Music will be the gravitational force driving the hyperverseIn the next edition of Beats, Bytes & Brands for Adweek, Clay and I explore the hyperverse. The plural of metaverse is not metaverses. There are many metaverses being created. That galaxy is now more commonly referred to as the hyperverse.Having a branded presence in the metaverse has table stakes for brand marketers. Bloomberg calculated that global metaverse revenue could approach $800 billion by 2024. Beyond revenue opportunities.Despite popular interest from marketers, the metaverse is not a catch-all platforms phrase. The metaverse merely describes individual virtual worlds such as Roblox and Decentraland, which together make up the broader hyperverse. Today’s hyperverse strategy is typically one where brands select one metaverse over another--with the mindset of building a long-term presence within that virtual world.Music can not only connect branded virtual worlds at scale, it will also create new opportunities for marketers to interact and engage with consumers in the hyperverse. We spoke with brand marketers and executives who suggested three ways in which music’s synergy across the hyperverse will influence marketing strategy in virtual worlds:Music Will Drive Direct-to-Avatar MarketingMusic Will Build Greater Demand for Digital GoodsMusic Will Create Intertwined Virtual Brand Communities Across the HyperverseAlthough the hyperverse is in its infancy and in many ways super early. The technology is coming and the future is being built.Brands that successfully leverage music as the fuel to power them through each metaverse will see big returns on investment.You can read the full article in Adweek, next Tuesday. Until then, have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.
BEATS
Venice Music Membership The Venice Music Collective, a token gated (NFT) membership that will serve as an access pass to the Venice ecosystem - distribution, recording studios, creative workspaces, sync, analytics, financial services, equipment rental, community events, and so much more. (Venice Music)
The Rise of Hip-Hop and the MetaverseEvery week, there’s a new project announced — from The Notorious B.I.G. to Snoop Dogg, from Bun B to French Montana. But there are a lot of lessons learned from the past two years, and plenty of gaps that can still be filled. (Trapital)
Jamiroquai Is Heading to The Sandbox As Universal Music Moves ‘To Help Fans Explore the Metaverse’In January, Warner Music Group (WMG) partnered with The Sandbox, a blockchain-powered metaverse platform. Now, the interactive virtual world is set to feature jazz-funk mainstay Jamiroquai as part of a broader deal with Universal Music Group (UMG) and its Bravado merch company. (Digital Music News)
Bandsintown Soars Past 70m Registered Users As Live Music Roars BackBandsintown has passed 70 million registered users of its leading live music discovery platform. That’s a 10 million user increase in less than a year. The jump came without a paid marketing or PR campaign and was driven by fans eager to get back to live music after a pandemic-forced hiatus. (Bruce Houghton)
The Notorious B.I.G. Is Headed to the MetaverseBiggie is coming back to life in the metaverse. The estate of the late rapper, born Christopher Wallace, is working with Burst Live Inc. and Surreal Events to create a new virtual world called “The Brook” — a reference to the artist’s hometown in Brooklyn — that will feature a hyper-realistic model of the man himself. (Hollywood Reporter)
It’s Official – Pepsi Is No Longer Sponsoring the Super Bowl Halftime ShowThis year’s performance featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar is the last for the soft drink company. Pepsi says it will concentrate more of its advertising dollars in the digital realm, as traditional broadcast TV audiences are on the decline. (Digital Music News)
Greater Impact FoundationThe Greater Impact Foundation funds stage two for-profit social enterprises that focus acutely on poverty eradication. It is a borderless organization intent on enabling those at the bottom of the pyramid to achieve self-sufficiency in a sustainable, environmentally viable and scalable manner. (GIF)
Kanye West Reimagines McDonald’s Packaging With Help Of MUJI DesignerNow, in a brand-new conceptual project, West is dipping his toes into packaging design; more specifically, he is taking on the challenge of reimagining the ubiquitous look of McDonald’s food packaging. (Design Taxi)
Pulse Check: The Power of SummerThe advent of summer and the start of the tradi=onal vaca=on season means changes in consumer behavior trends. What consumers desire during the summer can provide valuable insights to inform your brand's summer marke=ng approach. (We Are BMF)
Get Ready For Gaga: Lady Gaga's Haus Laboratories Is Coming To Sephora Lady Gaga announced her beauty brand Haus Laboratories would be making the leap from digital to IRL, expanding beyond its home of amazon.com to Sephora's stores and website this summer. (OK Magazine)
Tommy Hilfiger and Shawn Mendes Aim for Circularity + More Fashion NewsWhen Shawn Mendes pulled up to the Met Gala earlier this month in an upcycled Tommy Hilfiger getup, he was likely foreshadowing his multifaceted collaboration with the American brand. (Fashion Magazine)
The Future Music IndustryWe can thank TikTok for everything from mega-hits like “abcdefu” to the return of Aly & AJ to our collective obsession with “Jiggle Jiggle.” While platforms like Spotify have seen a drop in the distribution of music from record labels since 2017, TikTok is catapulting unknown artists into stardom. (Cassandra)
Live From The Upside Down by Doritos X Stranger ThingsCorey Hart, The Go-Go’s, Soft Cell, and special guest, Charli XCX will all take the stage in Doritos’ Upside Down for a live virtual performance. This iconic concert is going to be a must-watch – no matter what dimension you’re in. Grab your tickets before the portal closes.
Steve Aoki x Snoop Dogg Are Releasing An NFT EPHip-hop legend Snoop Dogg partnered with EDM pioneer Steve Aoki to create Alpha Doggz and announce their NFT EP. Furthermore, the duo will exclusively release the project on Gala Music on May 23, partnering with the hip-hop label Death Row Records. (NFT Evening)
BYTES
In the latest iteration of online hip-hop media, actual music can often seem like an afterthought. The current wave is full of gossip-focused websites, Instagram accounts and podcasts that have lent the online conversation about rap stars (and even more often, those who are proximate to them) the air of tabloidism.
The 32-year-old singer-songwriter was the official guest of honor at the university’s spring graduation. She stepped up to the podium to charge the school’s graduates with a 20-minute speech in which she urged them to not be afraid to be enthusiastic and try hard when it comes to the things they love, before reminding them to accept that they will inevitably make mistakes as they go forward with their post-college lives.
Go to the Nike SNKRS app and listen to Reading With A Rapper’s #FieldDay project executive produced by Bun B. The project features an unreleased track by Stockz,“Time To Go Spend”.
Moving into his Harry’s House era, Styles sounds looser and more creatively pliable than ever. He is still a student of classic rock and bombastic ’70s pop, as seen on his 2017 self-titled debut and 2019’s Fine Line, but Harry’s House sounds less like he is renting an Elton John-themed AirBnB and more like he’s made an all-cash offer on his very own pad. (Stereogum)
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!