A never-before-released recording by the legendary David Bowie is set to debut as a music NFT. The special digital release will allow fans to own a piece of rare music history and provide a unique opportunity for collectors to invest in a one-of-a-kind piece of music. The Bowie estate worked closely with the music technology company, Royalty Exchange, to create the NFT and ensure that it retains its value over time. This groundbreaking move represents a new frontier for music ownership and appreciation in the digital age. The NFT is expected to fetch a high price, and fans and collectors alike are eagerly anticipating its release.
David Bowie’s Legacy Lives On: Let’s Dance NFTs Set for Release on April 14th
David Bowie, the iconic musician known for his genre-defying music and flamboyant style, has left an indelible mark on the music industry. Even after his death in 2016, his music continues to enthral and inspire fans around the world. Bowie’s prodigious catalog of work includes 27 studio albums, 11 live albums, 4 soundtracks, and 128 singles. Now, almost 40 years after the release of one of his biggest hits, Let’s Dance, a previously unheard version of the song is set to debut via a limited series of NFTs.
Gala Music, an offshoot of Web3 startup Gala Games, announced its partnership with music producer Larry Dvoskin and publisher Warner-Chappell Music to release the exclusive remix of Let’s Dance via NFTs. The NFTs will be sold on a pay-what-you-wish model, and all proceeds from the sale will benefit MusiCares, a charity that provides health and human services to the music community. The limited run of 3,003 NFTs goes on sale on April 14th 2023, exactly 40 years after the original Let’s Dance release.
The exclusive version of Let’s Dance was produced in 2002 and it features a more electronic and dreamy sound. Music producer and songwriter Larry Dvoskin has described it as a “smash song” that remains one of Bowie’s most popular tracks. In fact, it’s the song that Bowie himself was the most enthusiastic about, and we can now hear an unreleased version of it, after all this time.
The Bowie estate refused Dvoskin’s pitch for the NFTs deal, but when a Bowie fan pulled up an original 2002 email in which Bowie expressed his excitement for recording, the executor changed his mind. Dvoskin’s deal with the label is described as Warner Chappell Music’s “first completely native NFT agreement” for a song that had never been released through physical or digital formats.
This is not the first time that Bowie’s estate has experimented with blockchain technology. In September, it launched a series of NFTs titled “Bowie on the Blockchain” in partnership with marketplace OpenSea. The backlash from Bowie’s fans was overwhelming, as they derided the blockchain experiment as inconsistent with the late artist’s ethos and values.
Gala Games is best known for its Web3 gaming efforts, but it is also exploring other entertainment use cases for NFTs and tokens. The company’s recent tweet about upcoming film projects with actors Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Mark Wahlberg boosted the native token GALA by 115%, but it was later deleted, and the company clarified that both actors’ respective production companies are co-producing documentary film projects unrelated to their own lives or careers.
In conclusion, Let’s Dance NFTs offer a unique opportunity for fans to experience a previously unheard remix of one of Bowie’s most popular tracks, while supporting a worthy cause at the same time. With the growing popularity of NFTs and blockchain technology, it remains to be seen how Bowie’s legacy will continue to embrace these new forms of creativity and expression.