Because the speculative facet of the NFT market cools, utility has cemented itself as a defining issue of profitable NFT drops. And within the music trade particularly, the place NFTs empower artists to unlock unprecedented alternatives for fan connection and collaboration, utility has by no means been extra crucial.
As defined by inexperienced NFT platform OneOf’s co-founder Adam Fell, NFTs have upended the normal function of a fan as a passive listener and shopper. Now, instead of a typical Web2 fan membership comes a smaller however mightier Web3 road staff composed of an artist’s most real followers who’re mutually aligned and incentivized within the artist’s success.
In the end, defining the appropriate utility for an NFT comes by figuring out what an artist’s most loyal followers actually need after which going above and past to ship on these needs.
Pushing the boundaries
Over the past yr, we’ve seen artists use NFTs to supply listeners quite a lot of perks. These serve current followers whereas additionally serving to welcome new ones into the fold. Web3 early-adopter Steve Aoki’s A0k1verse offers followers a collection of each on-chain and bodily experiences, together with free tour tickets and free mints to AOKI NFT and companion drops. In the meantime, Masego, FKJ, and Voidz have rewarded holders of OneOf’s Tadow Collection with personalised movies, signed merch, digital jam periods, and an official RIAA platinum report plaque.
The probabilities are countless, however to actually ship a memorable and worthwhile fan expertise when crafting an strategy in the direction of utility, the preliminary route should come from the artists themselves, stated OneOf’s VP of Music, Thomas Fiss, in an interview with nft now.
“Initially, we begin with the artist’s imaginative and prescient and construct from there,” he stated. “However we’re additionally extremely conscious that it’s our accountability to make sure we’re pushing the boundary of what’s doable — balanced with our experience. To that time, artistic integrity and authenticity are additionally paramount to any collaboration.”
Each integrity and authenticity had been prominently displayed in OneOf’s hallmark, The Notorious BIG: Sky’s the Limit Collection. One of the revolutionary NFT drops thus far, it has generated an overwhelmingly constructive response from the group and nonetheless serves as a case examine for these seeking to replicate its results.
“The gathering bought out in underneath 10 minutes and permits for community-based choice making of how an acapella freestyle is utilized in spinoff works,” Fiss added. “Moreover, income from future makes use of is directed again to the group – the place they’ll decide how the funds are utilized. Extra importantly, this drop grew to become a north star for artist groups to have a good time and conceptualize methods so as to add depth to fandom and legacy.”
Contemporary Fruit by Doja Cat x JBL
OneOf’s newest collaboration is with one other breakout star: Doja Cat. Since dropping her studio album in 2018, Doja Cat has shortly skyrocketed from TikTok stardom to a world phenomenon amassing over one billion streams on Spotify thus far. Now, with loyal followers across the globe, the Fresh Fruit by Doja Cat X JBL NFT drop is the right solution to progressively and authentically open entry to her group.
Initially launched throughout 5 drops all through August and September, Doja’s Contemporary Fruit assortment bridges the bodily and digital worlds, culminating in an opportunity to attend the extremely anticipated return of JBL Fest 2022. Working from September 27-29 in Las Vegas, JBL Fest will characteristic a headline efficiency by Doja Cat and performances by The Child LAROI, Bebe Rexha, DJ Tigerlily, and world-renowned DJ and producer Martin Garrix.
The gathering consists of 3D fruit-themed JBL headphones, artfully conceptualized by Doja herself. Like most non-fungible collections, the NFTs are separated into completely different tiers, every with growing levels of rarity and themed round Doja’s favourite fruits: Blueberry, Lemon, Strawberry, Orange, and Grape.
Every Contemporary Fruit NFT supplies tiered entry to a number of JBL x Doja Cat occasions main as much as (and through) the competition, together with varied perks, together with JBL product reductions, extra Contemporary Fruit NFTs, and an opportunity to win a flyaway journey for the holder and a visitor to JBL Fest.
The drop additionally options two limited-edition eBay-exclusive Orange and Strawberry tiers, together with a phygital card unlocking particular entry to Doja Cat x JBL AR simulations, free merchandise, and assured tickets with precedence entry for the holder and a visitor to JBL Reside! 2022.
Taking part in into the fluid and dynamic nature of NFTs, OneOf has exercised the flexibility to edit NFT metadata and evolve the utility for tokens over time, additional pushing the boundaries of what’s doable.
Almost a yr after Doja’s first Planet Doja Genesis NFT drop, the JBL x Doja Contemporary Fruit launch supplies Planet Doja Genesis holders with new utility for his or her tokens. Now, they’ll fuse three Planet Doja Genesis NFTs in change for one in every of 77 variations of two,500 Grape Contemporary Fruit JBL NFTs. Along with a singular Grape Doja Cat x JBL NFT, all holders are entered to win assured entry to JBL Reside!, unique entry to JBL occasions, a phygital card to unlock Doja Cat x JBL VR simulations, and an opportunity to win a Diamond NFT. Holders additionally get early entry and choose reductions on iconic JBL merchandise.
All tiers at the moment are obtainable solely by way of the OneOf web site and eBay and vary in value from free to $1,250. And as a part of OneOf’s mission to onboard extra people to NFTs, all Contemporary Fruit NFTs are minted on the Tezos blockchain and may be bought with all main bank cards.
The way forward for utility
With leaders like Doja pushing the boundaries of innovation, artists all through the trade are taking word and looking for new methods to leverage NFTs to super-serve followers. Whereas many acknowledge the facility of NFTs as instruments to attach with their communities, few know the place to start.
The key, says Fiss, is simplicity.
“Easy. Easy. Easy. NFT tasks must be easy, revolutionary, inclusive, and inexpensive,” he shared. “Extra particularly, bodily + digital is gaining quite a lot of traction. Particularly, redemption tokens may be traded or redeemed for a bodily merchandise. Moreover, NFCOAs (non-fungible certificates of authenticity) that tether bodily and digital are gaining quite a lot of traction. Particularly, redemption tokens that may be traded or redeemed for an authenticated bodily merchandise.”
To Fiss’s level, we’re already seeing a distinction in how artists construction their drops at this time in comparison with a yr in the past. With the hype round NFTs beginning to settle, artists and their groups at the moment are prioritizing a long-term imaginative and prescient for his or her respective collections, guaranteeing that the drop is initially effectively acquired and that there’s demand and group engagement for years to come back.
As for what’s to come back for OneOf, Fiss hinted at an elevated emphasis on utilizing NFTs as a small piece of the puzzle to unravel real-world issues.
“I notice that may be a bit cryptic, however we consider the following chapter of success tales will probably be guaranteeing NFTs present a problem-solving perform in parallel to heightening the fan expertise.”