Carl Cox and David Guetta are the first artists announced to perform in the Sensorium Galaxy, a new VR “social metaspace” in which users can attend alternative-world concerts, nightclubs and festivals through a VR headset or streaming.

Sensorium Galaxy, which is due to launch publicly in early 2021, has already been backed by Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal, which spent US$7 million on tokens issued by the platform’s company, acquiring access to broadcast its content within the platform.

Grammy award-winning DJ and producer David Guetta was the first artist announced to “join” the platform – which is also backed by Forbes-listed billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov – followed shortly by Carl Cox.

Each DJ will appear as virtual representations for their exclusive performances in Prism, a content hub in the Galaxy dedicated to music concerts and festivals, which is being developed in partnership with Yann Pissenem, CEO and founder of The Night League and creator of nightclubs Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa Ibiza.

“Having David come on board as the first DJ to join Prism World is sending a clear message: VR is the future of social networking and content distribution,” says Pissenem.

“David and I have been working together for more than two decades now. He is a genius that has always been ahead of the curve with music and understands the vision of what we will deliver with Sensorium Galaxy.

“VR tech allows us to transcend the physical world and create unprecedented shows that will revolutionise the industry”

“Working with VR technology allows us to transcend the limits of the physical world and create unprecedented shows that will revolutionise the industry. It is going to be like nothing that has ever come before.”

Since its foundation, Sensorium Corporation has raised over $100 million in private investments, making it one of the world’s best-funded startups in the VR space.

Artist-backed Tidal has been making plays elsewhere in the VR market too, recently partnering with Facebook’s platform Occulus.

The partnership will spawn a series of intimate live performances from ‘the biggest names in music’ that can be streamed in virtual reality on the Venues app (available on the Oculus Quest) and in 2D video and high-quality audio on Tidal, later this year.

Facebook launched the Venues app, described as “the companion app to live events,” in June this year.

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Artist-owned streaming platform Tidal has joined forces with Facebook’s virtual reality platform Oculus to bring a series of exclusive and intimate live performances that can be streamed in virtual reality to fans’ homes.

The series will be available later this year to stream in virtual reality on the Venues app (available on the Oculus Quest) and in 2D video and high-quality audio on Tidal.

“At a time when livestreamed performances are seen as the new norm, Tidal’s partnership with Oculus provides music lovers an elevated concert experience with more interaction and dimension than past livestreams,” says Tidal COO, Lior Tibon.

“Oculus is revolutionizing the live music experience and matched with Tidal’s HiFi audio quality, members will be able to remember what it feels like to stand in a large crowd at a concert venue.”

“Members will be able to remember what it feels like to stand in a large crowd at a concert venue”

Tidal, whose artist co-owners include Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Daft Punk and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, promises the series will feature “some of the biggest names in music”.

Facebook launched the Venues app, described as “the companion app to live events,” in June this year.

Elsewhere in the VR world, Tidal recently spent US$7 million on tokens issued by the company behind Sensorium Galaxy, a new VR “social metaspace” in which users can attend alternative-world concerts, nightclubs and festivals through a VR headset.

Through the purchase, Tidal has acquired access to broadcast their content within Sensorium Galaxy, which is due to launch publicly in early 2021.

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Spotify is developing a feature that will alert fans to an artist’s upcoming virtual events, according to a tweet by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong.

The streaming service ordinarily lists an artist’s live events on their profile page, but according to Wong (via TechCrunch), it is now transforming that feature into virtual events discovery.

The platform already works with ticketing partners including Ticketmaster, Songkick, Resident Advisor, Eventbrite, AXS and Japan’s eplus, and therefore virtual event listings wouldn’t be difficult to implement.

The feature isn’t yet available in the public-facing version of the Spotify app.

Elsewhere, Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal has spent US$7 million on tokens issued by the company behind Sensorium Galaxy, a new VR “social metaspace” in which users can attend alternative-world concerts, nightclubs and festivals through a VR headset.

Through the purchase, Tidal has acquired access to broadcast their content within Sensorium Galaxy, which is due to launch publicly in early 2021.

Sensorium says that its “Social VR technology” is poised to “provide unprecedented ways for artists”

Lior Tibon, COO of Tidal, says: “Our relationship with Sensorium provides Tidal with the opportunity to gain exclusive rights for its stellar artist roster to have their shows and music broadcast exclusively within Sensorium’s themed virtual entertainment worlds.

“The Sensorium Galaxy is a next-generation platform for entertainment consumption which will elevate the connection fans have with their favourite artists, and bring artists’ vision to life in a new and exciting way.”

Sensorium says that its “social VR technology” is poised to “provide unprecedented ways for artists, performance venues, game publishers, and virtual influencers to entertain and engage fans globally across interactive environments”.

Alongside Jay-Z, Tidal’s artist co-owners include Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Daft Punk and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

Earlier this week, it was announced earlier this week that streaming service Napster will be acquired by live music virtual reality platform MelodyVR.

The US$70 million acquisition will eventually combine Napster’s library of over 90 million audio tracks and Melody VR’s catalogue of virtual live music shows, to create a platform where users can stream music and experience immersive live performances.

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Entertainment streaming platform Tidal have teamed up with Arsenal football club to host a post-match concert with electronic duo Gorgon City at The Garage (600-cap.) in Highbury, north London on Sunday 24 February.

The concert, the second event of Tidal and Arsenal’s partnership following an intimate concert featuring Maleek Berry last year, will take place following the club’s premier league match against Southampton and will be exclusive to Tidal members.

Tidal members across the UK and Europe must enter to be in for a chance of attending the intimate Gorgon City gig.

The global music and streaming platform entered into the partnership with Arsenal last year, giving football club members access to the platform’s music library. Tidal and Arsenal have collaborated to create exclusive content, such as players’ personal playlists, that “brings the worlds of football and music together.”

Tidal and Arsenal have collaborated to create exclusive content that “brings the worlds of football and music together”

The Tidal platform features livestream footage of Jorja Smith and Stormzy from the Tidal stage at the 2017 Made in America festival, as well as music videos and original interviews from bands including LCD Soundsystem and Bikini Kill.

The Arsenal partnership is part of the Tidal X programme, which aims to connect artists with fans through events, meet and greets, ticket giveaways and livestreams.

Tidal members have been given the opportunity to attend exclusive concerts and events featuring performers including Jay Z and Beyonce, Kanye West, Usher, Blood Orange and Demi Lovato.

More information on the partnership can be found here.

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Electronics giant Sony Corporation has unveiled 360 Reality Audio, a new 3D audio technology it promises is “so immersive that music fans will feel like they are front row or side stage at a concert”.

The launch, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas yesterday (7 January), follows Sony’s joining forces with several Live Nation clubs and theatres to capture audio from concerts including the Wombats, Kodaline, AJR and Good Charlotte.

According to Sony, 360 Reality Audio produces a three-dimensional, spatial sound field “where the different sounds and musical elements can be projected a full 360 degrees”.

Fans will then be able access the audio content of the aforementioned artists, as well as more still to be announced, by selecting the ‘360 Reality Audio’ tracks on partner streaming platforms Deezer, nugs.net, Qobuz and Tidal.

According to Kodaline singer Steve Garrigan, “listening to our live concert through the new 3D technology is the closest I’ve ever come to actually being in the audience at a Kodaline show. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.”

“360 Reality Audio will truly provide fans a lifelike live music experience long after the show has ended”

“Our 360 Reality Audio will make it possible for us to provide lovers of live music with a new and highly realistic music experience,” comments Kichiro Kurozumi, head of branding and product planning for Sony Video and Sound Products.

“We are very proud of this collaboration with Live Nation, the world leader in live entertainment, and Sony, a company that is working with creators and artists to pursue the frontiers of music capability.”

The Live Nation venues where the 360 Reality Audio content was captured are the Hollywood Palladium (5,000-cap.) in Los Angeles, House of Blues Chicago (1,800), Irving Plaza in New York (1,200), the Fillmore (2,500) in Philadelphia, the Masonic (3,481) in San Francisco and the Wiltern (1,850) in Los Angeles.

“We are always exploring innovative ways to extend the live music experience for fans and artists,” says Terri Liebler, vice-president of Live Nation Media and Sponsorships. “Sony’s new 360 Reality Audio will truly provide fans a lifelike live music experience long after the show has ended.”

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Drake and Future have announced a new concert tour, Summer Sixteen, in support of the former’s fourth studio album, Views from the 6.

The 32-date North American tour, promoted exclusively by Live Nation, is notable for being billed as presented by ‘Them Boys up to Something’ (a lyric from the rappers’ song, ‘Jumpman’) and Apple Music – the first time the music streaming service has lent its brand to a series of externally promoted concerts.

Apple’s iTunes Festival at the Roundhouse in London was rebranded the Apple Music Festival for 2015.

Views from the 6 will be an Apple Music exclusive upon release this Friday (29 April). The service has reportedly added over 12 million subscribers since its launch in June last year.

Streaming rival Tidal has also dipped its toe into live music, notably producing the Tidal X: 10/20 concert with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Usher and TI at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, in October to celebrate the service achieving a million paying subscribers.

The Summer Sixteen tour kicks off at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, on 20 July and closes on 17 September at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.