This Week in Music NFTs - Sep 19

Web3 music raises are in motion. Arpeggi and RELICS announce rounds as momentum grows.

New funding is flowing into web3 music.

Arpeggi and RELICS announced rounds this week - both of which I was lucky to be involved as an angel (Arpeggi) and as Coop Records (RELICS).

Coop Records @cooprecordsxyz

Proud to announce Coop Records first investment. We're excited to back @RELICSxyz as they create a home for Metaverse Music. Every virtual world needs music - and RELICS is here to lead that charge!

RELICS @RELICSxyz

RELICSxyz is the home for Metaverse music. We’re excited to announce a $1.1M round co-lead by @cooprecordsxyz and @palmtreecrypto with participation from @LongHashVC, @noisedao, @DegenDaVinci, @TheRealDAOJones, @2PunksCapital, and @MarkyMetaverse. Here’s why ⬇️ https://t.co/0ChEq55foX

While it’s a small signal, we’re moving away from the experimentation phase to the maturity phase. Companies are taking their products and communities to the next level - a different tone from the last 6 months where everyone was taking their best guess as to what would stick.

Slowly - the story of this new chapter of web3 music is starting to take form.

We’re witnessing an entire generation of artists finding their voice with web3 at the center - a telltale sign of a new wave of culture that will carry the space forward.

Coopahtroopa 🔥_🔥 @Cooopahtroopa

The next generation of artists will be born through web3 and Music NFTs.

Still, we have a lot of work to do.

There’s a consistent narrative in LA. Artists are getting out of their label deals and looking for a new path forward. The prospect of being independent is exciting, but web3 isn’t quite at the spot where it can entirely replace an artist’s every need.

It’s up to us to show that there is a new path. And that it isn’t only for tech or business savvy individuals.

jeremy ⎄ @jzstern

we will have failed musicians if the *only* way for them to be "successful" in web3 is to launch a social token or provide utility to their collectors

Continue to support emerging artists.

Keep contributing the conversation and building out new playbooks.

Music has inherent value.

We’re on the cusp of an extremely pivotal chapter for music that is right around the corner.

Here’s what it looks like this week.

Upcoming Drops

1. Bloody White - Bloom

2. Oshi - U&I

3. Sad Alex - Out of Focus

4. Pauline Herr - Come Down

5. BRUX - Vinegar Hill

6. Tulengua - luv in u

Freshly Minted

1. San Holo - All The Highs

2. So Tuff So Cute - Death Wish

3. Grady - 44 Ever

4. Charm Taylor - Infinite

5. Black Dave - Calm Down

6. HARRY WAS HERE - Living Nightmares

7. Dot - Nova’s Theme

8. Bloody White - Panoramic

Bonus: Stream all Freshly Minted tracks via a new Spinamp playlist updated weekly!

Top Stories

Arpeggi Announces $5M Seed Round Led by a16z

Web3-music DAW Arpeggi announces a heavy hitting seed round.

Arpeggi Labs @arpeggi_labs

1/ We started Arpeggi Labs to create a better way to make music. Today, we are proud to announce a $5.1M seed round for open-source music creation led by @a16z. Here’s what you need to know ⬇️🧵

RELICS Announces $1.1M Pre-seed led by Coop Records

Metaverse music platform RELICS brings in backers for Season 2.

RELICS @RELICSxyz

RELICSxyz is the home for Metaverse music. We’re excited to announce a $1.1M round co-lead by @cooprecordsxyz and @PalmTreeCrypto with participation from @LongHashVC, @noisedao, @DegenDaVinci, @TheRealDAOJones, @2PunksCapital, and @MarkyMetaverse. Here’s why ⬇️

Mint Songs Shares Plans to Shut Down

Mint Songs announces its next chapter with a note from the founders.

Mint Songs @mintsongs

Today, we’ve started the process of winding down Mint Songs. A note from the founders:

HedsDAO Parnters with Medasin

HedsTAPE 08 is announced with Medasin at the helm.

heds @hedsDAO

The first hedsTAPE sample curated by @MedasinMusic, HT8 hosts a sound-palette that blends acoustic style with bleeding-edge environmental sound design to create a serene experience for the remixer. DLs & subs unlock tomorrow via heds.app

PlayerZero Debuts Metastar Amari

PlayZero partners with CryptoBrokers for their first virtual artist.

Amari @Amariv3rse

So excited to bring my music to the world 💜 My origin story coming soon @PlayerZeroHQ @heroprojectshq

Arpeggi Debuts Clips with Ben Kessler

Ben Kessler makes an original track entirely using Arpeggi

Arpeggi Labs @arpeggi_labs

1/ Today we're launching one of the most important updates in our protocol's history—Clips. In collaboration with @benkesslermusic, see how anyone can now add any sound—like vocals—to an Arpeggi composition for infinite possibilities. 🧵👇

Water & Music Deep Dive on Coop Records

I joined Water & Music for a nuanced discussion on investing in artists.

Water & Music (SEASON 2 🔮) @water_and_music

Tomorrow we're thrilled to host an exclusive Q&A with @Cooopahtroopa, breaking down his new venture @cooprecordsxyz. ICYMI, Coop Records Fund is a $10M early stage music/Web3 investment fund, with a big-picture vision of building a Web3 playbook for "taking artists public."

Bonus Reads

1. Jeremey Stern - Web3 Music Success

2. VERITE - Independent Artistry in Web3

3. Mija - Selling Music NFTs

4. Black Dave - Collector Clout

5. Arjan Writes Newsletter #12

6. Ben Brown - Web3 Music Needs Hits

7. Johnathan Mann - Official Merge Song

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