Have you ever wanted to own a piece of your favorite artist's music? Royalty Exchange is an online marketplace that makes it possible for anyone to invest in music royalties. The platform regularly hosts auctions where investors can bid on the rights to earn royalties from songs and albums.
Recently, Royalty Exchange held an auction for royalties from select songs off rapper Future's 2016 album Evol. A heated bidding war broke out as investors recognized the long-term value in owning a share of this culturally significant hip-hop album that continues to rack up streams. The asset saw 15 offers from 5 different investors, with the first bid coming in at $8,550, or 3.89 times the last 12 months earnings.
The final winning offer came in at 21,600, which was 9.83 times the last 12 months earnings. So why were investors so eager to pay this level of multiple for this catalog? You’ll find out below.
Released in February 2016, Evol was Future's fourth studio album. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, becoming Future's third #1 album in just a 7-month span.
Evol was met with critical acclaim upon release. Music critics praised the album's cohesive production and Future's raw, introspective lyrics chronicling his struggles with fame, drugs, and relationships. Pitchfork called it another "morsel in his current all-timer run" of projects.
In the years since, Evol has made a significant impact on the trap sub-genre of hip-hop. Its dark, hazy sound and confessional content have influenced a new wave of rappers. Tracks like "Low Life" with The Weeknd and "Xanny Family" remain fan favorites and playlist mainstays.
The enduring popularity of Evol is evident in its streaming numbers. Five years after its release, the album still generates millions of audio and video streams each month across platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. This steady and growing stream of royalty revenue is what makes Evol such an attractive asset to investors.
Royalty Earnings Analysis
The royalty earnings data paints a compelling picture for investing in Future's Evol album catalog on Royalty Exchange. Over the past year, the catalog's earnings grew an impressive 38% to $2,197. This continues a multi-year trend of reliable growth, with the catalog posting a 12% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past 4 years.
Diving into individual track performance, "Fly Sh!t Only" stands out as a streaming juggernaut that is driving much of the catalog's recent earnings acceleration. Royalties for this song spiked nearly 59% in the past year alone. On Spotify, "Fly Sh!t Only" has racked up over 45 million streams to date and continues to gain tens of thousands of new streams each day. The enduring popularity of this track 6 years after its release speaks to the strong staying power of Future's music in the streaming era.
The catalog's other tracks provide a stable foundation of earnings to complement "Fly Sh!t Only". For example, "Lie to Me" shows remarkably low volatility in its royalty payouts, generating an average of $467 per period with a standard deviation of just $38. This consistency is valuable for investors.
Overall, the Future Evol catalog boasts an attractive 8.12 year Dollar Age. This metric suggests the royalties have matured and reached a steady, predictable state historically correlated with reliable returns. With streaming growth from hits like "Fly Sh!t Only" driving a new inflection in earnings, the catalog's best days may still be ahead of it.
Between the long-term stability and recent inflection in growth, the royalty earnings data makes a strong case that the Future Evol catalog offers an attractive balance of reliable income and upside potential for investors. The high Dollar Age, 4-year CAGR, and single-year growth all paint the picture of a catalog whose underlying earnings power is accelerating as streaming continues to gain global adoption.
The Popularity of “Fly Sh!t Only”
"Fly Sh!t Only" has emerged as a streaming juggernaut in recent years, driving much of the royalty earnings growth for Future's Evol album catalog.
As part of the Evol album, "Fly Sh!t Only" instantly resonated with fans thanks to its hypnotic production and Future's magnetic delivery. The song's producer DJ Spinz crafted an atmospheric instrumental with chiming guitar loops that perfectly complement Future's auto-tuned vocals as he raps about his extravagant rockstar lifestyle.
In the years since its release, "Fly Sh!t Only" has demonstrated incredible staying power on streaming platforms. On Spotify alone, the track has amassed over 45 million streams to date and continues to rack up thousands more each day. This consistent level of engagement is a testament to the song's ability to remain culturally relevant and connect with listeners.
The boost in streaming activity can be partly attributed to a rise in user generated content on TikTok. The song saw remarkable growth in video creation and views on the platform during the course of 2023. Even though the activity has slowed since then, fans who discovered the song on the platform while it was popular have continued to stream it on their favorite audio platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
As streaming increasingly dominates music consumption, tracks like "Fly Sh!t Only" that can achieve longevity and consistent engagement are becoming more and more valuable. The song's performance is a prime example of the new paradigm in the music industry, where a viral hit can continue generating substantial royalties for years after its initial release.
For investors, the sustained success of "Fly Sh!t Only" offers compelling evidence of the long-term earnings potential of Future's Evol catalog. With streaming on the rise globally, this track is well-positioned to continue generating reliable royalty income for the foreseeable future, making the Evol catalog an attractive option for those looking to participate in the music royalty asset class.
Bidding War and Investment Opportunity
The auction for this asset went quick as the seller accepted the final offer only 3 days after the listing went live on Royalty Exchange. This quick turnaround shows how active investors are on the platform in scooping up key investment opportunities which they believe have a lot of long-term potential.
Investors were drawn to the chance to own a share of an album that remains hugely popular with fans years after its initial release. Evol's enduring relevance is evident in its hundreds of millions of streams across platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
The stability of music royalties is attracting investors seeking to diversify their portfolios beyond traditional assets. With streaming continuing to grow globally, royalty cash flows from popular hip-hop albums like Evol offer an enticing alternative investment. If you are interested in learning more about investing in music royalties check out this guide here.
Royalty Exchange is democratizing the music royalty investment space, enabling anyone to own a share of their favorite artist's work. Through their online marketplace, you can access an asset class previously available only to industry insiders and the ultra wealthy. Sign up today and check out other amazing catalogs that are live now to bid on.
