Thrash-metal band Megadeth launches NFT collection and metaverse community

Legendary American thrash metal band Megadeth announced a new nonfungible token (NFT) collection on Dec. 5, allowing fans exclusive access to content and physical experiences.

The band announced the NFTs on social media through a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying the 5,000-piece collection features the band’s digital mascot, ​​Vic Rattlehead.

Introducing @MegadethDigital. Our 5000-piece generative collection featuring Vic Rattlehead brought to life in a new way by our talented artist @TheHaddy. Live on December 22nd, you’ll have the opportunity to unlock doors in the real and metaverse world alike, gaining access to… pic.twitter.com/Ed9YxqCTe6

— Megadeth (@Megadeth) December 5, 2023

In addition to its digital collectible, the band announced that the NFT will unlock both physical and digital experiences to be had in the metaverse, including one-on-one conversations with the band members.

“This isn’t just a fan club; it’s a community owned by YOU.”

The band and its frontman, Dave Mustaine, have millions of fans and have already received an uproar of positive responses to the initiative. Some X users have responded to the band’s post by saying, “Heavy metal and NFTs! Sign me up!”

Cointelegraph reached out to Megadeth for further comment on the collection.

Megadeth is one of the world’s most popular heavy metal groups. However, it is not the first in its genre to hop into the Web3 space. Another heavy metal sensation, Avenged Sevenfold, has also previously released NFTs to draw in their online community called the Deathbats Club.

In late November, the band released tickets for shows in their upcoming concert tour as NFTs and received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans across the digital space.

Shoutout to @DeathbatsClub for leading the way in NFT utility and a seamless purchasing of tickets. I know a lot of happy fans out there right now who are glad they bought in! #A7X3rdLeg #A7X #DBCpic.twitter.com/wYDemKrMTW

— Nate (@BestBagleinTown) November 29, 2023

In an act of solidarity across the merging Web3 music and heavy metal spaces, M. Shadows, the lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold, congratulated Megadeth on its own entrance into the NFT space in a post, saying:

“Every project should be judged on the merit of what they provide and not the underpinning technology. Blockchain simply gives you more options and ownership. Hope to see more artists take the leap with their communities.”

Related: Grimes’ collaboration with music platform makes 200+ AI songs available for creators

This development marks yet another entrance into the world of Web3 from a mainstream music artist to enable a great connection with a fanbase. This trend is continuing despite the ongoing bear market, and NFTs and metaverses are taking a backseat to other emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI).

On Dec. 5, Anotherblock, a blockchain-based music platform, in partnership with Recordpool, announced the upcoming release of a previously unheard demo of Michael Jackson’s first studio recording.

The CEO of Anotherblock echoed the sentiment of other major music artists entering the space and told Cointelegraph that doing the music as a digital vinyl on-chain “makes it possible to build stories and community around the song and elevate it beyond being just a commodity.”