In a 1999 interview with the BBC, David Bowie astutely predicted the sweeping impact of the Internet on society. His musical and sociological insights were truly ahead of their time.
In an era where the Internet's role in society is both exhilarating and terrifying, we stand on the brink of profound changes in how content is created and consumed. We live in a digital era, where every byte of personal information can be considered currency, data, or viewed as a threat to the state. The potential of the Internet, much like Bowie described an "alien life-form," is unimaginable in its scope and impact, challenging our very perceptions of mediums and interactivity.
Remington Leibow
We first covered Wavlake back in the early days of 2022.
Damus was removed from Apple's App Store earlier this year, highlighting the challenges of innovative platforms in integrating with established tech ecosystems. It was taken down due to non-compliance with Apple's payment guidelines, particularly its Zap feature that bypassed Apple's outrageous standard 30% fee on in-app purchases. This incident underscores the delicate balancing act required for new innovative platforms to adhere to Apple and Google's stringent app inclusion policies, especially in domains like music streaming, where Apple and YouTube hold significant market share.
Two half awake companies living in a fiat moat.
Wavlake: Pioneering a New Era in Music
Artist splits are now available in Studio. Artists can include up to 4 Wavlake users as part of the payment split by entering their usernames and percentages in the split field when editing a track. Track percentage can be added manually, or split evenly across all participants with the “Even Split” button.
In order to ensure payments are made consistently, splits are currently limited to 4 participants, all of which must be registered Wavlake users. However, we have plans to expand these options in future updates to accommodate a broader range of participants.
Any Wavlake user (Listener or artist) can be a split participant. You should always verify the username with participants, as they can vary from artist names.
Usernames can be found by clicking on the avatar in the top right corner of the screen.
Once splits have been enabled and a payment has been sent, all parties will see the payment show up in their activity pages.
This week, I talked with Sam and Michael, the founders of Wavlake. Check out the pod if you're looking for a glimpse into how artists embrace the Wavlake model.
Future of Wavlake and Music Discovery
Wavlake emerges in a landscape where artists often struggle to monetize their work effectively. By leveraging Bitcoin for global payments, Wavlake envisions a world where artists are directly supported by their audience, bypassing traditional barriers like paywalls and royalty constraints. The platform represents a new way to distribute music and a complete overhaul of the artist-listener relationship.
The Nexus of Artists x Fans
Wavlake emerges as more than just a music platform; it catalyzes a renewed artist-fan nexus. By offering a space where artists can freely express and experiment, much like Radiohead did in 2007, the band's decision to offer the album on a 'pay what you want model' signified a shift in the music industry towards empowering listeners, entrusting them with the value of their music.
Pursuing happiness has become less of a goal and more of a process. - How OK Computer Predicted the Future
Wavlake's commitment to artist autonomy and listener engagement echoes the sentiment of Ok Computer lyrics, challenging oppressive industry norms and advocating for a more inclusive and expressive musical world.
The Jetsons is now out on all streaming platforms 🛸⚡
— JoeMartinMusic 🎵⚡🧡 (@JoeMartinMusic) December 11, 2023
Today it reached the no.1 spot on @wavlake which is amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and sent even a single sat.
Support from @adamcurry, @PhantomPwrMedia and the other V4V music shows means a lot. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/lHx8befd5y
The success stories of artists like Joe Martin, thriving under Wavlake's model, are testaments to the potential of a platform revolutionizing music discovery. It marks the beginning of a new era where artists are not just creators but pioneers in their own right, and fans are not just listeners but active participants in the musical journey.
🤘⚡️Let the sats flow!
