Dear listeners: A better way to access music

New York – Musician Matthew Dear has released his Black City album in a new way, as a limited-edition totem, a metal bar containing a code to stream or download the music.

The aim is to encourage listeners to reconsider their relationship with music in the digital era. Reminiscent of skyscrapers, the totem is a sculptural embodiment of the urban life featured in the Black City album.

It will also give listeners access to exclusive material via its unique four-character suffix that allows users to access a private page on Matthewdear.com, where unique songs can be streamed or downloaded.

This is a great example of how online and offline can be integrated to create a live experience. For more on how brands can communicate with consumers in more direct ways, read our Brandtocracies report.