How Muse boosted fan activity and album saves with Sonikit

When Muse set out to launch their dystopian concept album Will of the People, they didn’t just release music—they created an entire immersive universe. To match the album’s rebellious themes and rich visual world, Muse’s team, in partnership with Warner Records and Wayward Creative, designed an interactive digital space that fans could explore.

At the core of this groundbreaking experience was a custom Sonikit pre-save integration, seamlessly embedded into the website to convert visitors into active listeners and subscribers.

Let’s break down how Muse used Sonikit to power this world-building campaign—and how you can apply the same strategies to your next release.

🌌 Campaign Concept: A Dystopian World for Fans to Explore

Muse is known for crafting expansive, high-concept albums—and Will of the People was no exception. The album explores themes of resistance, control, and chaos, told through music videos, lyrics, and stylized visuals centered on a masked revolutionary group.

To fully immerse fans, the team created a digital universe that mirrored the album’s narrative:

• 👁️ Giant 3D masks served as entry points to different areas of the campaign

• 📽️ Fans could unlock music videos, easter eggs, and behind-the-scenes content

• 🛍️ Exclusive merchandise and tour dates were hidden throughout the space

• 🎵 A live-streaming album soundtrack played in the background via Spotify, Apple Music, and TIDAL

The experience was more than a website—it was a virtual rebellion, and fans were invited to join.

🔗 The Sonikit Integration: Pre-Save Meets Immersive Design

At the heart of the campaign was a custom Sonikit pre-save embed, designed to maximize conversions while preserving full creative control.

🎯 1. Embedded Pre-Save = Higher Conversion Rates

With Sonikit, the team embedded the Spotify and Apple Music pre-save flow directly into the site—so fans could pre-save the album without leaving the experience.

• Fully branded and custom styled to match the dystopian theme

• Streamlined user flow with no redirects or external landing pages

• Support for multiple DSPs, including Spotify, Apple Music, and TIDAL

By removing friction, the campaign saw a notable boost in pre-save conversion rate compared to past launches.

📈 2. Better Ad Targeting with First-Party Analytics

Because the pre-save was hosted natively within the website:

• All advertising pixels (Meta, TikTok, Google) stayed on-domain

• The team could retarget fans who pre-saved or interacted with key features

• Full funnel fan analytics were tracked in Sonikit’s dashboard, from pageviews to pre-save conversions

This allowed Warner Records to optimize spend, personalize follow-ups, and retarget fans for merch, tour sales, and future drops.

📱 3. Phone Number Capture for SMS Campaigns

The Sonikit embed also included optional phone number capture, giving Muse’s team a direct line to fans.

• Build a first-party SMS list

• Send fan text messages with album release notifications, tour presales, or behind-the-scenes updates

• Keep fans engaged even after the campaign ended

With privacy-forward opt-ins built into the flow, fans happily shared their numbers—no third-party tools needed.

📊 Results and Key Metrics

✅ Increased Pre-Save Conversions
The embedded Sonikit pre-save widget kept fans inside the experience and reduced drop-off.

✅ Expanded First-Party Fan Data
With on-site analytics and optional SMS opt-in, the campaign generated high-value fan insights without reliance on third-party platforms.

✅ Higher Ad ROI
Because all marketing efforts drove to a single, self-contained experience, retargeting was precise and effective.

✅ Increased Streaming and Sales
As fans explored the world, they streamed the album in real time—driving up listening hours and visibility on Spotify and Apple Music.

💡 What Independent Artists and Labels Can Learn

You don’t need to be Muse to build an immersive release campaign. With tools like Sonikit, you can create:

• 🎨 A fully branded, on-site pre-save experience

• 📲 Direct-to-fan SMS messaging and list building

• 🎯 Retargeting infrastructure to convert casual visitors into loyal fans

• 📊 Analytics that help you understand what works and what doesn’t

Whether you're planning a DIY single drop or a global album launch, Sonikit gives you the tools to control your rollout and the data to grow your audience.

🚀 Ready to Power Your Next Release with Sonikit?

Sonikit helps independent artists, record labels, and music marketers launch interactive pre-save campaigns with built-in analytics, SMS capture, and deep DSP integrations. Create a free account to start building your next campaign!