In the last decade, live-streaming videos of DJs and musicians have transformed from a novelty to a staple in global music culture. Initially, when grainy broadcasts began appearing from the basements of South London during the post-dubstep era, platforms like Boiler Room introduced a groundbreaking shift. Suddenly, DJing and clubbing—arts inherently about being present in the moment—were recorded for posterity, making ephemeral experiences permanently accessible online. This shift meant everything from unique performances to quirky moments were immortalized, marking a significant change in how we experience music virtually.
The surge in live streaming's popularity aligns with the rise of social media, a space where virality and visual content go hand in hand. Platforms like Instagram have become showcases for musicians to share clips from their performances, amplifying their reach and connecting with fans in new ways. The global lockdowns only intensified this trend, highlighting the critical role of live streams in maintaining a sense of community among music lovers and artists alike.
At Livepeer, recognizing the vital role and the challenges of live streaming led us to explore the future of this medium. Our partnership with Refraction—known for its innovative approaches to merging art and technology—has been pivotal in examining how Web3 technologies can revolutionize live streaming. We believe that current platforms offer a glimpse into a somewhat unsustainable media ecosystem, where content is often reduced to marketable moments, stripping the art form of its depth and authenticity.
Our collaboration with Refraction during their Miami event, utilizing Livepeer-powered applications like RAD Radio and StreamETH, demonstrated the potential of decentralized platforms in enhancing the live streaming experience. This partnership not only showcased alternative streaming solutions but also emphasized the complexities artists face when entering this space.
Through joint research efforts with Refraction, we engaged with creators to understand their perspectives on streaming. The insights gathered revealed a shared understanding among musicians of the necessity to adapt to the visual-centric nature of the internet. However, the technical and logistical hurdles of live streaming remain significant challenges.
Our findings also highlighted a flawed model of content ownership inherent to Web2 technologies, where creators often see little return on their work. This environment spurred our interest in exploring how a more interactive and equitable live streaming platform could benefit both artists and fans. Imagine a marketplace where moments from live streams can be owned and traded as tokens or NFTs, directly supporting artists and fostering a deeper connection between creators and their audiences.
Driven by these insights, Refraction is now developing a new live-streaming tool powered by its existing Regenerate software. Regenerate is a video editing technology that allows artists to manipulate and play around with video in real-time. Our goal is to explore what it might mean to integrate this into Livepeer-powered video streaming technology and to ensure artist feedback and testing are encouraged and incorporated throughout the design process. We’re interested in investigating how advancements in decentralized and machine learning technologies can improve the video editing and streaming process, and how these same technologies can be used to enhance the artist and audience relationship.
Our ambition extends to creating a platform where artists can easily pair their audio content with visually compelling themes designed by the Refraction community. This approach aims to democratize the audio-visual experience, making high-quality live streaming accessible without requiring extensive technical expertise.
As we move forward, Livepeer and Refraction are excited to introduce an experimental audio-visual livestream. This event will not only celebrate our collaborative research but also serve as a platform for innovative interactions between visual artists and musicians. We're eager to uncover new insights into how artists and audiences engage with technology, pushing the boundaries of what live streaming can be.
Stay tuned to our social media for updates on this exciting initiative and to join us in reimagining the future of live music and performance.