Blockchain-based Internet of Musical Things

Abstract

Blockchain technology is impacting several industries, including the creative industries and those operating in the Internet of Things (IoT). Lately, researchers' attention has been devoted to the application of blockchain in the recorded music industry. However, thus far, no research has investigated the use of such technology in the Internet of Musical Things (IoMusT). The IoMusT is a new area emerging in industry and academy as an extension of the IoT to the musical domain. The IoMusT itself, as the IoT, is a distributed network of musical things, which are objects augmented with information and communication technologies serving a musical purpose. The IoMusT vision requires, above all, IoT features such as decentralization, seamless authentication, transparency, data integrity and privacy, and self-maintenance, as well as the musical domain features such as efficient handling of copyrights and speed of royalties payment. Such features can be brought by blockchain. In this paper, we investigate the integration of blockchain technology with the IoMusT, and we name such synthesis “Blockchain-based IoMusT”. We present a vision for this new paradigm in terms of the novel opportunities that are enabled, and we propose a set of application scenarios enabled by technological integration. Finally, we outline the open research directions in this promising area.