Audius

Audius is a decentralized music streaming platform that leverages blockchain technology to connect artists directly with fans. Founded in 2018 by Roneil Rumburg and Forrest Browning, Audius aims to give artists more control over their music and how it's monetized. The platform operates on a combination of the Ethereum and Solana blockchains, with its content management system migrated to Solana in 2020 to enhance performance. Audius allows artists to upload their music at no cost, and listeners can stream for free without ads. The platform's native cryptocurrency, AUDIO, serves multiple functions including network security, governance, and access to exclusive features.

Audius differentiates itself from traditional streaming services by allowing artists to retain ownership of their music and decide how to monetize it. The platform aims to distribute 90% of revenues to artists and 10% to node operators, significantly higher than the industry standard. As of July 2021, Audius reported having over 5.3 million unique users and more than 100,000 artists on its platform. The service offers high-quality streaming at 320kbps and includes features such as artist tokens for exclusive content access and NFT-gating for certain songs and mixes.

Key customers and partnerships

Audius has attracted several well-known artists to its platform, including Deadmau5, Skrillex, Weezer, Russ, Mike Shinoda, Diplo, Odesza, and Disclosure. In August 2021, Audius formed a significant partnership with TikTok, becoming one of the first music streaming platforms to integrate directly with the social media giant. This integration allows TikTok users to add songs from Audius to their videos, potentially exposing artists to TikTok's large user base. Additionally, Audius has integrated with the blockchain game DeFi Land, creating an FM radio tower in the game's metaverse to help promote artists on the platform.