These music merchandise innovations range from AR festival gear apps to exclusive sneakers that celebrate hip hop alter egos. While the 'King-fu Kenny' Nike Cortez shoe pays tribute to Kendrick Lamar's alter ego, Coachella's recent AR shopping experience app is a collaboration between the annual music event and American Express.
While music merchandise has been in circulation for decades, the resurgence of exclusive and hard to obtain pieces has changed the definition of luxury among Millennial and Gen-Z audiences -- thanks to the hype surrounding merch and its limited stock. In addition to the rise of wearable music merchandise that is an elevated take on classic concert tees, celebrities are branching out with personalized cosmetics collaborations, cook books and even charitable snack kits that are promoted with their personal stamp.
Other music merchandise innovations to note include limited run merchandise pop-ups that follow a streetwear business model while taking products outside of a concert or e-commerce environment and into a stand-alone, brick-and-mortar space.
50 Music Merchandise Innovations
50
Specialized Custom Hoodies
Advisory Board Crystals Created a One-of-One Hoodie for a Rapper
49
American Parody Streetwear
Rapper Tommy Cash's Fashion Line is a Commentary on Pop Culture
48
Pizzeria-Themed Rapper Apparel
Yachty’s Pizzeria is a Pop-Up Showcasing the Star's New Merchandise
47
Celebrity Valentine's Day Merch
Beyonce Created a New Line of Valentine's Day Merch
46
Repurposed Popstar Streetwear
H&M Will Retail Justin Bieber's Leftover Stadium Merchandise
45
Co-Created Rapper Merchandise
2 Chainz and Gucci Ghost Team Up for an Exclusive Merchandise Range
44
Rapper Bodega Pop-Ups
A$AP Rocky's AWGE x Selfridges Bodega is Inspired by the Star's Home Town
43
Glowing Rapper Sneakers
The Converse One Star 'Toxic' Shoe is Designed by Yung Lean
42
Vibrant Rapper Clothing Lines
Tyler the Creator's Collection Features Brightly Colored Fan Apparel
41
Collectible Hip Hop Pins
Etsy's LeeRickCollective Shop Celebrates Famous Rap Icons
40
Hip Hop Comic Book Apparel
Pizzaslime and Wu Wear Joined to Create Black Panther Merchandise
39
Rapper-Made Merchandise Lines
A$AP Ferg Has Released His 'Mad Man' Line
38
Elusive Rapper Pop-Ups
This New Travis Scott Pop-Up Will Be Open for Two Days Only
37
Bootleg Band Tees
This Unofficial N*E*R*D Tee Was Created in Response to Sold Out Merchandise
36
70s-Inspired Music Video Merchandise
Selena Gomez Launched New Apparel to Promote 'Bad Liar'
35
Nostalgically Branded Music Apparel
Fool’s Gold Records Launched a New Collection for Spring
34
Trippy R&B Apparel
This Jhene Aiko Merchandise Promotes the Singer's Latest Album
33
Rapper Merch-Selling Pop-Ups
The Location of Damn Pop-Ups Will Coincide With Kendrick Lamar's Tour
32
Exclusive Mugshot Merchandise
Rapper Travis Scott Released a New T-Shirt with His Mugshot on It
31
Egyptian Queen-Inspired Merchandise
Beyoncé's New Merchandise is Inspired by the Queen Nefertiti
30
Colorful Slogan-Heavy Merchandise
BROCKHAMPTON Unveiled Its Merchandise For Spring/Summer 2018
29
Vivid Rapper-Designed Clothing
Converse X GOLF LE FLEUR* One Star Collaboration Released Apparel
28
Rapper-Influenced Lipstick Launches
The New MAC Nicki Minaj Line Boasts a Range of Stunning Nudes
27
Singer-Branded Holiday Merchandise
The Beyoncé Holiday Collection Features Apparel and Decor
26
Remixed Rapper Sneakers
The Skepta x Nike 'AIR MAX 97 SK' Shoe is Inspired by the Star's Childhood
25
Orange-Dyed Artist Merchandise
The Weeknd Launched 2018 RELEASE 001 in Collaboration with Bravado
24
Ice Cream-Emblazoned Sneakers
These Gucci Mane Sneakers Feature the Rapper's Iconic Ice Cream Cone
23
Exclusive Songstress Merchandise Lines
Urban Outfitters Released the Dangerous Woman Tour Merch
22
Fashion-Inspired Rapper Merchandise
Migos' 'Culture II' Merchandise Takes Inspiration from Gucci
21
NYC Rapper-Designed Sportswear
This Action Bronson Apparel Line Was Created with Packer Shoes
20
Iconic Music Duo Holiday Collections
This New Daft Punk Merchandise Line Includes Apparel and More
19
Vibrant Rapper-Made Tour Merch
Tyler the Creator's Flower Boy Tour Merchandise is Now Available
18
Cotton-Constructed Rapper Capsules
Joey Bada$$ Unveils His Highly Anticipated Collection With PONY
17
Designer Tour Merch Collaborations
Virgil Abloh Designed Kid Cudi's 'Mr. Rager' Tour Merchandise
16
Rapper-Inspired Clothing Lines
Fear of God's New Clothing Line Was Inspired by Jay Z's 4:44 Album
15
Old-School Rapper Sneakers
Vans and A Tribe Called Quest Created a Limited Range of Shoes for Kids
14
Rapper Alter Ego Sneakers
The New 'King-fu Kenny' Nike Cortez Honors Kendrick Lamar
13
AR Festival Merch Shops
At Coachella, American Express Unveiled a Shoppable AR Experience
12
Rap Duo Clothing Collaborations
Pacsun and Rae Sremmurd Released the Sremmlife Capsule Collection
11
Rapper-Reimagined Footwear Capsules
PUMA Tapped Big Sean for a Pop Culture Debut Collection
10
Exclusive Songstress Merchandise
Lady Gaga is Releasing 'Joanne' Merchandise at Urban Outfitters
9
Unabashed Rapper Lifestyle Books
'F*ck, That's Delicious' by Action Bronson is Lifestyle-Focused
8
Galaxy-Inspired Songstress Lines
Solange's Saint Heron Line Will Retail During Mercury Retrograde
7
Designer Rapper-Made Clothing Lines
Lil Wayne's Young Money Line is Retailed at Neiman Marcus
6
Musical Lipstick Campaign Collaborations
Spotify and Pat Mcgrath Have Partnered in 'So Obsessed'
5
Rap Legend-Inspired Sneakers
FILA's '96GL' Model Honors the Late Rapper 2Pac
4
Moody Singer Capsule Collections
The Weekend's Line Celebrates the Double Platinum Album 'Trilogy'
3
Charitable Gingerbread Cookie Kits
This Kit Benefits the Always Strive and Prosper Foundation
2
Musical Band Collectibles
Airspoken's Band Merchandise Helps Fans Instantly Access Digital Content
1
Rapper-Created Cocktails
Hennessy and A$AP Ferg Collaborated on a Campaign and a Cocktail
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Sneaker-Inspired Dynamic Apparel
One Block Down Spotlights the Air Max Plus in New Capsule
Athletic Merchandise Capsules
G.O.A.T. Fuel Launched Its Inaugural Merchandise Capsule
Villain-Inspired Collaborative Streetwear
Marvel and KITH Join Forces Again on a Honorary Capsule
Dynamic Collaborative Streetwear
NOCTA and Nike Join on the Loverboy Nike Air Force 1 Low
Limited-Edition Festival Fashion Collections
Forever 21 Partners with Bunny Zingler & Rolling Loud
Sneaker-Stealing Campaigns
Rob It To Get It by Distance Challenged Customers to Outrun a Sprinter
RFID-Enabled Sport Sneakers
BANBROKEN ARTDesign Sport Shoes Have the TAP-Tech Feature
Artist-Inspired Printed Sneakers
Tyler, the Creator Reunites with Converse for a Sneaker Launch
Marathon-Inspired NYC Pop-Ups
Bandit x ASICS Partner for a New Capsule and Immersive Experience
AR Retail Kiosks
BIG Digital and DeepAR Bring Mobile & Desktop Try-Ons to Store Settings
Retro Sporty Luxe Accessories
adidas Presents a New Series of Nostalgic Retro Accessories
Exclusive Sophisticated App-Accessed Shoes
KITH and adidas Unveil a Special BW Army Trainer
GenAI Shopping Assistants
Shopping Muse Supports Michael Kors US Website Visitors
In-Game Digital Sneakers
Nike and Fortnite Launched Four Digital Sneakers
NFC Chip-Embedded Vintage Clothing
MNTGE and Duke's Cupboard Join on a Vintage Capsule
Futurist Footwear Collections
Norse Projects Dropped the ARKTISK Footwear Capsule for 2023
Celebrity-Approved Luxury Fashion Lines
The Louis Vuitton x Tyler, the Creator Line is Chic
Concert-Centric Makeup Activations
Sephora Canada will Launch 'Shimmer Studio by Sephora' Pop-Up
Digital Metaverse Sportswear
Adidas x Rush X on Roblox Shares Apparel & Accessories for Avatars
Rock Band Athletic Wear
Roark and Black Sabbath Unveil Thrilling Active Collection
Nostalgic Retro Music Capsules
KICKBACK Blends Retro Design with the DIY Mixtape Kit
Digitally-Collectible Footwear Items
Epic Games is Now Selling 'Kicks' in Fortnite
Monochrome Sophisticated Apparel
The Blvck Paris x Keith Haring Capsule Offers Dynamic Artistry
Gaming-Inspired Fashion Collections
Charli Cohen x Diablo IV Hit Selfridges Stores in the UK
Metaverse-Launched Luxury Fashion Collections
The Coach Spring 2024 Capsule is in the Metaverse
Musician-Approved Phone Accessories
Bandolier Collaborates with Superstar Alanis Morissette
Diverse Sporty Apparel Collaborations
Liverpool FC Joins Converse on a Collaborative Capsule
Star-Studded Tech Campaigns
Jewellery Pros and Music Talent Promote the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Revitalized Shopping Destinations
Foot Locker's Home Court is a Basketball-Inspired Retail Space
Customizable Co-Created Sneakers
Golden Goose Offers a Sneaker Maker Experience in Toronto
Tracksuit-Inspired Sneakers
Reebok & Market Debut Revamp Club C 85 and Classic Leather Sneakers
DIY Fandom Initiatives
Scotiabank's Make it Merch Launch Promotes Inclusivity & Sustainability
AR Locker Rooms
Snapchat and Selfridges Created a Pop-Up for Virtually Trying on Sports Kits
Sauce-Inspired QSR Capsules
Wendy's x Lonely Ghost Unveil a Limited Edition Merchandise Collection
Gen Z-Centric Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' Shift Happens Campaign Has Three Phases
One-of-One Clothing Collections
mmERCH Uses Generative Design to Create "Neo-Couture"
Dynamic Sci-Fi Fashion Collabs
Fendi and MAD Architects Join Forces on a Futuristic Capsule
Digital Celeb Shopping Experiences
This Walmart Digital Shopping Experience Has Customized Carts
Refined Festive Streetwear Staples
Axel Arigato Presents its Latest Range for the Holidays
Anniversary-Honoring Hybrid Footwear
Foot Locker's TN 25th Celebration Honors its 25th Anniversary
Avant-Garde AR Wearables
Guild and the Fabricant Launched the Ground-Breaking 'Master Peace'
Streetwear Culture Music Partnerships
Spotify x BAPE Redefine Hip Hop with New Playlist Covers
French Museum-Themed Tech Accessories
The Louvre Museum and CASETiFY Join Forces on a Capsule
Novel Fitness Raves
Les Mills and adidas Offered a Ground-Breaking Fitness Rave Event
Scent-Inspired Streetwear
The Fresh af Collection Shares Styles That Celebrate 25 Years of Febreze
Remixed Monogrammed Collections
The LV Remix Collection Celebrates Heritage While Looking Ahead
Content-Inspired Physical Retail Experience
Netflix House Creates a Space for Fans to Buy Merch
Artwork-Covered Tech Products
The Lexon x Keith Haring Collection Includes Four Products
Music-Informed Fashion Collections
Roc Nation and Moncler Join Forces on a New Capsule
AR Shopping Malls
American Express' Door to Shop Small Highlights 10 Small Businesses
Luxe Grocer Merch
The Erewhon x Balenciaga Collab Shares High-End Merch
AR-Powered Try-On Rooms
Snapchat Unveils a New AR Locker Room at Selfridges Oxford Street London
Urban Sneaker-Inspired Exhibits
Museum of Graffiti Introduces the Sneaker Stories Pop-Up Exhibit
Retail-Based Pop-Star Takeovers
H&M and Charli xcx Host a Surprise Event at Times Square
Winter-Ready Minimal Apparel
Axel Arigato Presents a Look at its New Winter Apparel Designs
Stylish Footwear Campaigns
Under Armour Targets Gen Z in its New 'Flex As You Go' Campaign
Olympic-Ready Elevated Footwear
Nike Optimizes its Air Cushioning Tech in New Range of Shoes
Historic Fashion Try-Ons
The Design Museum's London Fashion Exhibition Integrates AR Mirrors
Fine Art-Inspired Fashion
Pacsun & The Met Collaborated on a Covetable Apparel Capsule
Dynamic Artful Outerwear Capsule
Moncler and adidas Join on the Art of Explorers Collection
Pop Art Creative Collections
The KAWS + Warhol UT Collection Caters to Art Lovers
Holographic Game-Inspired Apparel
PUMA Unveils a New Collaboration with PlayStation
AR Music Concerts
The Rolling Stones Bitmoji Show Lens Promotes a New Album
Advanced Adaptive Retail Experiences
Walmart Unveiled New Retail Technologies at CES 2024
Mixed-Reality Shopping Apps
StockX Launched an Immersive Way to Shop with the Apple Vision Pro
Maximalist Pop Art Sneakers
Keiichi Tanaami Joins adidas On a Pair of its Superstars
Car-Backed Apparel Capsules
Honda x 88rising Drop Capsule Collection
Hip-Hop Heritage Jerseys
Mitchell & Ness Partners with Brands to Launch a Special Jersey Range
Personalized AI Album Covers
Hennessy Created an AI Tool That Turns Selfies into Hip-Hop Album Art
Luxury AR Packaging Solutions
Mytheresa Released App-Controlled Innovative Product Packagings
Music-Inspired Fashion Ventures
Upstream is the First Fashion Streaming Service Powered by Music
Members-Only Retail Platforms
Invite-Only Subscription Platform Mile Reshapes Luxury Shopping
Anniversary-Celebrating Fleece Collections
NOCTA x Nike Tech Fleece Apparel is Slick and Elegant
Inventive Retail Strategies
H&M is Working to Localize Its Shopping Experience
Swedish Streetwear Campaigns
Axel Arigato Launches its Festive 2024 Campaign
Retro-Tinged Beer-Branded Apparel
Coors Joins Huckberry to Launch a Capsule of Apparel
Trendy Metaverse Sportswear
adidas Enters the Virtual World Through a Roblox Collaboration
Idol Singer Breakfast Promotions
Mos Burger Offers Dining Experience with Idols via AR
Collaborative Y2K Handbag Collections
Coach Teamed Up with Little Nas X for 'The Lil Nas X Drop'
AR Fashion Creations
The ETERNITEE AR Platform Enhances Consumer Interaction
Sportswear Imprint Art Exhibitions
adidas Originals Presents the Originals Newcastle Exhibition
Dance-Inspired Apparel Collabs
Tinasche and Urban Outfitters' New Collection Brings a Studio Feel
AR-Powered Cereal Games
General Mills Releases a New Digital Monster Game for Consumers
Interactive Phygital Hoodies
Beyond's Phygital Fashion Capsule Can Be Tried on with AR
Stylish Platform-Branded Merchandise
OnlyFans Debuts a Merchandise Capsule Ahead of Father's Day
Court-Inspired Collections
The Bape X Stadium Goods Varsity Blues Collection is Celebratory
AI-Powered Music Remixing Apps
Sprite is Reprising its Limelight Music Platform for Consumers
QSR Fashion Capsules
The KFC X BOXLUNCH Collection Captures the Essence of a Fried Chicken Legacy
Interchangeable Themed Shoe Charms
Coach Debuts Shoe Charms to Captivate Gen Z Audiences
Streetwear-Informed Sporty Kits
Arsenal Football Club and maharishi Join on a New Capsule
Film Festival Retail Events
The TIFF Pop-Up Shop Features Exclusive 2024 Merch and Apparel
Digital-First Luxury Apparel
Maison Margiela Unveils a New Digital Product Collection with Mmerch
Music-Themed Fashion Apps
Upstream Allows You to Shop the Same Brands Your Favorite Musicians Do
Playful Cartoon Apparel
Kenny Scharf and Axel Arigato's Capsule Collection Lets You Wear Art
Iconic Artist-Adorned Jeans Lines
The Lee x Jean-Michel Basquiat Capsule is Effortlessly Stylish
Footwear Heritage-Honoring Fashion
Clints Celebrates its Footwear Archives in its Latest Capsule
Vibrant Streetwear-Backed Accessories
Palace Unveils its New Collection of Accessories and Objects
Intimate Customized Denim Events
Mars the Label Brings its Friends with Mars Event to London
Nostalgic Emo Band-Inspired Shoes
adidas is Channelling Teen Angst with the Fall Out Boy Sneakers
Luxurious Graphic Retro-Tinged Fashion
YSL Presents The Vintage Collection of Band Merch
Vintage Sportswear Capsules
adidas and MLS Take Inspiration from Retro Soccer Aesthetics
AR Sports Drink Bottles
BODYARMOR's Limited-Edition Collectible Bottles Engage Sports Fans
Musician-Themed Online Games
Fortnite Festival Lets Players Get in on the Concert Action
NBA-Themed Collaborative Apparel Collections
OVO and NBA Launch Collaborative City-Edition Apparel
Hip-Hop-Commemorating Concerts
Levi's and Rolling Loud Unite for an Intimate Little Simz Concert
AR-Fueled Musical Camera Apps
Minibeats by Artiphon Allows Users to Transform Their Movements
Musical NFC Hoodies
Balenciaga's Limited-Edition Apparel Shares an Exclusive Music Track
Album-Inspired Clothing Capsules
Pacsun x Paris Hilton Present the Infinite Icon Collection
Basketball-Inspired Fashion Lines
The PUMA x Rhuigi Capsule Draws Inspiration from NYC Basketball
AR Secondhand Shops
American Eagle Outfitters' RE/AE Shop Spotlights Sustainable Goods
Artistic Musician-Backed Merch
Pharrell's JOOPITER Label Launches the 'Just Phriends' Merchandise
Singer-Themed Art Exhibitions
FLANNELS X London Launches an Immersive Beyoncé Exhibition
Hip Hop-Honoring Exclusive Campaigns
Hennessy and cHIP sHOP Join Forces on a New Campaign
Artist-Approved Tech Accessories
Velvet Caviar Partners with Artist Keith Haring on a New Capsule
Elevated Sports Team Merch
Fear of God Partnership Brings Elevated Style to the NBA and WNBA
Metal Band-Inspired Merchandise
Sleep Token Debuts a Carrying Collection Exclusively with Revolver
QSR Movie Merch Collections
Arby’s x GOOD BURGER 2 Merch Celebrates the Upcoming Movie
Football Singer Collections
Mitchell & Ness Unveils Exclusive Apparel Collaboration with USHER
Artist-Led Music Streaming Stores
The SoundCloud Store Lets Artists Create Their Own Merch
NYC Fall-Ready Militaristic Streetwear
maharishi Presents the Art of the Invisible Warrior
Social Media-Inspired Merch Ranges
The X Merch Collection Includes Two Styles
Culturally Inspired Smartphone Accessories
The Samsung Accessories Lineup Showcases Artists
Rapper-Approved Pop-Ups
The Future x Grand Marnier Activations Remix Tradition with Modern Flair
Esports Merchandising Deals
adidas is Collaborating with 100 Thieves on a Merchandise Collection
Singer-Starring Outerwear Campaigns
LORENZ.OG Introduces a New Arc-Teryx Collection
Stylish Festival Merch Lines
Fragment Design and BLACKPINK Collaborate During Coachella 2023
Nostalgic Music Piracy Merchandise
Limewire's New Merchandise Collection is Made with Dumbgood
Celebratory Hip-Hop Collaborations
Mitchell & Ness Collaborates with Legendary Graffiti Crew Tats
Dating Culture-Inspired Apparel
Grailz Taps 2000Archives for a New Dating App-Themed Capsule
Nostalgic NFC-Enabled Sneakers
Puma’s Limited-Edition RS-XL Sneakers Link to Exclusive Content
Stylish Rapper-Backed Merchandise
NBA Youngboy Debuts a New Capsule with Westside Merchandising
Music Culture-Honoring Graphic Tees
Patta's Dance T-Shirt Celebrates the UK's Music Culture
Stylish QSR-Backed Apparel
Panera Bread Unveils its New Menu-Inspired Merchandise Collection
Fandom-Exploring Sports Partnerships
NFL and Mitchell & Ness Collaborate to Spotlight Fan Stories
Gaming-Inspired Headphone Campaigns
Nazarian Films Aims to Engage a Younger Generations
Community-Honoring Eerie Graphic Merchandise
Boiler Room Presents its New Capsule for FW23
Collaboration Rum-Themed Merch
The Kraken Rum x Butcher Billy Merch is Here for One Week Only
Luxe Artful Limited Vinyls
Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly Vinyl is Gucci-Cladded
Exclusive Joint Fashion Capsules
Mr. Porter and CHERRY LA Join Forces on a Collection
App-Assistive Concert Discoveries
Apple Added Concert Discovery Features to Its Music and Maps