Warner Recorded Music (WRM) has enlisted Linkin Park co-founder and Warner Records artist Mike Shinoda as Community Innovation Advisor.
In what WRM calls a “first-of-its-kind post”, the company says that Shinoda will work closely with Warner Music’s leadership and business development teams to help shape its “artist-centric approach to Web3”.
Shinoda will serve as a “sounding board” for Warner Recorded Music as the company looks to experiment with new and emerging technologies alongside its artists.
With Shinoda’s support, WRM says that it will “continue to partner with artists to bring their creative visions to life”.
It also plans to “build communities” across new platforms, products, and experiences, while “exploring new revenue streams”.
Warner Music has entered into a number of partnerships with companies operating in the Web3 space in recent years, including Roblox, The Sandbox, Genies, Griffin Gaming, Blockparty, OneOf, and Splinterlands.
In addition, Warner Music Group recently entered into a partnership with Web3 startup POAP Inc, in a deal that will see Warner and POAP “mint shared memories as NFTs”, with collectors receiving authenticated digital proof they attended an event or were part of a specific experience.
The major has also been behind popular metaverse and Web3 experiences, such as Twenty One Pilots and David Guetta appearances in Roblox.
From his early days as co-founder, vocalist, and writer-producer with Linkin Park, Warner says that Shioda has since ben “blazing new paths on Twitch and in Web3”, and “has made a career innovating in music, fan communities, and content”.
His most recent projects include Happy Endings, the label’s first single to debut as an NFT, and Ziggurats, the world’s first generative NFT mixtape —5,000 unique mini-albums created from Shinoda’s original audio and visual layers (ziggurats.xyz).
“A passionate creative who’s deeply embedded in the rapidly evolving world of Web3, Mike’s perspective here will be invaluable.”
Max Lousada, CEO, Warner Recorded Music, said: “Central to our DNA at Warner is that we start with the artist experience.
“A passionate creative who’s deeply embedded in the rapidly evolving world of Web3, Mike’s perspective here will be invaluable.
“As we continue to accelerate deals and build out our expertise across the company, together we’ll navigate the possibilities at the intersection of music and technology with thoughtfulness and authenticity – to the benefit of our entire musical community.”
“Warner has made some strong first steps in this space, and I look forward to playing a role in further exploration.”
Mike Shinoda
Shinoda added: “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to Web3; every artist and community is unique.”
“Warner has made some strong first steps in this space, and I look forward to playing a role in further exploration – supporting artists in creating new opportunities, and connecting with fans in unimaginable new ways.”Music Business Worldwide
