Top 10 International Musicians Using NFTs to Connect with Fans

You can learn a lot about the music industry's direction by understanding the top 10 famous musicians using NFTs. These international stars have sought new ways to connect with fans using blockchain tech. Their results have been exceptional, with both creators and fans gaining major advantages.

Why Musicians Using NFTs Makes Sense

There are a lot of reasons why the music industry and artists have found NFTs to be helpful. For example, they provide more trackability, which can help solve many issues. One of the main issues is tracking unauthorized use of their product and ensuring residual payments.

NFTs leverage decentralized networks to provide secure and transparent data to users in real time. This information can help artists avoid missing out on their due payments. Additionally, the peer-to-peer nature of NFTs makes them far more efficient and profitable.

Record labels have run the music industry since day one. However, introducing NFTs eliminates the need for third-party distribution deals for artists. Consequently, more recording artists are turning towards NFTs to cut out the distributor and secure extra returns.  Here are the top 10 famous musicians using NFTs to connect with fans.

1. Don Diablo

Don Diablo is a household name in the future house genre, where he pioneered the sound. This international DJ legend has amassed an impressive number of accolades along his musical quest. Don Diablo is best known for his work as a DJ, producer, musician, and songwriter.

He has consistently ranked on top lists since 2018. Some of these awards include the Top 100 DJs – 2020 list by DJ Mag, Producer of the Year for 2018 by 1001Tracklists, and Future House Artist of the Year on Beatport. As such, he is one of the most sought-after musical talents in the genre.

Source – Beatport

He has also collaborated with other world-renowned talents, where his production and futuristic sounds made a difference. Notably, these acts include Ed Sheeran, Mark Ronson, Travis Barker, Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Ty Dolla $ign, The Chainsmokers,  Coldplay, Gucci Mane, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, and more.

Many people are unaware that Don Diablo is also one of the top-selling NFT artists globally. He entered the market in 2021 with the release of his GΞNΞSIS NFT package. He has gone on to provide a variety of NFT options to his fans, including  ‘DΞSTINATION HΞXAGONIA and INFINITΞ FUTURΞ. The first set sold out on the SuperRare market in 4 minutes and secured $1.2 million, while the latter was included in Sotheby’s ‘Natively Digital: A Curated NFT Sale.

2. Dolly Parton

The American country music legend Dolly Parton has never shied away from new ways to connect with her millions of fans. Parton has been a star for over 50 years since her album Hello, Im Dolly debuted in 1967. Since then, she has gone on to break nearly every record in the business.

Good luck finding someone with more accolades than Parton. She has sold more than 100M records globally. Of these, 110 singles made the charts. Additionally, she has received 11 Grammy awards and has been nominated over 50 times. This comes on the heels of receiving 5 Academy Awards, 3 American Music Awards, and many more.

Parton turned towards NFT tech after partnering with writer James Patterson and Fox Entertainment’s Blockchain Creative Labs. The project saw the release of the Dollyverse limited-edition NFTs to commemorate her album, Run, Rose, Run. Impressively, the launch coincided with a live-streamed concert.

The event ended with success and those who had purchased tokens gained access to the streaming channel. Also, all in-house attendees secured one of these country collectibles. Parton keeps her brand strong today via a collection of NFTs and other cool projects.

3. 3LAU

3LAU (pronounced Blau) is an American DJ/ producer who has dominated the radio waves for a decade. His career took flight in 2011 when he released “Girls Who Save the World” and “All Night Long”. He went on to complete a variety of remixes, including “Work Hard, Play Hard,” which won him several contests.

3lua didn’t stop there, and his collaborations include a host of remixes for musical legends like Rihanna, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, and Ariana Grande. In 2016, he launched his record label, which helped to drive his brand awareness and musical control higher. He also collaborated with popular gamer Ninja and members of the Girls' Generation.

3Lau has supported NFT tech since he first entered the music scene. Notably, he released a set of collectibles that included 33 NFTs to celebrate the anniversary of his Ultraviolet album. The NFTs included the original works and artwork. Notably, this was one of the first tokenized album sales, securing the DJ $11.7M.

4. Grimes

Grimes is another name you probably had heard of long before this list. Aside from being the significant other of the eccentric billionaire and crypto supporter Elon Musk, this Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer has many accomplishments that make her a star.

Over her 5 studio album releases, she has secured spots at the top of the Billboard US Top Alternative Album Chart, Billboard Top Independent Album Chart, and many more. She also received the  2016 International Award at the Socan Annual Awards and the 2016 Harper's Bazaar Musician of the Year Award.

Grimes is still active in the scene and has ventured into the metaverse recently. She has partnered with video game studios and much more. Notably, she hosted an NFT event at the Audio Visual Arts Gallery in New York City. The event was a silent auction to help raise awareness for the Native Women's Association of Canada. Since then, she has sold multiple NFTs of her original art, including one piece for $5.8 million.

5. Avenged Sevenfold

The American rock band Avenged Sevenfold has raged on stages worldwide since 1999. This California-based group has seen great success over its 7 album releases. They have sold 8M records worldwide and have released 18 singles.

Avenged Sevenfold has always been known for its edgy artistic covers and rock sound. They have gone on to become legends across industries as the group who made the iconic Call of Duty: Black Ops theme songs. Additionally, they consistently rank among the top 100 rock bands.

Avenged Sevenfold has pioneered NFT technology in the music industry on numerous occasions. For example, they were pivotal in helping Ticketmaster integrate NFT ticket systems. The group's lead singer, Matt Shadows, is a huge supporter of NFT tech.

Occasionally, he has been seen sporting his Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks pieces in the metaverse. As such, Avenged Sevenfold leveraged this knowledge by releasing the Deathbats Club NFT collection, which features 10,000 original pieces. Interestingly, all Deathbats token holders gain access to various benefits, including early access to music and events.

6. Katy Perry

Katy Perry is an American singer and songwriter who has topped the charts on numerous occasions. She has received a variety of accolades and is one of only five other musicians to have achieved 100 million certified units via digital singles. In 2021, she ventured into the NFT market with the release of “The Roar Package”.

This NFT set celebrated her Las Vegas residency at the time. To accomplish the task, Theta Labs and Perry collaborated to bring her fans a way to immortalize the moments. Notably, the NFT drop was a huge success.  It sold out in 94 minutes and +6500 fans participated in the event.

Interestingly, the drop netted $1.2M in primary sales. Perry also secured $846K in secondary sales. This strategy highlights how NFTs can provide residual returns to artists and improve fan reach.

7. Deadmou5

Deadmou5 is another electronic DJ that most people have heard of. His now famous large mouse head has made its way from the dance floor to multiple popular TV series and more. Deadmou5 has been a powerhouse in the music scene for over a decade.

In 2007, he launched the Mau5trap record label. This maneuver paid off as he had three songs on the billboard charts simultaneously. He also inked a variety of collaborations with other notable brands. For example, he was a skin in the Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff game by TinyCo.

Notably, Deadmou5 launched a collectibles set on RAREZ called HEAD5. This collection sold for $4M in minutes. The success of this venture demonstrated the added earning potential that NFTs bring to the table for artists. Additionally, Deadmau5 has gone on to help pioneer NFT ticketing methods, including commissions for artists on the secondary market.

8. Ringo Starr

The Beatles are arguably one of the most recognizable rock bands of all time. Their melodic sounds took over the mainstream in the 60s and led to what was referred to as Beetle Mania. Today, the English band is still heavily used in commercials, movies, and streaming.

The band's drummer and co-singer, Ringo Starr, remains active in the scene. Starr has received a variety of lifetime achievement awards and was even appointed as a knight by the British Empire.  As an English musician, songwriter, and actor, he has been recognized innumerable times for his contribution to the business and remains one of the biggest stars ever.

Despite his old age, Starr is not shying away from new technologies. His team launched a successful NFT collection for his fans that included signed canvas prints. The collection was dubbed Ringo Starr NFT Collection – The Creative Mind of a Beatle and was presented by Julien’s Auctions.

9. Mike Shinoda

Mike Shinoda is the current lead singer for the American band Linkin Park. Their unique blend of rock, rap, and melodic sounds has helped them top the charts on numerous occasions. In addition to his musical talent, Shinoda has long been an active artist.

Source Allmusic

This love of art led him to release the  ZIGGURATS collection. This NFT set included 5,000 unique collectible NFT tokens designed by the artist personally. Each piece was unique: cover art and music. The success of this venture led to the band releasing a single called “Happy Endings” with Iann Dior and Upsahl via NFT in February 2021.

Shinoda has gone on to sell multiple high-end NFT creations, including the One Hundred Stream, for $30,000. Notably, he hasn’t been selfish with these winnings. Many were donated to the Michael K Shinoda Endowed Scholarship.

10. Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon stormed the charts from the UK to the US in 2008. After consecutively launching multiple successful albums, the group continues to drive home their unique sound. Notably, their accolades include 9 top 40 singles, three top charting albums consecutively, 4 Grammy awards, and much more.

Kings of Leon stepped into the NFT game with a release on YellowHeart. The collectibles included custom art and other perks to add to their value. These perks included exclusive access to virtual events and more.

Top 10 Musicians using NFT Tech

When you review the stats, it only makes sense for musicians to embrace NFT technology. They can use it to provide a better experience to their fans, secure more profits, and provide ROI opportunities for their followers. These reasons and many more make the NFT music revolution the right move.

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