5 Web3 Experiments in Music & Film You Should Know

Web3 is often described in big, abstract terms—“decentralization,” “ownership,” “community.” But in entertainment, the revolution is already happening in small, concrete ways. Artists, studios, and platforms are experimenting with new business models that make creative ownership not just an idea, but a product you can actually buy, collect, or participate in.

Here are five real projects showing how Web3 is remixing the music, film, and entertainment world.

1. Royal.io – Fans as Co-Owners of Music

What it is: Founded by DJ and producer 3LAU, Royal lets fans buy shares of a song’s royalties as NFTs. When the song earns streaming revenue, those holders get paid automatically through smart contracts.

Why it matters: It turns fans into stakeholders. For the first time, listeners can literally invest in the success of an artist they love. It’s crowdfunding meets capitalism—but for culture.

What to watch: Royal is still selective, but its early drops with artists like Nas and Diplo point toward a future where any musician could launch tokenized royalties instead of signing away rights to a label.

2. Audius – The Decentralized Streaming Platform

What it is: Audius is a blockchain-based alternative to Spotify. Artists upload tracks directly, and listeners stream them for free. The network is run by node operators, not a centralized corporation, and artists are paid in the native $AUDIO token.

Why it matters: Artists keep 90% of revenue, data is transparent, and there are no middlemen. It’s a glimpse of what a fairer streaming model could look like if it ever scales to millions of users.

What to watch: Audius has attracted partnerships with TikTok and several major electronic artists. Its challenge now is the same as every decentralized platform: balancing freedom with discoverability and moderation.

3. Mogul Productions – Film Financing on the Blockchain

What it is: Mogul uses blockchain to let fans and investors fund movies through tokenized voting and revenue participation. Holders of the STARS token can help greenlight projects and share in profits.

Why it matters: Hollywood has always been hard to break into. Mogul’s model democratizes access to financing—turning film production into a community-driven process.

What to watch: It’s not just indie passion projects; Mogul has helped fund professional productions, and its DAO structure could eventually challenge the traditional studio system.

4. Warner Bros. & The Lord of the Rings NFT Experience

What it is: In 2022, Warner Bros. released The Fellowship of the Ring as an “NFT Experience,” combining a digital movie file, behind-the-scenes extras, and collectible artwork—all owned as a token on the blockchain.

Why it matters: This was the first major studio to release a full film through Web3 technology. It hinted at how tokenized ownership could replace traditional digital downloads or DVD sales.

What to watch: Expect more hybrid releases, especially for cult franchises. The key lesson: Web3 doesn’t replace streaming—it adds ownership back into it.

5. VeeCon & Live Nation’s Tokenized Events

What it is: VeeCon, founded by Gary Vaynerchuk, is a multi-day conference for holders of the VeeFriends NFT collection. Tickets double as digital collectibles that also unlock other experiences. Live Nation is experimenting with similar “token-gated” concert tickets that eliminate scalping and add loyalty rewards.

Why it matters: Events and entertainment are merging into one ecosystem where the ticket isn’t just a pass—it’s proof of membership, community, and sometimes even revenue participation.

What to watch: As NFTs evolve into “digital passes,” expect more crossover between fandom, community, and event loyalty programs.

What These Experiments Tell Us

Each of these projects points toward a creative economy that is:

• More participatory: Fans fund, vote, and share in outcomes.

• More transparent: Royalties, rights, and revenue flows are verifiable on-chain.

• More sustainable: Creators keep control of their IP and connect directly with audiences.

• More human: Web3 doesn’t erase the artist–fan relationship; it deepens it.

The tools may still be clunky, and the hype often outruns reality—but the direction is clear. Entertainment is moving from passive consumption to active participation.

The next time you stream a song, buy a ticket, or back a film, you might not just be supporting it—you might own a piece of it.Stay ahead of the curve with the latest in Web3 culture and innovation. Subscribe to Hashed Out for exclusive insights, case studies, and deep dives into the decentralized future.

Other Articles In This Issue:

• When Fans Own the Stage: How Web3 is Rewriting the Entertainment Industry

• Editorial: The Promise—and Price—of Creative Freedom

• CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS EDITIONS