Metaverse concerts are virtual concerts held in online metaverse platforms. They allow artists to perform live shows in virtual worlds for fans across the globe. While still an emerging phenomenon, metaverse concerts are predicted to be a major trend in the music industry going forward.
What is a metaverse concert?
A metaverse concert is a live music performance that takes place in a virtual world or metaverse platform instead of a physical venue. Artists can create digital avatars of themselves to perform on virtual stages, while fans attend the concert through their own digital avatars or VR headsets. Some key features of metaverse concerts include:
- Avatar performers and attendees
- Virtual stages and venues
- Real-time motion capture and face tracking of artists
- Spatial audio to create immersive sound
- VR and AR capabilities for enhanced visuals
- Real-time graphics and effects
- Interactive components like mini-games and virtual merchandise
By incorporating these features, metaverse concerts aim to recreate the energy and social experience of physical live shows in a digital format.
Why are metaverse concerts gaining popularity?
There are several factors driving the rising popularity of metaverse concerts:
- Expanded reach: Metaverse concerts allow artists to perform for larger global audiences beyond the limits of venue capacities or geographical barriers.
- Novelty and engagement: The interactive nature of metaverse concerts offers new ways for fans to engage with artists and each other during shows.
- Revenue opportunities: Artists and platforms can monetize metaverse concerts through virtual tickets, merchandise, NFT collectibles, and more.
- Safety and convenience: Attending concerts in the metaverse removes safety risks and travel costs associated with physical events, especially during public health emergencies.
- Creativity and customization: Metaverse stages and avatars allow for creative expressions not possible at real venues. Performances can be customized based on the target audience.
As virtual interaction technologies develop, metaverse concerts are poised to become more popular across user demographics.
How much do metaverse concert tickets cost?
Ticket prices for metaverse concerts can vary greatly depending on the platform, artist, and type of experience offered. Some pricing ranges include:
- Small club shows: $10 – $30 per ticket
- Arena concerts: $30 – $100 per ticket
- Festival passes: $50 – $500 for multi-day access
- VIP packages: $100 – $1000+ for premium views, merch, NFTs, and more
Many metaverse concerts also offer free general admission with revenue earned through in-experience purchases instead. Overall, prices tend to be lower than physical concerts since there are no venue overheads.
Major platforms hosting metaverse concerts
Some major platforms that have hosted or are gearing up to host metaverse concerts include:
Platform | Key Concerts |
---|---|
Fortnite | Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, Marshmello |
Roblox | Lil Nas X, Twenty One Pilots, Zara Larsson |
Decentraland | Deadmau5, Pussy Riot, Grimes |
VRChat | Lauv, Project Blue Book |
Wave | The Weeknd, John Legend, Tinashe |
Other players include Meta’s Horizon Worlds, Sandbox, AltspaceVR, and emerging crypto-based metaverses. The accessible user bases and interactive tools of these platforms make them ideal venues for metaverse concerts.
Notable metaverse concert examples
Some groundbreaking metaverse concerts that gave a glimpse of the future possibilities include:
- Travis Scott in Fortnite (2020): Over 12 million concurrent players attended this psychedelic 10-minute set inside Fortnite. Travis Scott’s avatar zoomed across the screen amidst trippy visual effects.
- Ariana Grande in Fortnite (2021): As part of Fortnite’s Rift Tour series, Ariana Grande performed a five-song set including “7 rings” and “thank u, next”. Fans could dance alongside Ariana and float up into the galaxy.
- Zara Larsson in Roblox (2021): At this launch party for her album Poster Girl, fans could choose customized avatars and play mini games between songs. Zara’s avatar even crowd surfed during one song.
- Deadmau5 in Decentraland (2022): At this EDC Las Vegas afterparty, over 50,000 attendees gathered at a virtual rendition of the festival grounds. Deadmau5 performed as his giant mouse-helmet avatar.
These concerts generated massive buzz and highlighted innovative concepts like avatar interactions, theme parks, and crypto models.
Are virtual concerts as engaging as physical concerts?
Opinion is divided on whether metaverse concerts can match the energy and social experience of in-person live shows. Critics argue the lack of real-life crowds and atmosphere makes virtual concerts feel detached. But proponents point out that evolving tech like haptics and photorealism will make metaverse concerts more immersive over time.
Currently, it depends on the specific platform and execution – concerts in game worlds like Fortnite with lots of movement and interactivity tend to be more engaging than static livestreams. Hardware like VR headsets and venue setups optimized for metaverse shows also enhance the experience. As artists get more familiar with leveraging metaverse capabilities, concerts are likely to become more engaging.
At the same time, in-person concerts have an organic communal vibe that is hard to digitally replicate. The scale, sound, and endorphin rush of physically sharing a venue with thousands of fans cheering cannot be fully matched in a virtual environment. While metaverse concerts expand access and convenience, they may not provide the same levels of tangible excitement and bonding.
In the long run, metaverse and physical concerts will likely co-exist to serve different needs. Fans unable to attend live venues in person due to distance, cost or health issues can still experience metaverse concerts. For hardcore music lovers, physical concerts will remain irresistible. Hybrid models like livestreaming real concerts into the metaverse may also emerge.
Are metaverse concerts profitable for artists?
Metaverse concerts can be lucrative revenue streams for artists in several ways:
- Virtual tickets/merch sales: Money earned from ticket fees, limited edition virtual merch, NFT collectibles, etc. has high margins since there are no production costs.
- Sponsorships: Brand partnerships and in-experience advertising can be negotiated based on the target audience.
- Platform revenue shares: Platforms like Roblox share 30% or more of earings with artists from virtual goods linked to concerts.
- Royalties: Performance royalties may be generated when artists play their own songs during metaverse shows.
- User data insights: The granular data on fan preferences and engagement during concerts is valuable.
- Promotional impact: By reaching new global audiences, metaverse concerts can boost an artist’s overall popularity and earnings.
Additionally, lower overheads compared to real-world tours make metaverse concerts a cost-effective move. Smaller artists can gain exposure by performing in metaverse venues rather than having to book expensive stadiums for global reach. Despite some upfront investment in digital assets, the long-term gains for artists from establishing an early presence in the metaverse concert scene make it a worthwhile strategy.
Challenges facing metaverse concert adoption
While interest in metaverse concerts is rising, some challenges need to be addressed for it to become mainstream:
- Platform fragmentation: The lack of interoperability between closed metaverse platforms limits audience reach and cohesion.
- Technical issues: Glitches like lag or crashes during concerts can ruin the experience.
- Spatial audio: Recreating the true sound quality and ambience of live concerts is difficult virtually.
- Clunky hardware: Current VR/AR headsets are still bulky and isolating rather than seamless.
- avatar limitations: Many platforms have rigid avatar systems that constrain artists’ abilities to emote and interact.
As the underlying metaverse infrastructure matures, these challenges will be overcome. But adoption will rely on platforms making concerts in virtual worlds smooth, immersive and social experiences.
Are metaverse concerts the future of music events?
Metaverse concerts are poised to be a gamechanger in the music industry for several reasons:
- They expand artists’ reach to fans globally and generate new revenue streams.
- Fans get to interact with artists and each other in novel ways during shows.
- Younger generations already used to digital worlds will drive adoption.
- Convenience and safety factors make virtual concerts appealing alternatives.
- Creative possibilities like fantastical stages and avatars are endless.
While in-person concerts will co-exist, metaverse concerts solve critical pain points like tour logistics and scheduling. Even post-pandemic, virtual shows enable artists to perform multiple global dates simultaneously. As virtual tech gets more lifelike, metaverse concerts could dominate music culture.
Conclusion
In summary, metaverse concerts are an emerging trend that provide new avenues for artists to engage with fans. Current concert ticket prices vary across platforms and artist calibers, but are overall lower than physical events. Major players so far include gaming worlds like Fortnite and Roblox which have hosted groundbreaking virtual shows. While not yet matching the rush of real-life crowds, metaverse concerts are becoming more immersive with improving tech. For artists, virtual shows provide cost-effective global reach and multiple revenue streams. Despite technical hurdles, the scalability and creative potential indicate that metaverse concerts are poised to reshape the music industry in the years ahead.