.MUSIC Debuts Digital Identity Tools SmartBadge and SmartPage
Written by djfrosty on November 27, 2024
The .MUSIC registry announced on Wednesday (Nov. 27) two new tools to help music creators and professionals manage their digital identities: SmartBadge and SmartPage.
The SmartBadge, a digital badge similar to a blue checkmark seen on social media profiles, uses an embedded watermark QR code that helps protect identities by only linking back to verified, legitimate .MUSIC profiles and content. The SmartPage provides artists with a branded page where they can post an official biography and verified links to social media and the artist’s music at various digital service providers.
“With .MUSIC’s SmartBadge and SmartPage, we are setting a new industry standard for authenticity, security, and connection within the global music industry,” Constantine Roussos, the founder/CEO of .MUSIC, said in a statement. “This is a significant leap in the digital music identity space, providing the music community with enhanced brand protection and promotion opportunities, while fostering trust and transparency across the entire music ecosystem.”
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“I have seen the industry change a lot over the years, but this .MUSIC thing? It is next level,” said Fred Durst, frontman of Limp Bizkit. “It is not just about stopping fraud. It is also about creating a trusted space where we can connect with fans without worrying about imposters or scams. It is a game-changer for artists at every level.”
In her own statement, songwriter and recording artist Skylar Grey said she’s attracted to .MUSIC’s potential to help musicians receive the royalties they are due. “It always bums me out that I do not own SkylarGrey.COM,” Gray said. “Now, a verified .MUSIC feels more official than a .COM. I am excited to see how having a verified MusicID can also be used by the global music industry to help musicians get paid and solve the problem of unclaimed black box royalties.”
“Finally, artists can get their verified music identity and be trusted,” added Elliott Taylor, a recording artist and songwriter for artists such as Celine Dion and Eminem. “.MUSIC is much needed because it guarantees that an artist’s identity is truly and undeniably authenticated.”
After a lengthy process to win industry support and beat out other interested parties such as Google and Amazon, .MUSIC began offering top-level domains in October. Unlike the familiar .com domain, .MUSIC domain names are available exclusively to the music community, just as.gov and .edu domains are reserved for proper entities in government and education, respectively. Artists, songwriters, producers, other industry professionals and music companies all have the option of acquiring .MUSIC domains.
Another feature offered by .MUSIC is a single sign-on to access the .MUSIC ecosystem and other digital service providers. Using a secure set of credentials is meant to enhance security for creators, reduce the chance of data breaches and make on-boarding easier for music organizations, collection societies, digital service providers and distributors.
You can check out Limp Bizkit’s SmartBadge and SmartPage for examples of the new products.