Spottie WiFi Partners with Tower Records in Innovative Vinyl Release

This past year, a controversial yet vastly misunderstood three letter acronym took the world by storm. Most identify this word as NFT, and conversations often stop before they start. Tower Records decided to look past the letters, focus on the use cases, and ask how new technology can help artists connect with fans in new ways. Fundamentally, this is what the Web3 music space is about. While the technology is still in its infancy, many independent artists have discovered increased revenue streams via digital ownership of music. 

One of the greatest success stories thus far has been independent artist and rapper, Spottie WiFi. In August of 2021, he released 2,000 digital copies of his debut album, I’m Spottie. Only sixty seconds later, the album sold out and generated nearly $200,000. For perspective, about 50 million online streams would be needed to achieve the same, and it may take months to a full year of money passing through DSP’s, collection societies, publishers, and record labels before artists and songwriters could see their royalties. Spottie decided to take an alternative approach, use an innovative distribution method, and instantaneously sell new music directly to his fans. 

Celebrating the success of his historic debut album, Tower Records is partnering with Spottie WiFI for a limited edition re-release of I’m Spottie with 200 physical vinyls using a brand new technology. Each record contains an NFC chip, scannable like a QR code, and a different splatter pattern unique to each unit. Powering this innovative technology is VinylKey, who we have partnered with as we enter Web3. By claiming digital ownership via a physical asset, Tower Records and Spottie WiFi are experimenting with a new model for the music business. 

Last spring, acclaimed author Ted Gioia wrote The Case for Super Vinyl, a proposed theory for an updated vinyl technology. It is no secret vinyl has made a comeback, but Ted makes a very compelling argument: the fastest growing category in the music business is a 75-year old technology. Maybe the time has come for a more powerful vinyl record. 

While it does not yet possess the playback enhancements of Ted’s proposed Super Vinyl, this VinylKey powered record features one of the most important aspects: ownership. Each of the 200 I’m Spottie records is distinct from one another. The NFC chip makes this vinyl scannable by smartphones, and unique ownership is recorded in a database. This gives Spottie’s superfans and owners of the vinyl “additional perks,”  a major element of Ted Gioia’s Super Vinyl concept. 

Like most Spottie WiFi projects, this has arguably never been done before. Owners of the I’m Spottie VinylKey will be granted access to a release party at Tower Labs on December 8th. This concept in the Web3 space is referred to as Token-Gating, functioning like a ticket in the traditional music business. Not only does this vinyl play back music and make a fine looking addition to your record shelves, but it also admits the owner to an album signing with Spottie and all future Web3 events at Tower Labs. 

Despite the criticisms of Web3 and blockchain technology, there is an exciting energy in this space. All owners of the I’m Spottie Tower Records vinyl will be eternally invited to Web3 Nights, a series of events at Tower Labs in Brooklyn with the first coming in early 2023 with Spottie. Future Web3 Nights will vary with panel discussions, performances, or emerging technologies and trends in the music business at large. 

Owners of the original I’m Spottie release will have access to a private presale at TowerRecords.com on Black Friday, and the first release can still be purchased on OpenSea. This private presale will be followed by the Tower Records public sale on December 1st and the in person event next year. Follow all Tower Records socials for more updates and videos on our recently launched YouTube channel.