Is anybody else feeling overwhelmed by Discord? There has to be a better option!If you’re launching a project, a DAO, or community in Web3, Discord has become the de facto place to connect and share info. But with so many worthwhile projects and communities, I feel like I’ve already hit my quota. I can’t open Discord anymore.There were a lot of pluses to Discord at first. It was Slack for Web3, and it was doing a great job of organizing info and limiting redundant communication. Sadly, the spam has taken over. It’s actually kind of mindblowing how intense it’s gotten. This is the only way to connect with some of my favorite communities, but with so much to do and so little time, I can’t manage the volume.Even with a tech-savvy community and a great webmaster to handle traffic control, it’s not a particularly enjoyable experience. I hate to “ok boomer” this one but there needs to be a better way to stay connected and share alpha in Web3. Tack on the phishing and corruption, and there are more reasons to fly the Discord coop.I suppose this is simply an example of the frustrating side of building a brave new world. Let’s hope some brilliant mind is out there designing an alternative, because we need it now!On another note, inspired by another marketing agency with a newsletter, Motive Unknown, we are trying little Sound Bytes on each story, these are sort of like hot takes on why we think this article is important and a quick POV on it. Let us know if you like this new potential feature.
BEATS
New Snapple Elements Line Inspires NFTsTo help beat the heat, Snapple is kicking off the summer by launching Snapple Elements, a new range of light and refreshing tea and juice beverages with unique flavor profiles – FIRE, RAIN and AIR. (Hypebeast)
Sound Byte: Awesome to see Snapple’s new flavors covered in Hypebeast alongside their NFT drop.
Music Will Be the Gravitational Force Driving the HyperverseDespite popular interest from marketers, the metaverse is not a catch-all phrase. The metaverse merely describes individual virtual worlds, such as Roblox and Decentraland, which together make up the broader hyperverse. (Adweek)
Sound Byte: The plural of Metaverse is not Metaverses it’s Hyperverse. Here is a story I penned with my collaborator Clay Durant on how music is a great connector in the Hyperverse.
Music NFT Rarity. Featuring drops from Beat Foundry, Soundmint, Songcamp and more.Music NFT rarity has entered the equation. Generative music has been gaining momentum, with both Beat Foundry and SoundMint premiering big drops from Daniel Allan and Kaien Cruz, respectfully. (Music NFTs)
Sound Byte: Great read on an innovative new music NFT launch by avid collector and advocate, Cooper Turley
Record Labels Dig Their Own Grave. And the Shovel is Called TikTok.With each passing month, record labels grow more attached to TikTok—but it now looks more like addiction. Some have reached the point where they won’t release an album until the music goes viral on TikTok. (Ted Gioia)Sound Byte: I don’t believe we’ll ever see the death of record labels, but the dynamics are shifting and they need. TikTok’s rise is empowering creators to think even more D2C.
The Weeknd Partners With Binance For ‘First Crypto Powered World Tour’On July 8, superstar artist The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) will play the first date of his ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ world tour at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. (Music Business Worldwide)Sound Byte: Crypto sponsors are all the craze right now. Look for more and more partnerships like this.
Burning Out And Fading Away: The Exhausting Job Of Marketing New MusicThe recent protests by music artists about the pressures of keeping up a constant presence on social media are disconcerting in an age when many artists are struggling with mental health issues and wellbeing. (Midia Research)Sound Byte: Music marketing has no off season. It’s a fast pace, high demand gig where you move at the speed of culture. Especially in this always on release schedule of this era.
Tipping Point: Concert Merch Vendors Are Making Bank — and Not Everyone Is Happyately, Ben Brannen has been getting a lot of calls. The co-founder/president of atVenu, which designs software to aid merchandise sellers at concerts, says people are curious, confused and even angry. (Billboard)Sound Byte: This breaks the norm of retail.. Who tips when they buy an item of clothing? I guess a lot of people and revenue is trending up in this world. I bet their are other ways to maximize this fan to artist experience at the merch booths and it’s sellers.
On Discord, Music Fans Become Artists’ Besties, Collaborators, and Even Unpaid InternsOriginally launched as a messaging app for gamers, the platform has become an intimate place for artists and fans to connect and build community. Can this fragile ecosystem last? (Pitchfork)Sound Byte: I find Discord to be completely overwhelming which is a bummer because it’s the only way to connect with some of my favorite Web3 Communities. I think they need to innovate or have a better company come and eat it’s guts.
No More Elvis Themed Weddings in Las Vegas – Here’s WhyThe licensing company that holds the rights to Elvis’ likeness has advised Las Vegas chapels to stop creating Elvis-themed weddings. (Digital Music News)Sound Byte: Catalogue music is looking at monetization and creative ways to do so. I do think that Elvis style Vegas weddings can be commoditized better so as long as Authentic Brand Group provides an alternative this move makes more than sense.
Once Resistant Kanye West Files NFT Trademark ApplicationsKanye West could be preparing to mint his own non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to 17 new trademark applications filed around the rapper’s Yeezus alter ego. (Coin Desk)Sound Byte: Kanye is taking his time getting into the NFT world but it’s clear he’s making his plan and I’m willing to bet his play will be worthwhile.
The Musician’s Guide to NFTs: Everything You Need to Knoweing a creator in the NFT ecosystem is daunting, especially when you’re just getting started. (NFT Now)Sound Byte: No question NFTs are revolutionizing entertainment and music is leading the charge. Here is a very compressive breakdown of the space to date from the good people at NFTnow.
Jonas Brothers Launch Smartphone-Only Video Subscription Service on ScriberThe Jonas Brothers are giving fans a new way to access exclusive videos — charging $5 per month for the privilege — on Scriber, a smartphone-based subscription startup. (Variety)Sound Byte: Web3 meets Only Fans meets mobile and video. A bit confusing. The Jonas Brothers don’t shy away from a deal and this is certainly an interesting one. I haven’t heard of the service and I don’t suspect this will make much of a dent in culture but lets see.
Sprite Music Marketing Goes Global—Behind The ApproachThe Coca-Cola brand pairs artists from Africa, China and the U.S. with producer James Blake in the brand’s first-ever global music campaign. (AdAge)Sound Byte: It’s good to see Sprite betting on music again and lifting up a bunch of diverse, emerging artists globally to pull this campaign together.
Harry Styles Puts New Spin on 'Silhouettes' for Apple's AirPodsHarry Styles steps to the fore in a colorful new 60-second commercial from Apple, which continues the recently renewned love affair with its almost-20-year-old "Silhouettes" campaign—originally created for iPod, but now retrofitted for AirPods. (Muse by Clio)Sound Byte: This is one of my favorite beats and breaks right now. Smart play by Apple and perfect fit for Harry Styles. This song is big and this campaign will give it the eyes and ears it needs to cut through.
Are NFT Record Labels The Future Of Music?NFTs present a new method for artists to build a community around their music — all while potentially earning more than they would through traditional record sales. (Grammy)Sound Byte: NFTs definitely present an opportunity for more profit for record labels and artists but "NFT Labels” aren't the future. I think all record labels should and will incorporate NFTs and the term NFT Record label will be dated in due time.
Sweet Sweet NFT Baby: Mariah Carey Enters Web3 World With Her Latest ReleaseMariah Carey is entering the crypto space with the launch of her very first NFT, and in true diva fashion, the winner of the NFT will get a full-on experience. (Rolling Stone)Sound Byte: Mariah stays active with big deal flow. Glad to see another major artist joining to NFT world and dropping it on GeoJam stays true to her entrepreneurial spirit of playing for the team she owns. Although 5K feels steep we’ll see if her super fans bite.
BYTES
I love a Founder’s story. This is a great listen and inspiring story about how Pitchfork Media came to be and grew into the monster it is.
Couldn’t make it in person this year….? check out the full video here of Biggies 50th Birthday Party sponsored by Lexus & Pepsi. Executive produced by Nue Kingdom.
Music and artist discovery is a so hard in this day in age. I like that the good folks at Hypemachine have a new launch which brings awareness to new music.
Prom Playlists are now a thing. Makes sense and a smart lane for Pandora to try to carve out. I can see brands lining up for this one.
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!