RCRDSHP is a curated digital collectibles platform, built by and for the electronic music industry, and validated by technologies like the blockchain and non-fungible tokens. Most other platforms are based on auctions or fixed-price sales, but RCRDSHP surprises and delights by curating and dropping digital ‘packs’ of amazing content. RCRDSHP packs contain music tracks, mixtapes, video clips, static visuals, and many more multimedia collectible goodies from the top brands in the industry.
EG caught up with the team over at RCRDSHP to learn more about the rising platform, NFTs and collectibles, the launch of their new ‘Storefronts’, the future of our electronic music scene, and more.
EG: Hello team RCRDSHP! It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. Could you explain to our readers and potential users what RCRDSHP is all about?
RCRDSHP: Hey, absolutely, and great to be here with you too. RCRDSHP is a new kind of digital music platform where music fans can collect and discover great music while earning rewards for being a fan and supporting artists and labels they love. Many great things have come out of digital music’s evolution. The amazing array of music genres we have today is a testament to how positive technology is for creativity. However, the problem is that digital ubiquity has also greatly devalued recorded music and the economics of streaming aren’t sustainable for most artists. RCRDSHP is built on the basis that there must be a better way. Harnessing NFT and blockchain technology allows us to create value for creators and fans in ways that yield more value back to both.
EG: RCRDSHP goes beyond crypto-glorified MP3s and digital trading cards, right? What’s the real scope of what can be done?
RCRDSHP: Yeah, 100%, RCRDSHP collectibles bundle music, video, and other content together in unique ways that delight fans. I mean, they look like digital trading cards, but you can think of them as limited edition digital vinyl or super deluxe box sets full of exclusive material. For artists, this means they can get really deep with the content (behind-the-scenes footage, super rare tracks, etc.) Fans can get much closer to the artists and labels they love. The NFT backing certifies the authenticity and limited edition nature of the collectibles, and can also be used as digital keys to unlock special experiences and rewards. RCRDSHP’s Creator Partners (labels, artists, DJs, festivals, etc.) can reward their fans with airdrops of new content, merch, guest lists, you name it. We even provide the ability to create challenges, unique online experiences that gamify, and drive music fandom. For example, we have this Mixing feature which lets fans combine or “mix” NFT-backed collectibles to craft new content. Content partners can keep the “recipes” secret and tease fans with them, or run time-based challenges that reward quick movers. Ideas like this make the RCRDSHP experience so much more than just buying an NFT that does nothing, holding it in a wallet, and just hoping it might increase in value. We believe music fandom in web3 should be fun and interactive for as many real music fans as possible. The real potential of this technology is creating connections between the collectors and music fans and the artist themselves.
“The NFT backing certifies the authenticity and limited edition nature of the collectibles, and can also be used as digital keys to unlock special experiences and rewards. RCRDSHP’s Creator Partners can reward their fans with airdrops of new content, merch, guest lists, you name it”
EG: Who are some of the artists that have already been through RCRDSHP? How have they faired?
RCRDSHP: It’s been incredible, we have a great roster of artists and labels on the platform. Since we launched we’ve had a real mix, labels like Codex, D-Unity, and Toolroom. It’s been really exciting to see the interest in all these new ways of distributing music. It’s been pretty diverse. We’ve had massive legacy labels like Cocoon drop recently with artists like Pig & Dan and Emnualle Satie. Then we have had a lot from other styles and genres. We definitely built RCRDSHP to be a platform for all styles, we are dropping more drum and bass soon for example, and have a lot of deep house and techno incoming. What’s really exciting about releasing music on RCRDSHP, is that success for artists and labels is heavily based on culture and community, two things inherently a core part of electronic music. Some of the most successful projects have involved a lot of fan collaboration and participation in creating tracks or rewards that get music fans much closer to the artists and labels that they love.
EG: Many believe that this is something from which only established names are able to profit from. Is this right? Is it as black or white as it sounds?
RCRDSHP: One important aspect of being successful in this space is that it isn’t necessarily about how big you are, but how well you can build a strong personal connection with your fans. The emerging creator economy powered by NFTs is all about community. The more you can do to authentically engage both existing and new fans is the main driver of success. That’s as much about mindset as it is about how much marketing muscle you have.
EG: As mentioned earlier, RCRDSHP dropped a huge collaboration with Sven Väth’s techno label Cocoon Recordings. What exactly can one find in this particular drop?
RCRDSHP: Yeah, Cocoon is just such an iconic label. All the music included were exclusive tracks from the likes of Pig & Dan, Andre Galluzzi, Gregor Tresher, and of course Sven. With each collectible, there’s artwork and exclusive videos from the artists talking through their creative process. As with a lot of RCRDSHP drops we included some cool stuff for fans, a rare Sven Väth collectible that gives you guest list access to a Cocoon event, and additional challenges that give fans a chance to win prizes.
EG: And now RCRDSHP has just unveiled its ‘Storefront’ concept. What does this mean for RCRDSHP and its users?
RCRDSHP: We are really excited about Storefronts, as we think it has the potential to really change the way music creators engage their fan base. Essentially, it’s a self-service platform for labels and artists to be able to offer music fans a branded digital store where they can mint NFT Digital Collectibles alongside challenges and reward programs directly to their fans. It’s part of our commitment to making NFT and web3 as accessible as possible to both artists and fans. This means we will be able to onboard a lot more artists and labels, giving music fans and the RCRDSHP community many more ways to engage with the creators on the platform.
EG: What does the future of music look like to RCRDSHP?
RCRDSHP: Honestly, we are working on changing the face of the music industry. Fundamentally that means creating a more sustainable model for recorded music. The next few years are going to be extremely exciting and busy! There’s a lot to do, but we definitely believe that we are at the point where blockchain, NFT, and the move towards web3 are fundamentally changing how we create value for music creators, whilst giving lovers new ways to connect with the music they love. Move us forwards 3-5 years and we won’t be talking about NFTs at all – it’s going to be buried within our experience of the internet pretty deeply. We see RCRDSHP being central to that wider adoption from music fans.
“‘Storefronts’ is our self-service platform for labels and artists to be able to offer music fans a branded digital store where they can mint NFT Digital Collectibles alongside challenges and reward programs directly to their fans”
EG: What else can we expect from RCRDSHP in the near future?
RCRDSHP: More fun and innovative products and features that help to drive music fandom. We are doing a lot in the background to build out reward fulfillment and make it easier for creators to reward their fans. Even more artists on the platform, more and more genres – what’s really exciting is every time we onboard a new creator they bring a ton of creative ideas, new fans join the community and the whole RCRDSHP experience just gets better.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, team RCRDSHP! We wish you all the best for the future!
RCRDSHP: Honestly, thank you, it was really great talking with you.
You can visit and learn more about RCRDSHP here.
