GM

Touch grass this weekend, if you must.

But remember the old saying, seven hours of screen time a day keeps the doctor away.

In today’s edition:

• The coming wave of Music NFTs

• Updated Mint and Watch Lists

• 4 new drops

More info on Mint/Watch lists HERE.

Did you know?

We have a premium pass that gives you access to a directory of every drop we cover, complete with detailed information on how to get on every whitelist (including those underrated ones that aren’t already full).

And for those curatooors out there, you can get free NFTs just by finding drops that end up on the Mint or Watch list.

Lastly, hang with me and the MoS team in a private discord with weekly voice chats. The vibes are great.

The coming wave of Music NFTs

Context

Sound.xyz, the leading site for music NFTs, announced a $20 million raise and a new feature letting any artist mint songs directly on their platform (previously it was invite only).

As part of the announcement, Sound.xyz is also offering their own free NFT mint ending 7/18.

Our Take

I own exactly 1 music NFT.

Take a guess – what do you think it might be?

A little 80s Japanese City Pop, maybe?

Some deep cut Colombian Vallenato?

Or how about some gritty German Acid House?

All fair guesses that live up to my worldly reputation, but also all wrong.

It’s actually Salem Ilese’s genre-defining masterpiece, Crypto Boy.

You know, the one that starts with:

Ok look, it was a meme song and I bought it for the lulz (plus it was for charity). I didn’t actually think I’d ever build a serious music NFT collection, and I’m guessing most of you feel the same.

But now, that might actually change.

Sound.xyz’s latest announcement is a big deal

Until now, sound.xyz has been limited to a curated group of ~500 artists, who collectively have been able to make an impressive $5.5 million.

But now they’re opening the doors to everyone. Going forward, any artist can set up a profile, fine-tune their supply and pricing model, and mint songs directly onchain.

As a result, it’s likely that we’ll see more music NFTs minted in the next 12 months than the last few years combined.

Of course – that begs the question…

Why music NFTs?

From the creator standpoint it makes sense: the streaming model is broken for a majority of artists, and onchain ownership is a new path that lets them sell directly to their most active fans, the people who might be willing to spend the most.

And from the collector perspective, there are three primary reasons you’d buy in:

1. You get to support artists that you like. Buying their NFTs makes it more likely that they can keep doing what they’re doing.

2. You gain access to utility. Onchain collectors can get first dibs on perks like concert tickets, AMAs, etc. We’re still in the first inning of what’s possible here.

3. There’s pride in curation. A music NFT collection is a way to show taste, to flex how “early” you were to new culture, to express your personality.

This last point is especially interesting. If you’ve ever seen someone with a vinyl collection, or a mixtape, or even a playlist today, then you’d understand the human desire to show your fanhood.

And now, to add a cherry on top, you can get paid doing this.

One of the coolest features on Sound.xyz is their referral program. This lets anyone share links to music NFT mints and earn 5% of every primary sale.

Here’s how this might play out

Thanks to the blockchain, you can now prove taste, as well as your skills as an early scout.

Over time, this can become a signal: imagine you were the first to mint a song from the next Bad Bunny, back when no one knew about him.

First off, you might profit just by owning his rare early mints.

But also, people might begin to wonder what you’ll mint next.

By sharing playlists, you can start to earn rewards by simply being a fan with good taste.

And with AI around the corner, we’re about to see an ungodly increase in the volume of content online, thus making curators even more valuable.

Here’s more good news: getting involved is very cheap. Many mints are priced at $5-10, or are even free. And since minting happens on Optimism, a layer 2 on Ethereum, gas fees are just pennies.

I think of these like buying posters but with extra utility and social vibes. And a great way to experiment while supporting real artists who might be on the cusp of something big.

enjoy

NOTE: These drops are lightly curated. Our only requirement is that they have recognizable founders. As usual, DYOR. To learn more go here.

Enigma by RalenArc

The Art Blocks Emerging Voices series highlighting up-and-coming artists concludes today at 1 PM ET with American artist RalenArc’s Enigma, a 240-supply collection experimenting with isometric, mirrored illusions.

For fans of geometrical work, the clean lines in this one might prove appealing.

Dominoes In Fluxus by Ivona Tau

The AI art wave surges on as platforms and artists vie for prominence from collectors and curators. One of the earliest platforms, BrainDrops, has just announced its next drop: Dominoes in Flux by Ivona Tau.

Tau is a rising artist in the genre, having recently been featured on other notable platforms like the Kate Vass Gallery.

In this upcoming 500-supply collection, she delves into the flourishing sub-genre of AI video, with color palettes reminiscent of the artist’s past Verse drop.

As an AI video appreciatooor myself, I look forward to seeing the full collection.

Beyond the Edge Jackson Pollock Studio Collection

Iconic Moments, an art platform specializing in bringing traditional art to web3, has finalized details around its partnership with the Jackson Pollock Studio: 500 pieces in the style of the famous artist will be sold next week.

These will be split into 4 separate editions of 125 pieces each, which will grant holders access to future Pollock Studio digital releases. Holders of the Iconic Art Pass NFT mint at a reduced price of 0.55 ETH compared to the 0.8 ETH public sale price.

Bringing traditional art to the blockchain hasn’t been a hit with collectors thus far, but for those who believe in this model, it might be an enticing opportunity.

Galaxis GenZero Cards

No-code launchpad and development studio Galaxis (experienced coders of dynamic NFTs who’ve previously worked with large retail brands like the NBA) just announced a free 400-supply access pass for their platform: Galaxis GenZero Cards.

These provide a bundle of benefits, including early access to drops and staking rewards. They’re set to drop on Ethereum later this year.

You can’t go wrong with free.

The Mint List

1. Taproot Wizards. OG Bitcoin meme inscribed as ordinals

2. Project Animus. RTFKT's biggest launch since Clone-X

3. Symbiogenesis. Square Enix's upcoming gaming NFT

4. Themes and Variations. Sotheby’s showcases pioneer gen artist

5. Acceptable Realities. Fellowship’s 2nd AI photography drop

6. 10KTF PFP. Drop from a team that includes Yuga and Beeple

7. Dimensionals - EVE. Free gaming PFP from doxxed studio

8. Garbage Friends. New PFP from the creator of Invisible Friends

9. Shadow Hats. Ordinals drop from the creators of Forgotten Runes

10. Tony Babel x Typical Friends. Limited edition from the popular artist