Yet another major musical act has announced that it will accept bitcoin as a form of payment for its latest work.
Mastodon, a US metal band on Warner Bros. Records, will release their new album, âOnce More âRound The Sunâ, on 24th June. BitPay will act as the payments processor, enabling fans to order copies via the bandâs official website using bitcoin, with pre-orders in the digital currency now also possible.
The album is the latest entry in a growing list of projects being made available for purchase with digital currency. Noted recording artists 50 Cent and former Spice Girl Mel BÂ are among others who have tapped bitcoin as a new way for consumers to buy and experience music.
Mastodon announced the move via their Twitter account:
Weâre pleased to announce weâll be accepting @Bitcoin to pre-order our new album Once More âRound The Sun at http://t.co/W4STGJOeRH.
â Mastodon (@mastodonmusic) June 11, 2014
âOnce More âRound The Sunâ is Mastodonâs sixth studio album, following âThe Hunterâ in 2011 and âCrack the Skyeâ in 2009. The band has been nominated for two Grammy Awards, and has won other accolades for its unique metal sound.
Mastodon, based in Georgia and founded in 2000, are embarking on a world tour with stops in Europe, Asia and North America. The tour begins on 11th June and ends on the 12th September in Chicago, Illinois.
In a statement, Mastodon said that taking bitcoin payments is part of its broader effort to get music out to fans in new and relevant ways.
The band remarked:
âWeâre excited to work with fellow Atlanta-natives BitPay for our new album. We want to give our fans as many options to buy our new album as possible, and are happy that bitcoin can be one of those choices.â
In addition to Mastodon and 50 Cent, other performing and recording artists have looked to bitcoin to connect with tech-savvy fans, with some even mentioning bitcoin in songs and videos.
The digital currency has also found its way into concert scene. This summer, Budweiser and Coinbase are partnering to bring bitcoin payments to the beermakerâs Budweiser Made In America concert series. One promotional element involves the distribution of $10 in bitcoin to eligible participants who sign up for a Coinbase wallet.
On the grassroots level, bitcoin continues to make gains in the music scene as well. In the past few months, technology developers have built and debuted new platforms to crowdfund musical acts and enable artist tipping.
Disclaimer: CoinDesk founder Shakil Khan is an investor in BitPay
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