Royal.io
{{Infobox company
| name = Royal
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| type =
| industry = Music
| founded =
| founder = 3lau (Justin Blau)
| hq_location_city = Austin, Texas
| hq_location_country = U.S.
| area_served =
| key_people = 3lau (Justin Blau)
| products =
| owner =
| website = {{URL|https://www.royal.io/}}
}}
File:3LAU - Ultra.jpg, the founder of Royal]]
Royal (Royal.io) is a US-based platform that sells music rights as limited digital assets.{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/nas-royal-streaming-royalty-rights-music|title=Nas Partners With Royal to Offer Streaming Royalty Rights for Two of His Songs|website=Complex}} It was founded by Opendoor co-founder JD Ross{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2021/11/22/royal-andreessen-horowitz-a16z-the-chainsmokers-nas-series-a-investment/|title=The Chainsmokers, Nas, and a16z back NFT music market Royal in new $55 million Series A|website=Fortune}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.playthemusic.biz/royal-raises-16m-in-seed-funding-round-led-by-founder-funds-paradigm/|title=Royal raises $16M in seed funding round led by Founder Funds & Paradigm|first=Vikas|last=M|date=August 28, 2021}} and DJ and electronic music producer Justin "3lau" Blau{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/26/founders-fund-backs-royal-a-music-marketplace-planning-to-sell-song-rights-as-nfts/|title=Founders Fund backs Royal, a music marketplace planning to sell song rights as NFTs}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/3lau-raises-16m-music-rights-marketplace-royal/|title=Earn Money for Your Music Taste: 3LAU Raises $16M for Music Rights Marketplace Royal|first1=Tatiana|last1=Cirisano|magazine=Billboard |date=August 26, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2021/12/01/musicians-nfts-digital-goods-disrupt-the-music-industry-reward-loyal-fans-justin-blau-brainstorm-tech/|title=Musicians turn to NFTs and other digital goods to disrupt the music industry and reward loyal fans|website=Fortune}} It is headquartered in Austin, Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.builtinaustin.com/2021/08/27/royal-raises-16m-3lau-nft-marketplace|title=Prior to Launch, NFT Music Platform Royal Raises $16M With 3LAU at the Helm | Built In Austin|website=www.builtinaustin.com}}
History
Royal was founded in May 2021 by Justin Blau, who is popularly known as 3lau.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/music/dj-justin-blau-made-millions-with-nfts-his-next-move-could-disrupt-the-music-business-2490166/|title=DJ Justin Blau made millions with NFTs. His next move could disrupt the music business.|date=December 3, 2021}} The company is backed by musicians such as The Chainsmokers, Logic, and Kygo.{{Cite web|url=https://edm.com/news/the-chainsmokers-most-popular-groups-decade|title=The Chainsmokers Are One of The Most Popular Groups of the Last Decade, According to Study|first=Lennon|last=Cihak|website=EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotifys-premium-content-strategy-director-darya-pourshasb-exits-joins-justin-blaus-nft-platform-royal/|title=Spotify's Premium Content Strategy Director Darya Pourshasb exits, joins Justin Blau's NFT platform Royal|date=April 20, 2022|website=Music Business Worldwide}}
Royal founder 3lau gave away the first tokenized music offering in a contest for 50% of royalties for his song "Worst Case" in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://edm.com/gear-tech/3lau-next-song-will-be-50-percent-fan-owned|title=3LAU's Next Song Will Be 50% Fan-Owned|first=Cameron|last=Sunkel|website=EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists}} After the giveaway, the song was noted as the world's first fan-owned song.{{Cite web|url=https://dancingastronaut.com/2021/10/3lau-releases-worlds-first-fan-owned-song-worst-case-with-cxloe/|title=3LAU releases world's first fan-owned song, 'Worst Case' with CXLOE|date=October 12, 2021|website=Dancing Astronaut}}{{Cite web|url=https://musictech.com/news/industry/3laus-worst-case-first-fan-owned-song-on-blockchain-music-platform-royal/|title=3LAU's Worst Case to be the first "fan owned" song on blockchain music platform Royal|website=MusicTech}}
Royal partnered with rapper Nas to sell streaming royalty rights for the songs "Ultra Black" and "Rare" through its platform in January 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/nas-to-let-fans-buy-shares-in-streaming-royalties-via-nfts-on-music-investment-platform-royal13456/|title=Nas to let fans buy shares in streaming royalties via NFTs on music investment platform Royal|date=January 6, 2022|website=Music Business Worldwide}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bet.com/article/i3h0fg/nft-explainer-how-black-creatives-are-reshaping-music|title=NFTs Explained: How the Music Industry and Black Creatives Are Reshaping the Game|website=BET}} Through this initial sale, Nas became the first artist to sell song rights through Royal.{{Cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2022/1/nas-royal-streaming-royalty-rights-nft|title=Nas Is Selling Royalty Rights to 2 of His Songs As NFTs|date=January 6, 2022|website=HYPEBEAST}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/nas-to-sell-royalty-rights-to-two-of-his-songs-as-nfts-3133351|title=Nas to sell royalty rights to two of his songs as NFTs|website=NME |date=January 9, 2022}}
Diplo became the next major artist to sell streaming royalty rights through Royal in March 2022, selling royalty rights to the song "Don't Forget My Love."{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/diplo-is-the-latest-artist-to-let-fans-buy-shares-in-his-streaming-royalties-on-55m-backed-nft-platform-royal123/|title=Diplo is the latest artist to let fans buy shares in his streaming royalties on $55m-backed NFT platform Royal|date=March 25, 2022|website=Music Business Worldwide}}{{Cite web|url=https://weraveyou.com/2022/03/diplo-fans-can-soon-earn-passive-income-for-streaming-his-new-single-dont-forget-my-love/|title=Diplo fans can soon earn passive income for streaming one of his latest singles|date=March 25, 2022}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/diplo-song-royalties-warner-music-styngr-games-deals/|title=The Deals: Diplo Strikes Royal Partnership, WMG Plays Games With STYNGR|first1=Chris|last1=Eggertsen|magazine=Billboard |date=March 31, 2022}} Duo Tritonal followed shortly after, selling ownership of their single "Getaway" in April 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://weraveyou.com/2022/04/tritonal-are-giving-away-ownership-for-their-latest-single-as-nft-on-royal/|title=Tritonal give away ownership of their latest single as an NFT on Royal|date=April 5, 2022}}
In July 2022, they started the first round of royalty payout to the fans.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-28 |title=Justin Blau and "Royal" Create First Artist-Fan Monetization Pipeline With Initial Round of Payouts |url=https://hypebeast.com/2022/7/justin-blau-and-royal-create-first-artist-fan-monetization-pipeline-with-initial-round-of-payouts |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=HYPEBEAST}}
Other artists who have sold song rights through Royal include Vérité{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2022 |title=Ollie partners with DJ 3LAU's Royal for first Web3 project 'Phases', to drop 'Underrated' EP as NFT |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/ollie-drops-underrated-ep-on-royal-nft-web3-project-phases-3lau-cryptocurrency-blockchain-march-2022 |website=Ollie partners with DJ 3LAU's Royal for first Web3 project 'Phases', to drop 'Underrated' EP as NFT | Bandwagon | Music media championing and spotlighting music in Asia.}} and Ollie.
Services
Royal sells Limited Digital Assets (LDAs), which grant buyers a package of music rights and benefits. Buyers own a portion of a song's streaming royalty rights and earn royalties alongside the music artist.{{cn|date=April 2025}} Royal also allows buyers to redeem benefits and rewards chosen by the music artist who created the song they own.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/video/2022/04/19/pitbull-investing-music-nfts-and-3lau-surging-fan-interest-crypto-world.html|title=Pitbull on investing in music NFTs and 3LAU on surging fan interest: CNBC Crypto World|date=April 19, 2022|website=CNBC}}
Song rights are divided into three different tiers with separate rewards and ownership percentages.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.royal.io/ Website]