What is MAESTRO?
Blockchain technology is undeniably changing the face of the digital music industry. However, existing blockchain music services focus solely on improving established streaming and distribution structures, and fail to address fundamental problems of the current industry. Future music products developed with blockchain, unlike their predecessors, must utilize the technology to provide innovative functions that revolutionize the music industry at its core.
Maestro started with such a need, to solve a problem that plagues the music industry today: namely, the unfair structure of the industry itself. Third parties, such as labels and agencies, currently reap in over 80% of generated profits, leaving artists with barely any support and struggling with financial burdens. Music player companies only exacerbate this inequality through inefficient bureaucracy. We at Team Maestro believe that for both music and its industry to thrive, we must provide an environment focused foremost on promoting the creative efforts of artists and guaranteeing their fair compensation. Therefore, we propose a blockchain-based music platform that acts as a creative ecosystem established on virtuous cycles of mutual cooperation between creators and consumers. Music distribution rights are currently monopolized by third parties such as labels and production companies, who have used their influence to control the resulting profits. The inequality inherent in such a distribution structure affects not only artists, but also consumers, who become burdened with unreasonable prices they must pay to enjoy music. Maestro aims to create a transparent industry through decentralization with blockchain technology. By leaving out the “middlemen” from the process, consumers will be able to use streaming services at considerably more reasonable prices.
Maestro is primarily composed of two parts: “Symphony,” the streaming service, and “Ensemble,” the crowdfunding center. Artists can raise funds for their project prior to production through Ensemble. After completing the project, they can then distribute their creations and generate revenue through Symphony. The distribution and handling of rights, copyright, and transactions are all transparently executed through Symphony in accordance with data recorded on Maestro’s blockchain.
Maestro will become the new paradigm for the music industry. We at Maestro will provide an environment that allows for unhampered creation as well as an ecosystem that fairly divides rights of songs between artists and investors, and profits among all token holders. Maestro aims to revolutionize the bureaucratic media industry and to cooperate with existing parties to ultimately aid and nurture a greater diversity of artists.