In 2020, MBW broke the news that Sony Music was building a team ‘dedicated to reimagining music through immersive media’ – using Fortnite creator Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.
The following January, Sony Corporation of America launched a new subsidiary, Sony Immersive Music Studios, based in Los Angeles, focused on “developing immersive music experiences through the power of creativity and technology”.
The first project of the then-new Los Angeles-based Sony Immersive Music Studio division was unveiled exclusively at the virtual edition of the CES 2021 technology conference: a “groundbreaking” virtual performance featuring singer-songwriter Madison Beer, signed by Epic Records. Verizon, to showcase songs from his debut album, companion of life
The division is led by digital entertainment veteran Brad Spahr, an “award-winning developer of next-generation experiences at the intersection of music, immersive reality and gaming,” according to Sony.
Now, Sony Music is back at CES, this time in person in Las Vegas, to demonstrate how it’s developing what it calls “gaming platforms for artists and other entertainment environments using a gaming engine to create their connection with fans.” New Opportunities to Increase Engagement.and Virtual Production Technologies”.
This week in Las Vegas, as part of a wider Sony Group exhibit, Sony Music is showcasing three apps for what it describes as “next-generation immersive music experiences.”
These projects are being led by the Sony Immersive Music Studio team.
One of those projects is Journey Through Jericho, a new Fortnite island based on the music video for the song. Jericho From Columbia Records artist Iniko, created using Sony’s virtual production capabilities and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) from Epic Games/Unreal Engine.
The game uses digital backgrounds from music videos shot by Sony Innovation Studios on Sony Pictures’ LED Virtual Production Stage, created by Unreal Engine’s UEFN Community Developer Tools in Fortnite.
Sony is also introducing Nightwave, a new music-themed island for Fortnite in which players form teams and compete in a game of ‘capture the flag’ to control the soundtrack of songs by Sony Music artists.
Produced by Sony Immersive Music Studios, it was also created using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
Additionally, Sony is showcasing a Roblox-based project called ‘AVNU: Where Music Meets,’ which is described as “a music destination for Roblox centered around music-related gameplay, challenges, and a collection of virtual goods.”
The project features music from Sony Music talent including Arista Records artist Paul Russell.
Sony also held a press conference in Las Vegas with presentations from Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, and John Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing.
Commenting on the Journey Through Jericho project, Columbia Records artist Enico said: “It was incredible to be the first music artist to use Sony’s Virtual Production Stage. When I wrote the treatment for the video, it was important that the city felt realistic to my description: dystopian and desolate; It was great to see him come to life. It is basically a giant sphere and the city is placed there.
Iniko added: “And I really wanted to expand more into the realm of gaming. I think this is a great way to expand the art that is my song Jericho And a great way to get people to be a part of it Jericho world.”
Sony Music-related music activations in the immersive space over the past few years include Travis Scott on Fortnite and Lil Nas X on Roblox.Music business worldwide
