Mobile is disrupting Music Discovery

MLOVE & Reeperbahn Festival present a brand new event format:

Mobile x Music, September 20, 2012, Hamburg

How are social apps integrating music features into their platform?

How will mobile technology change the music industry? Where is the shift in our future regarding publicity for talented artists, sharing and consumption of music, and the publishing process of creating music to make it available to the public. Today with the worldwide outreach of the web, and the convenience of mobility through not only mp3 gadgets, but the all in one smart phone mega lifestyle, companies are addressing the changing climate of how music is searchable, discovered, shared, distributed, and collected.

Discovery is a major component for artists, because they need to know how and where to reach out to their target audience.

Exploring new and talented artists as well as promotion of established artists has dramatically changed from previous methods. Anthony Barba of Might explains his discovery methods, “I sometimes stalk my well- dressed Facebook friends on Spotify.” Opinion leaders can hold weight in the discovery process, not only in their suggestions shared within a trusted network, but also subliminally, such as in retail stores that play music to build a certain brand association. “Music is our largest tribe. It defines our tribe. Knowing where other people are buying and consuming music, ensures that they are or are not a part of your tribe. Ambian music in retail stores, defines the tribe they want to attract. Might is a second calendar for your interests which could definitely include music related events, so you might want to download it and organize people, things and places you might want to check out,” says Anthony.

Other opinion or suggestion driven apps that are aggregating valuable consumer data and providing a new medium to promote oneself and for consumers to explore music are startups such as Amen (find the Best songs, albums, artists and opinions with an option to buy on iTunes, Foundd (The easy way to find amazing entertainment, primarily focusing on web and movies, but there is room to expand into music, as well as adapt it to a mobile version), Tweek TV (making watching entertainment more social and convenient with their iPad mentality), and many more in development. People are desiring their personal time back which means music, movies and other entertainment, but with a technological adaptation, along with a socially driven element.