Episode Overview
Join Thomas as he sits down with Ryder Havdale, CEO/Founder of HIO Music, to discuss how they’re transforming music streaming on Solana with a platform that prioritizes artist compensation and community engagement.
Key Topics & Timestamps
Ryder’s Journey & HIO’s Origins [00:01:50]
- From web developer to musician with Broken Social Scene
- Personal experience with streaming payouts
- Identifying transparency issues in current streaming models
The HIO Difference [00:03:40]
- 100% of subscription revenue goes to creators
- Current catalog of 6M+ songs, expanding to 100M
- Direct artist uploads and minting on Solana
- Comparison to traditional streaming platforms’ payment models
Platform Features [00:05:15]
- In-app merch sales capabilities
- User-generated content integration
- Community engagement rewards
- Upcoming social feed and artist-fan interaction features
Solana Integration [00:09:30]
- Why they chose Solana over other blockchains
- Integration with Solana Mobile/Saga
- Benefits of blockchain technology without complexity
- Making Web3 accessible to mainstream users
Upcoming Features [00:31:20]
- Pre-release capabilities
- Ticketing integration
- Live show recordings
- Direct artist-fan messaging
- Playlist import functionality
Token Launch & Community [00:34:00]
- HIO token utility and rewards
- Community engagement incentives
- Airdrop plans for early users
- Platform growth strategy
Notable Quotes
“Our mission is to get a billion creators paid. It’s not about onboarding a billion people to Web3, it’s about actually getting creators paid.” – Ryder Havdale
Team Highlights
- Recent addition of Arabian Prince (NWA founding member) as Chief Innovation Officer
- Collaboration with George Brown University on music discovery AI
- Partnership with Merge Records
Where to Find HIO Music
- Website: hiomusic.com
- Twitter/X: @hiomusic
- Instagram: @hiomusicforever
- Available on Apple App Store, Google Play, and Solana Saga
Looking Forward
- Token launch coming within next few weeks
- Major platform updates incoming
- Expanding catalog and feature set
- Focus on building creator-fan relationships
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