The race to top the Official UK Album Charts between Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and the Foo Fighters has taken an innovative turn as Gallagher adopts the use of music NFTs in an attempt to snatch the lead. The release of Gallagher’s fourth album “Council Skies” coincided with the Foo Fighters’ “But Here We Are” on June 2, with only a few hundred units separating the artists in terms of actual album sales or streams.
In an effort to boost album purchases, the Foo Fighters promised access to a pre-sale for a yet-to-be-announced 2024 UK headline tour. Simultaneously, Gallagher decided to host an evening “In Conversation” session at Banquet Records, bundling tickets with album copies. However, Gallagher’s latest strategy involves collaborating with Web3 startup Serenade to create a limited-edition NFT pressing of “Council Skies.”
The unique aspect of the “Council Skies” NFT is that owners can unlock high-quality WAV files of the record, access the first two parts of a four-part documentary on the making of the album, and receive a digitally signed lyric sheet. The pressing will also include limited-edition signed and colored artwork, adding value to the NFT.
Referred to by Serenade as “modern day versions of limited-edition vinyl,” each digital pressing is backed by blockchain technology. Interestingly, these NFTs are minted on the Ethereum scaling network, Polygon, and believed to have environmental benefits when compared to their physical counterparts. The company claims that producing 1.2 million digital pressings equates to the carbon footprint of a single 12″ record.
By making these digital pressings accessible to a wide audience, users can purchase them using either cryptocurrencies or credit/debit cards. The partnership with Serenade and the release of the NFT-based pressings reflect both the thrilling week of competition in the UK charts and the increasing value and versatility of the emerging format.
NFTs have become associated with connecting fans and artists in new ways, evident in previous releases. Muse, a rock band, utilized Serenade to release a digital version of their album “Will of the People” as a chart-eligible NFT, with 1,000 copies made available worldwide. As a result, the album topped the UK Album Charts, marking a milestone in the convergence of music and blockchain technology. The Wombats, Kota Banks, and Confidence Man have also followed suit, releasing digital pressings through Serenade in recent months.
As the prominence of NFTs in the music industry grows, artists are finding unique ways to engage with fans and promote their work through blockchain technology. The competition between Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and the Foo Fighters to top the UK Album Charts exemplifies the endless opportunities that NFTs can offer musicians in the digital age.
Source: Decrypt
