Nina Protocol to Wind Down Independent Music Platform Over Six-Week Phase

Nina Protocol, a Web3-based streaming service and marketplace, announced on May 28 that it will phase out its operations over the next six weeks, urging users to export their releases, purchases, and connections. The website and app will become fully inaccessible by July 15.

In a statement, Nina said its mission was to create infrastructure that let musicians sell directly, shape their own context, and engage listeners on their own terms. While it fostered meaningful connections and enthusiasm for new music, the platform could not develop a sustainable revenue model at its current scale.

Founded in New York in 2021 by Jack Callahan, Mike Pollard, and Eric Farber, Nina started as a distribution service enabling artists to upload music directly to listeners via blockchain while retaining full ownership and revenue. Built on open‑source code, it allowed artists to create custom hubs for their catalogs.

Drawing inspiration from the peak Blog Era, Nina cultivated an editorial team that published scene reports, essays, interviews, and curated playlists from journalists, artists, and fans. Editorial lead Cal Hickox told Rolling Stone in 2025 that the goal was to empower users to create their own niche publications, fostering communities around emerging bands.

Nina hosted the Nina Night event series and the 400 Floor podcast. In 2024 it launched a mobile app, and the previous year introduced a community revenue‑sharing model that added a $1 fee to each purchase, distributing the amount evenly and transparently between the platform and its users.

Nina concluded its announcement by expressing optimism for the future of independent music and urging continued efforts to combat cynicism amid the dominance of major streaming services.

Source link