A never-before-heard version of one of David Bowie’s most popular songs, “Let’s Dance,” is being released as an NFT track by Web3 platform Gala Music.
On Thursday, Gala Music, the offshoot of Web3 gaming platform Gala Games, announced it was partnering with the song’s music producer Larry Dvoskin and Warner Chappell Music, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, to release a remix of the 1983 hit song. The track will be dropped as a limited series of non-fungible tokens.
On April 14th, precisely forty years after the original “Let’s Dance” debuted, Gala Music is dropping 3,003 music NFTs that unlock access to the track that Dvoskin produced with Bowie in 2002. The NFTs, which also come with Bowie-inspired artwork, are being sold using using a pay-what-you-wish model and all proceeds go towards benefitting MusiCares, a charity that provides health services to the music community.
Dvoskin called the remix of the hit song a “more dreamy, electronic” version. He added that he’s been looking forward to the day the track will be heard by the public.
When Dvoskin first approached the Bowie Estate with his pitch to release the song as an NFT, they initially passed. But after he sent an original 2002 email where Bowie expressed his enthusiasm for doing the recording, the Estate changed their mind. Dvoskin said that the release of the track is “honoring” Bowie’s wishes.
Bowie is considered one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century and produced 27 studio albums, 11 live albums, 4 soundtracks, and 128 singles over the course of his career. He passed away in 2016.
Currently, Bowie’s entire musical catalog is owned by Warner Chappell Music, which purchased it last year for upwards of $250 million. The NFT release is Warner Chappell Music’s first “completely native NFT agreement” for a track that was never released previously. For Bowie fans, it’s a chance to hear a new spin on an old tune.
Music & Web3 Keep Evolving
The new NFT music drop from Gala Music has David Bowie and Web3 fans excited. After all, the song has been kept under wraps for over 20 years, and fans can purchase it by paying whatever they want. That’s an exciting deal even if you’re not into Web3. But Gala Music isn’t the only platform innovating in Web3 music.
At Rarity Sniper, we’ve been covering the world of NFT music for some time now. From metaverse music festivals to NFT tracks that give holders royalty rights, the world of Web3 music is continuing to evolve. Here are some of the top headlines:
- Rihanna’s NFT Song Lets Holders Earn Streaming Royalties
- Napster Explores Music Distribution Through NFTs
- Warner Music Group Releases “Rhythm City” Roblox Metaverse
- MTV Video Music Awards Adds ‘Best Metaverse Performance’ Category
- Winamp Adds Support for ETH & Polygon Music NFTs
- Snoop Dogg Collabs with Web3 Startup for Music Video
The potential for musicians and the music industry in Web3 are endless, and we’re only just beginning to see what can be done. Larry Dvoskin and Warner Chappell Music finding a way to put a Bowie track we haven’t heard into the world is another example of the innovation happening in the space.
To learn more about Web3 music, check out the following article: