Gaming platforms Roblox and Fortnite have been making a splash throughout the pandemic as they combine music and gaming through events such as Fortnite’s recent Ariana Grande concert and Roblox’s Twenty One Pilots concert experience. Each metaverse experience is seemingly better than the last, and they’re happening more frequently, indicating that they are indeed becoming a more solid part of artists’ fan engagement strategies.
To capitalize on the growing trend, Roblox has announced the debut of Listening Parties, a new type of event that artists can host when releasing new music. Singer-songwriter Poppy became the first artist to host a Listening Party on the platform last month.
“Music is such a natural part of the way we express ourselves, entertain ourselves, and find connections with other people, and we want to keep finding new ways to make music more of an integral part of the Roblox experience,” said Jon Vlassopulos, Roblox Vice President and Global Head of Music, in a statement. “Allowing Poppy’s fans to enjoy her new album Flux where they are already spending time with their friends seemed like a no brainer, and our developers have jumped at the opportunity to participate!”
Roblox Listening Parties allow artists to premiere a new album by playing their music in certain top experiences on the platform. Users can listen to the music while they play, and artists can also pop in to engage with fans. Poppy, for example, followed a play schedule that enabled her to spend time in each experience while her music played and answer questions from fans.
“We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to help our artists break through the noise and reach fans where they already are,” said Jill Pedone, Chief Strategy Officer at Sumerian Records, in a statement. “Poppy already has an existing fanbase on Roblox so it was a natural place for us to host her Listening Party.”
Meanwhile, over on the Fortnite side of the metaverse, different artists from around the world will be featured over the next few months as part of the game’s new Soundwave Series. Egyptian artist Mohamed Hamak kicked off the series last weekend.
According to Fortnite, “every show takes place in its own interactive experience in-game,” and can be viewed by joining the show-specific playlist or watching through Battle Royale playlists in a picture-in-picture mode.
“Music transcends any language, and has been a beloved part of Fortnite’s journey since our first in-game concert in 2019,” Nate Nanzer, Vice President of Global Partnerships at Epic Games, said in a statement. “The Soundwave Series continues that legacy and will introduce incredible crossover artists from around the world to millions of new fans inside Fortnite Creative, where there are virtually no limits on what can be designed by our community.”