Tech Review: turntable.fm

Based on the article "Why Turntable.fm is the most exciting social service of the year" from TheNextWeb.

In the past few weeks I’ve noticed a huge surge of a site that can be accessed via facebook called turntable.fm. Even in the Mick office, particularly Lindsay’s desk, the site has been spinning jams non-stop. Over the weekend, I logged onto our office’s “room” to see what the fuss was all about. Although I was the only avatar DJ hanging out at 3:00PM on a Saturday, I could visualize the potential entertainment value that is leading users to obsess over this music-sharing extravaganza.

Quick Facts about turntable.fm:
· In turntable.fm’s first month, it gained 140,000 users
· No press was involved in the promotion of turntable.fm… strictly viral marketing
· turntable.fm is rooted from the New York City startup site, Stickybits
· Coined the new term “social listening”

Turntable.fm is comparable to Pandora or Last.fm but stands out because of its interactive characteristics (even thought it's legally under the name non-interactive radio) and addictive nature. In fact, Last.fm is allowing it’s users to scrobble their libraries onto turntable.fm for more Dj-ing material…even they want a piece of the site!

With only a month under its belt, turntable.fm has infinite possibilities for growth. But how does a viral site build its longevity? With the help of TheNextWeb I’ve explored the following options:

1. It’s a game…avatars gain points as they gain their peers’ approval. Adding a point system brings out a competitive drive in any American (the site is currently only available in the US) thus making them stick around for the “win”… not to mention gaining approval for one’s superior music tastes is quite the ego boost.

2. Branding opportunities could emerge for individual rooms such as retail stores spinning their in-store playlists, or even famous nightclubs featuring in-house DJ mixes. This kind of branding could produce niche markets galore!

3. …and where there are niche markets, there is research to be done. Companies can use the site to better understand their audiences by monitoring/participating in chat conversations to gauge reactions to musical selections. Music preferences can tell a company a great deal about the markets they are targeting because it shows what their consumers value.

4. Celebrity guest appearances have already drawn significant traffic to the site. Who doesn’t want to know what your favorite artist is listening to? This personalizes an artist’s brand and gives them a platform for further engagement with their fans.

Many bloggers, music nerds, and digital analysts are claiming that turntable.fm is going to “save the music”. I personally don’t think that’s true, but I definitely believe it will be a contributing factor to another shift forward in the industry. From an artist’s perspective, the site can not only build awareness but potentially create a link between the site and live shows. By using rooms for virtual after-parties, where set lists are spun, fans can partake in conversation about the show and artists can receive direct feedback.

Obviously, turntable.fm is going to run into licensing laws from the “big guys” once they catch onto the site, but I’m sure an agreement can be met (fingers crossed). For now, let’s enjoy our FREE DJing sessions and head bobbing avatars…GO!

KGC