Music NFTs
There's a revolution taking place for art and music on the blockchain. The people, culture and community being built around this new technology is giving musicians the tools to do things on their own, independent of traditional platforms and major label models. Today streaming companies and social media gate-keep fan data from the artists and creators who bring them to these platforms. We can't talk to our followers on Spotify, we don't know who they are or how to reach them; our own audience on socials has become almost meaningless when they no longer seem to see the news and updates we share unless we pay for it.
A stream is intangible, an mp3 file is replicable infinite times over, whereas a Music NFT cannot be replicated in the same way due to the nature of blockchain technology. Suddenly your digital song and artwork have a verifiable provenance - we can trace who the original creator was and follow the song's journey as it's collected and potentially traded from owner to owner. It opens up worlds of opportunity between fans and artists because all of this data is transparent allowing musicians to identify their biggest supporters and communicate with them more easily. As a musician on the blockchain I can even reward my fans for owning certain NFTs by giving them access to exclusive content or building gated pages (such as my Founders Access page) where only they can view what's on offer through verifying their ownership of my music.
For supporters of independent artists, the blockchain offers you to turn your digital support of artists into something closer to collecting a vinyl, buying a painting or even having a digital history of the gigs you went to. There's still a whole world to unlock with music and blockchain - this is just some of mine so far:
The collections so far...
Artifacts
The UK's largest Music NFT collection!
Artifacts is a 1000 piece collection consisting of 5 original songs written and performed by Emma Miller.
This is the most gamified of Miller's releases so far and offers a world of experiences and connection, such as regular livestreams, exclusive vinyl, community music showcases and much more!
Meet Me on the Lake
'Meet Me on the Lake' might have been one of the first music collectibles to be played on BBC Radio! Thanks to the Roddy Hart show for shining a light on the NFT and to the collectors for supporting the track's launch on streaming.
This was the first NFT to come from Emma Miller, released as a rare 10 piece collection. The artwork is hand painted by the singer's mother, Lesley Miller.
In the Smoke
Selling out in under 30 seconds, this was Miller's first song on the web 3 platform "soundXYZ" back in November 2022.
The song is an etherial and slightly unnerving track written from the perspective of a woman trying to break free of the routine and path she's on.
Intricate, percussive production by Lucas Mendes
December
At the end of 2022, this limited 60 piece collection was the biggest drop to date for the Scottish artist and represented another step towards her work reaching a new web 3 audience.
'December' is a sweet, acoustic song that captures the feeling of winter and storytelling.
I.T.S (Eligh's Version)
Joining forces with LA hip-hop legend 'Eligh', the pair created a charity single in aid of the Hawaii Community Foundation. The song was released as an open edition, selling over 370 copies and raising $3000 for the charity.
Eligh's interpretation of 'In the Smoke' is most definitely worth more than a few listens!
In the Bleak Midwinter
The debut collaboration with fellow UK music pioneer, Josh Savage.
Covering a traditional Christmas Carol, the song was recorded at Josh's home studio in Berlin. The duo mapped out a piano part and began building harmonies and vocals together - all whilst streaming the studio session to some of Josh's top community members, who were part of the action.
NFT NYC - Main Stage 2023
In 2023 Emma took to the main stage at NFT NYC to share the story of how she found herself pioneering the web 3 music space. This year you can find her playing on the TokenTrax stage during the conference and hosting a private show for holders of her Artifacts Music NFT in New York this April alongside friend and peer Violetta Zironi.
