Sony’s blockchain system Soneium has launched its first-ever audio NFT selection, featuring unpublished tracks from Tokyo-based manufacturer NUU$ HI in partnership with Web3 label Coop Records.
The collection, hosted on Sonova, Soneium’s NFT marketplace, is priced at 0.000777 ETH ($ 2.11 ), running until the end of the month, with approximately 124 out of 999, 999 NFTs minted so far.
Soneium, an Ethereum Layer-2 bitcoin developed by multinational Sony Block Solutions Labs, has positioned itself as a program for online content transmission, though implementation remains in its early stages.
However, Coop Records, founded by crypto investor Cooper Turley, has recently brought over 600 music on-chain, working with musicians such as Zeds Dead, San Holo, and BarryCan’t Swim.  ,
Despite Web3 audio marketing failing to gain widespread support, the brand advocates NFT-based songs ownership as an alternative to traditional business models.
Audio NFTs experience industry hurdles
Turley has previously acknowledged the difficulties of originator monetization in crypto, especially in crypto ecosystems.  ,
In today’s market, he wrote in a Thursday article on X that it was “practically difficult” for authors with high profiles to establish a token and not have a negative impact on them.
He continued, noting that there are still no best practices for sustainable token-based marketing schemes and that creators ‘ expectations for Web3 earnings are still inconsistent with investor behavior.
Profits have fluctuated despite NFTs being promoted as a way for designers to pass record names and have greater control over their income.  ,
In 2021, music NFTs had significant earlier successes, including Kings of Leon’s$ 2 million Irrigation recording release, but the sector has since struggled to maintain steady growth as a result of a wider NFT market decline.
Sony’s Web3 rise
Sony has been expanding its presence in bitcoin system, but Soneium’s target remains largely empirical.  ,
Following a four-month testing period that began in August 2024, the program actually launched its mainnet on January 14, 2025.  ,
During the exam time, Soneium said it recorded over 14 million consumer accounts and processed 47 million dealings, though its long-term implementation remains uncertain.  ,
The business hasn’t yet made any plans to incorporate the program into its larger music or entertainment division.  ,
While the NUU$ HI fall is one of several Sonova releases planned, it’s not clear if Sony may increase its involvement in the blockchain-based music distribution market.
Decrypt’s request for comment on those issues was not immediately responded to by a Soneium member.
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