Is The Shared Music Experience A Niche?

Mzl.kqplhucz.320x480-75 Many apps I've come across lately focus on the shared music experience. SoundTracking lets users share music moments. Songza lets users share a radio station. Mixapp lets users create a listening room. And Roqbot lets users gain control of a public playlist. All of these are great ideas. But I'm left asking myself, is the shared music experience a niche?

There is a place for these apps. People will use them.

The question is how many people will use them.

There is reason to believe that people want to share songs they're listening to on Twitter and Facebook.

They already share music videos from YouTube.

There is reason to believe that people would like to share a station their friends.

After all, they've spent months curating it, and it probably plays great songs.

Maybe, there is reason to believe that people would like to create a listening room wherein their friends can gather around and chat about music.

And lastly, it's possible that people will enjoy sharing control over the playlists at parties and cafes. But are these apps overestimating how many people want to?

I'm reminded something Kevin Leflar, CEO of officialCOMMUNITY, told me

"With respect to music in particular it is important to remember that the majority of fans are passionate only about the music. Listening to their favorite music may be an entirely personal experience for some. They don't care what other people think about the music they listen to any more than they wish to share their own experience with it."

Most people don't care, as Leflar suggests, to share their music experience with anyone. If it's very easy and socially beneficial for casual fans to do so, maybe.

But to think that the average person needs separate apps to share their music moments with; broadcast shared radio stations; and create a listening room is wishful thinking. Don't get me wrong. There are aspects of the shared music experience that have yet to be executed properly, and once an app gets them right, it could be successful. But alone, these apps, save for Roqbot, seem destined to drudge in obscurity. SoundTracking, Songza, and Mixapp are standalone apps; their features would be better if they existed in one place.

Spotify lets people to share music moments, and may one day let them create listening rooms. Pandora may let users share radio stations with their friends. 

And well, maybe Roqbot is much safer in their niche.

However, that may be the point: the shared music experience is a niche. If an established sites copy these ideas, they will catch on, but not the original apps.

Most people don't care to share their music with anyone.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Message
Your Name *
Your Email *
Website

Contact us

ARE YOU IN NEED OF A QUALIFIED
POST PRODUCTION PARTNER?

JUST WANT TO SAY HELLO?

Send us a message using the contact form. We never pass up an opportunity to talk shop.

×