Sell Before Release – Chart When the Album Drops
Client: Universal Music Group Central Europe
Artist: Montez
Product: NFC Mini CD
Fan Experience
Montez, one of Germany’s leading hip hop artists, used ZATAP’s technology to create an NFC Mini CD for his new album “So ist das mit dem Glück“. Instead of shipping a finished album, the Mini CD was sold on tour before the album was released. The experience contained a personal message from Montez, a video promoting the new album, and a countdown to the release date on August 21st.
The special part of this format is what happens at the moment of release. Once the album is ready, the music is uploaded remotely and unlocked directly on the Mini CD that fans already purchased and hold in their hands. This is possible because the Mini CD can be updated anytime. All sales generated ahead of the release count for the German Album Charts (GfK) in the first week of the release, meaning the album comes in with a bang and goes directly to the first position in the charts.
By tapping the NFC chip, fans get access to the complete album, two exclusive bonus tracks, and an exclusive documentary about the making of. The bonus tracks will never appear on streaming platforms like Spotify, giving fans an additional reason to buy the Mini CD.
Results
- Thanks to this new music format, Montez reached #1 on the official German Album Charts. Delivering a physical product before the release wasn’t possible before, but it is now possible with new NFC formats.
- Sold at €11.99, the Mini CD offered a low entry price point while still counting as a full chart-eligible sale.
- Exclusive bonus tracks and the behind-the-scenes documentary, both available only via the Mini CD, gave fans additional reasons to buy the physical format over streaming.
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Client: Universal Music Group Central Europe & Only The Poets
Industry: Music & Entertainment
Smart Music Album – New Chart-Eligible Music Format
It looks like a premium physical album, but inside is a tiny NFC chip. When fans tap it with their smartphone, they instantly unlock a digital hub filled with access to the full album (streaming and download), exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, bonus tracks or alternate versions, artwork, galleries, lyric books, early access to releases, special fan rewards and dynamic content that artists and labels can update at any time.
