Joss Stone

Joss Stone and Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart have partnered with SongBits to allow fans the chance to own part of Stone’s 2021 single “Never Forget My Love”.

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Stewart – who produced and co-wrote the song – is also a co-founder of SongBits, which aims to empower independent artists by providing fans the chance to own a share in their favorite songs. 

Utilizing blockchain technology, fans are able to own a ‘bit’ of these songs and share in their success. The purchase includes lifetime ownership of the ‘bit’, along with the appropriate revenue that comes along with that respective percentage of the streaming rights.

Now, Stone and Stewart have offered Stone’s 2021 single “Never Forget My Love” to fans, with purchases going live on Friday (Jan. 31). 20% of the profits will be donated to the World Central Kitchen charity, which provides food to communities affected by war or natural disasters. Founder José Andrés is currently on-ground in Los Angeles aiding those impacted by the devastating fires.

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“I’m excited to be working again with my friend Dave on this project,” Stone said in a statement. “‘Never Forget My Love’ is one of my favourite tracks from the last album we did together. He’s such an innovator – always looking at new tech stuff and also finding ways to help fellow musicians. This one also helps the brilliant charity World Central Kitchen.”

Alongside the basic purchase of a ‘bit’ of “Never Forget My Love”, additional benefits are also available depending on the cost of purchase, including signed items from Stone, vinyl variants, exclusive concert tickets, and guitar and songwriting lessons from Stewart.

“Basically, we did lots of tests with more sort of indie, semi-unknown artists, to make sure SongBits was working fully, and it is, and it worked for every artist thus far,” Stewart added. “And then I talked to Joss, and we decided this would be a great song, because we’re giving a percentage to World Central Kitchen and, appropriately, it’s called, ‘Never Forget My Love’. 

“It’s one of our songs we did together that we both really love. It was a single, and we always thought it was a song that potentially worked kind of as a radio single, but never really got the chance so much to fully promote it, but it’s one that, after Joss has played it live many times, fans love, and it’s one that grows and, could grow exponentially, depending on which way DSPs move, in different directions, for example, with Web3.”

Stewart co-founded SongBits with Russell Sheffield in 2021, and has been passionate about the impact that a platform such as this can potentially have on the wider music world, including offering younger artists the opportunity to earn greater income in an industry dominated by streaming.

“One of the reasons I’m interested in developing SongBits is the alternative route for younger artists to actually have some income to even get going,” Stewart added. “You know, at the moment, lots of artists can’t afford to even start going on any tours because the income from DSPs is so minimal, and you need to get started and be able to go and play shows. 

“And I just noticed recently, that 80% of artists in the U.K. say they can’t tour. There’s no way to finance their tours, whether they’re small, medium or even larger ones, and this is one of the actual ways of ensuring that there is some money coming in, immediately, and it connects with their real fans and involves them and gives them equity in the journey.”

Stone’s “Never Forget My Love” was originally released in 2021 as the lead single from her 2022 album of the same name. Though the record was her first not to chart in the U.S., it did top the U.K. R&B Albums chart.

Fans can purchase a ‘bit’ of Joss Stone’s “Never Forget My Love” via its page on SongBits.