Steve Aoki and Justin “3LAU” Blau, two Grammy-nominated electronic music icons, have announced the release of “Concentrate,” their first track as Punx, a duo inspired by the CryptoPunks NFT collection. The single is set to release on April 28, and seeks to embody the spirit of what CryptoPunks represent: underground, techie, and futuristic.
Both Aoki and 3LAU have made numerous moves across the Web3 world, with 3LAU holding the record for the biggest music NFT sale, fetching $11.6 million at auction in 2021. Meanwhile, Aoki earned $4 million from his first NFT collection and claims to have made more money from Web3 than all his record label advances.
The announcement of Punx is an exciting development for fans of electronic music and the NFT market. It showcases the increasing synergy between the music industry and the NFT market. Artists and musicians are increasingly recognizing the potential of NFTs to democratize ownership of music, support artists, and connect with fans.
Punx is the latest music project to leverage the permissive license of NFT avatar projects, allowing 3LAU and Aoki to use their CryptoPunks to promote and monetize their music. By using the themes of CryptoPunks and the underlying technology of NFTs, Punx is seeking to create a new type of music experience that puts fans and artists at the center of the creative process.
“Releasing ‘Concentrate’ as part of Punx is a major moment for us. It offers our earliest supporters and believers a unique opportunity to co-own the song with me and Aoki. By launching the Punx project on Royal, we’re not only pushing creative boundaries, but we’re also empowering our community to be a part of our journey and share in our success from day one. It’s a new era for music, and I’m proud to be at the forefront of this exciting movement,” said 3LAU in a statement.
The fast-paced electronic music track will be released on 3LAU’s Web3 music rights platform, Royal, which aims to democratize ownership of music and support artists through NFTs that grant rights to a percentage of a song’s royalties. Half of all royalties from “Concentrate” will be given away to 99 NFT collectors chosen from among Blau’s NFT holders, Aoki’s A0k1verse Passport NFT holders, and CryptoPunks NFT holders.
The collaboration between Aoki and 3LAU and the release of “Concentrate” is an exciting development for fans of electronic music and the NFT market. The announcement of Punx showcases the increasing synergy between the music industry and the NFT market. Artists and musicians are increasingly recognizing the potential of NFTs to democratize ownership of music, support artists, and connect with fans.
Blau, who is also the CEO of Royal, spoke about the shared affinity that brought him and Aoki together as Punx. Aoki was one of the first DJs to listen to Blau when he was ranting about NFTs back in the day, and he got it immediately because he’s already a collector of all other types of things.
This collaboration shows that the world of music and NFTs is growing rapidly, and there is more to come in the near future. Fans and musicians alike can look forward to more projects like Punx that aim to bring the two industries closer together and allow fans to have an ownership stake in their favorite music.
In conclusion, the “Concentrate” release by Punx marks a significant milestone for the NFT and electronic music world. It showcases the potential of NFTs to democratize the music industry by giving fans and artists alike a chance to own a piece of the creative process. With the growing synergy between the two industries, we can expect more innovative projects like Punx to emerge in the future, revolutionizing the music industry as we know it.
