The First Chart-Eligible NFT Album in the World is Being Released by Muse
Napster and Limewire weren’t the first, as it turned out. In the last 20 years, the music business has experienced enormous change, yet it still exists today as a mostly digital one. Since Warner Records U.K. and the music NFT marketplace, Serenade have joined, it is possible that this trend will spread.
They have together introduced a brand-new music format called Digital Pressing.
This will be the first of its kind – chart-eligible music NFT specifically targeted the most devoted of fans.
The goal of the new chart-eligible music format known as “Digital Pressing” is to provide typical digital download convenience with all the benefits of a physical release to music enthusiasts worldwide.
And it follows Billboard’s process for building music rankings that faithfully reflect the mood, which included incorporating digital downloads and streaming.
A new format for music
According to a press statement by Serenade founder Max Shand, this new music style may have an influence that “Digital Pressings will be a game changer on the global stage,” expressing that this new format allows artists to “offer their international audiences something truly unique and engaging,” Shand said.
1/ Today we announced Serenade’s newest offering, the Digital Pressing. I thought I’d share what a Digital Pressing is, and our vision for its future 🧵
— Max Shand 🌳,🌴 (@max_shand) August 1, 2022
In a Twitter thread, Shand elaborated on his goals for the Digital Pressing format and described it as a way to further decentralize the idea of the album release cycle for musicians all across the world.
Digital Pressings are promoted as giving musicians the chance to package their work in a way that is comparable to how they would do it through a traditional vinyl release but without any of the drawbacks.
In addition to boasting a two-week lead time rather than the six to nine months needed for a vinyl release, Digital Pressings may also be far more ecologically friendly. “one average 12[-inch] vinyl has the equivalent carbon footprint of 197,100 Digital Pressings.”
The English rock band Muse is leading the way in the introduction of this format and is slated to do so on August 26 with the release of their ninth studio album, Will of the People.
For lifelong Muse fans, this decision may draw an interesting comparison to Radiohead, a fellow English rock band that famously defied tradition by releasing the eagerly anticipated 2007 album In Rainbows as a “pay what you want” digital download.
For the purposes of the charts, each digital pressing of Will of the People and any following albums issued in this format will be equivalent to one physical album sale. Sales information for this trial launch will appear on music charts in the Australian and United Kingdom music marketplaces.
Make sure you check our blog regularly and follow us on Instagram for more NFT and music marketing-related updates.
Subscribe To Our Music Marketing Newsletter!
News about music marketing strategies to the music business and beyond.
Delivered to your inbox once a week.
