Not even six months off the launch of Vine, and Twitter swoops in to steal the media spotlight once again with the launch of its #music app and discovery service yesterday. Announced during a segment on Good Morning America and through a blog post on Twitter.com, the #music app brings artists’ music-related Twitter activity front and centre.
According to the post on Twitter.com, Twitter #music app “uses Twitter activity, including Tweets and engagement, to detect and surface the most popular tracks and emerging artists.” The app also gives users glimpse into what music their favourite artists listen to.
I downloaded the app yesterday and have to admit that I am a bit of an addict already. #Music promises to “change the way people find music,” and it really does. I’ve already discovered a number of artists and songs that I’ve never even heard of. Not to mention that it’s a complete joy to use.
The user interface is sleek and simple, and the app’s drop-down tabs make it easy for users to navigate. Song suggestions are laid out in a grid (see left graphic) providing users an endless stream of new music discovery. Click on the artist’s Twitter handle in the grid, and you’ll be redirected to their Twitter page so you can “follow” the artist and also see what songs they have recently listened to. Pretty neat!
Here’s the breakdown on the tabs from Twitter’s blog post: “#NowPlaying shows which songs have been tweeted by artists and the people a user follows. The “Suggested” tab gives recommendations of artists a user might like, and “Profile” tabs allow users to see which artists a particular person follows. To share songs with followers, users can tap a spinning disc in the lower left corner of the app. That opens the player and allows users to tweet using an icon in the top right corner.”
Twitter, smartly, offered music industry elite an early look at the service creating a tremendous amount of “buzz” around the app even before it launched. Tweets from the likes of Tommy Lee, Ne-Yo, Moby and Ryan Seacrest, to name a few, generated quite a bit of interest from Twitter users and media providing a very exciting launch announcement yesterday.
The songs on #music currently come from three sources: iTunes, Spotify or Rdio. #music is NOT a free music streaming service, but a music discovery platform. Song clips played through the app are connected to the iTunes store. Like what you hear? Click on the green iTunes button and purchase the song directly from the iTunes store. Subscribers to Rdio and Spotify can log in to their accounts to enjoy full tracks that are available in those respective catalogues. Twitter is expected to increase the number of music providers in the coming months.
There’s no question that #music brings with it some exciting new advertising opportunities. As Twitter continues to expand into other forms of digital media, so do the opportunities for brands to reach its customers in new and innovative ways. It will be interesting to see how Twitter keeps expanding its offering.
You can download the iOS app now via Apple’s App Store or on the web at music.twitter.com (Android options soon to come). The app is currently only available in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand with plans for expansions in the near future.
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Simone Coucill, PR and Communications Manager
