Image Credit: Audius

Following in Spotify’s footsteps, Audius is implementing an NFT gating system that enables artists to release exclusive content.

Audius, a popular web3 music platform, is introducing a new non-fungible token (NFT) gating feature that will allow artists to release exclusive content to NFT holders. This comes shortly after Spotify announced a new token-gated playlist feature.

The new feature from Spotify sparked excitement throughout the NFT community. It is a widely held view that mass adoption of NFTs will come down to mainstream platforms embracing the technology. Businesses within the music industry increasingly appear to be recognising the power of NFTs, and their capacity to empower artists.

These unique tokens hold the potential for artists to tap into fresh revenue streams, whilst connecting with fans on a whole new level. One of the biggest players in the web3 music game, Audius, is ensuring it keeps up with web2 industry giants.

Audius NFT-gated content feature

This latest feature from Audius will enable artists who have released their own NFTs to “gate” their content. As a result, only token holders of the corresponding collection can access it. Listeners can link their wallets to Audius to confirm their NFT ownership and access B-sides, unreleased tracks, and other special types of content.

Speaking to Coindesk, Forrest Browning, the Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Audius, said that the platform’s focus has always been on enabling deeper connections and interactions between artists and fans. Browning added that purchasing an artist’s NFT is a good indicator of being a dedicated fan: “In the future there will be many other ways that you could demonstrate to an artist that you’re a superfan, but if you purchase one of their NFTs that feels like a fairly strong signal.”

In addition to catering to artists who have released their own NFTs, Audius is also targeting artists who are active members of the NFT community but may not have their own collections. If an artist holds or has an affinity for another NFT project such as the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club or CryptoPunks collections, they can gate their content with those NFTs.

How to upload exclusive content on Audius

If you’re an artist looking to take your first steps into the NFT space, uploading exclusive content is a great place to start. To upload NFT-gated content on the Audius platform, you can follow these steps:

  1. Create an account on Audius and log in to the platform.
  2. Connect your crypto wallet, ensuring it supports NFTs.
  3. Create your NFT and mint it using a blockchain network such as OpenSea or Mintable.
  4. Upload your exclusive content, such as a song or full album, to Audius.
  5. Create a smart contract that links your NFT to your exclusive content on Audius. You can use a tool like Remix IDE to write and deploy your smart contract to the blockchain.
  6. Once your smart contract is deployed, you can add the NFT to your Audius profile. This will gate access to your exclusive content.
  7. Set the price and number of NFTs that will grant access to your content. Next, publish your NFT sale on a marketplace like OpenSea or Rarible.

These steps will enable you to upload NFT-gated exclusive content on Audius. Sell your music and tokens to fans and collectors, whilst building hype around your projects.

Other features from Audius

In addition to the NFT gating feature, Audius has been actively integrating features to boost fan engagement over the past year. In July, the company rolled out its tipping feature. Listeners were given the ability to “tip” their favorite artists in the platform’s native AUDIO token. The platform also recently upgraded its ongoing partnership with TikTok, enabling Audius users to integrate their favorite songs from the platform onto the social media channel.

The introduction of the NFT gating feature sees Audius keeping up with the latest web3 music trends. The platform is continuing to provide new ways for artists to monetise their content, as well as engage with their fans. Offering exclusive content to NFT holders gives artists the chance to incentivise fans to invest in them. By fostering an exciting and exclusive club mentality, connections between artists and fans can be deeper than ever before.

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