Sony Launches First Music NFT Collection

Sony’s blockchain platform, Soneium, has launched its inaugural music NFT collection, featuring unreleased tracks from Tokyo-based producer NUU$HI in collaboration with Web3 label Coop Records.

Hosted on Sonova, Soneium’s NFT marketplace, the collection is priced at 0.000777 ETH ($2.11) and will be available until the end of the month, with approximately 1,126 NFTs minted out of the 999,999 total.

Developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, Soneium is an Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain focused on digital content distribution, though its adoption is still in the early stages.

Coop Records, a Web3 label founded by crypto entrepreneur Cooper Turley, has previously brought over 600 songs on-chain, collaborating with artists like Zeds Dead, San Holo, and Barry Can’t Swim.

The label advocates for NFT-based music ownership as an alternative to traditional industry models, even as Web3 music monetisation faces challenges in achieving widespread mainstream adoption.

Music NFTs Hit Roadblocks in Market Adoption

Turley has openly discussed the challenges of creator monetisation within crypto, particularly in tokenised ecosystems.

He highlighted that best practices for sustainable token-based monetisation models are still evolving and that there is a misalignment between Web3 revenue expectations for creators and investor behaviour.

Although NFTs were initially seen as a way for artists to bypass traditional record labels and maintain greater control over their revenue, sales have proven inconsistent.

While music NFTs experienced notable successes in 2021, such as Kings of Leon’s $2 million NFT album release, the sector has struggled to maintain steady growth amidst the broader downturn in the NFT market.

Sony Expands Footprint in Web3

Sony has been progressively expanding its blockchain infrastructure, yet Soneium’s focus remains largely experimental.

The platform officially launched its mainnet on 14 January 2025, after a four-month testnet phase that began in August 2024.

During this testing period, Soneium recorded over 14 million user accounts and processed 47 million transactions, although its long-term adoption remains uncertain.

The company has not yet outlined plans to integrate the platform into its broader entertainment or music business.

While the NUU$HI drop marks the beginning of a planned series of releases on Sonova, it remains unclear whether Sony will significantly scale its involvement in blockchain-based music distribution.