cudi Front Levi’s ’90s Nostalgia Campaign and More in Style NewsIf anyone epitomizes creativity and authenticity, it’s Mike D. The Beastie Boys founding member is one of seven artists tapped to star in Levi’s campaign for the latest iteration of its most famous style — the 501 ’90s jean. (Variety)
Who’s the Number 1 Artist on Spotify? It’s ComplicatedThe most popular artist on Spotify in this situation is defined as who has the most listeners per month. The data used is derived from Chart Data, which keeps an eagle eye on how quickly songs are moving up and down Spotify’s charts. (Digital Music News)
Friends With Benefits: A New Model for Social Tokens on EthereumThe Ethereum community gets to ask itself everyday, “what is money?” Before cryptocurrencies and tokens even emerged, a rich intellectual history has been written on the anthropology and sociology of money. (Consensys)
The Big Game: SoFi Stadium & Hollywood Park Managing Director Jason Gannon Talks Super Bowl, Elevating SoCal, Stafford's Interceptions & MoreSoFi Stadium Managing Director Jason Gannon and his team have maneuvered through the pandemic in impressive fashion. When, if ever, has a new building landed not one, but two NFL teams, a Super Bowl, the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics (in 2028), the BCS National Championship (in 2023).
BYTES
Latashá is an entrepreneur and seasoned musician who has become one of the most prominent artists in the music NFT landscape. As an independent creative and head of community programming at Zora.co, Latashá is not only helping define what it means to be a music artist in web3, but also pioneering new ways that emerging artists can retain ownership of their intellectual property.
With a routine set to Daft Punk, the U.S. team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates win the ice dance portion of the team event with an international personal best of 129.07 points. #NBCOlympics #WinterOlympics2022 #TeamUSA
Discord is a communication software that lets users chat in real time via text, audio, or video. Gamers have been using the platform since 2015. Sound & Vision’s Roddy Nikpour reports on how Discord is growing in the music industry and is being used to connect with fans, especially during the pandemic.
Nearly four years after the release of the Grammy-nominated Daytona, Pusha-T fans are eating well once again with the two-part rollout behind new track “Diet Coke.” Following the overnight streaming release of the song, which boasts production from the artist formerly known as Kanye West as well as 88-Keys, King Push has delivered the official video.
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!