Beyond festivals or concerts organized in the metaverse, Web3 and NFTs offer new tools to artists, labels, venues and party organizers to make live experiences even more memorable. It’s only the beginning of the adventure, but some interesting uses are already emerging. Let’s decipher with three specialists who are immersed in music and blockchain technology.
The metaverse, a new scene for musicians
When we talk about the relationship between live music and Web3, we usually think of the concerts organized in the metaverse.
In November 2022, for example, the Decentraland Metaverse Music Festival brought together more than 150 artists, including industry heavyweights such as Björk, Ozzy Osbourne, Soulja Boy, Motörhead, Dillon Francis or Megadeth. No need for a virtual reality headset or a ticket, just log on to Decentraland with a digital wallet to access the festival.
You’ll agree, it’s not as good as a real concert pit and its sweaty smell. Alone in front of a computer screen, the party seems less crazy. But rest assured, these virtual performances will never replace physical concerts. Think of them as new tools that allow musicians to offer their fans new experiences that are both fun and immersive.
Virtual concerts as a complement to the real thing
Today, a handful of musicians generate revenue by performing in the metaverse, but this remains marginal. For the music industry, Web3 technologies allow above all the emergence of a new form of expression, of communication with the fans. By relying on gaming elements and impressive visual effects, musical performances in the metaverse offer spectators original experiences that are impossible to reproduce in the real world.
The goal is not to replace live concerts, but to offer something different that is accessible worldwide. For people living in remote areas, who don’t have the opportunity to attend physical concerts, it provides a more captivating experience than a simple live broadcast. We must not forget that we are only at the beginning of this technological revolution. Many uses remain to be refined, to be invented.
Among the musicians exploring the Web3, we find a veteran of music always at the forefront of innovation: Jean-Michel Jarre.
In October 2022, he gave a series of private concerts at the Palais Brongniart. He performed simultaneously in the real world and in the metaverse, in an imaginary city called Oxyville. The participants were equipped with a virtual reality headset for an ultra-immersive experience with 360° sound. A bluffing device, which he hopes to make the general public enjoy from 2023 and which represents a godsend for all those who will never be able to attend one of his unforgettable live performances.
