Today Warner Music announced a deal with POAP, the Proof of Attendance Protocol, to create digital memento NFTs for fans that attend music events, starting with an even for Atlantic Records rapper Kevin Gates.
“The bridges that POAPs forge between our digital identities and our physical lives provide a tangible layer to our experiences and memories,” said Oana Ruxandra, Chief Digital Officer & EVP, Business Development, WMG. “Music has always been highly contextual: who we are and what we are doing all affect how we perceive a record. POAPs provide artists and fans new ways to hold on to moments shared forever. We’re really looking forward to collaborating with the POAP team as we continue to explore and innovate.”
Often POAP NFTs aren’t simply used as collectibles but also to provide access to future perks. For example, when Adidas entered the NFT world, it requested people to mint a free POAP which was somewhat mysterious. Holders of Adidas POAPs were whitelisted for subsequent NFT drops from Adidas involving its collaboration with the Bored Ape Yacht Club. Others have used POAP tokens for raffles and private chat rooms.
“POAPs allow us to commemorate these special moments and give loyal fans a way to relive their experiences while being rewarded for being supporters of their favorite artists,” said Joe Khoury, VP of A&R and Marketing, Atlantic Records.
Other brands that have used POAP include Budweiser, Coach, TIME Magazine, FOX, and the US Open.
Meanwhile, Warner Music has an ever-expanding blockchain presence. It’s involved in multiple games, including Splinterlands and The Sandbox. In the latter case, the metaverse experience is gearing up to be a major music venue and not just for Warner.
The music company also partnered with NFT platforms BlockParty and OneOf. It was an early entrant in the space, investing in Dapper Labs in 2019 and creating a partnership with Genies to create avatars for some of its artists. Last year, it participated in the $725 million funding round for Forte’s blockchain games platform and partnered with Beeple’s NFT marketplace.
