Uploaded June 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
crosstowntraffic2018.wordpress.com
This presentation took place as part of the conference Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice, which was hosted by The University of Huddersfield from September 3 - 5 2018. This event combined the IASPM UK&Ireland Biennial Conference, the 13th Art of Record Production Conference (ARP), an ISMMS conference, and the additional participation of Dancecult.
A recurrent theme within popular music studies has been discussion of how the field can integrate different disciplines and professions, for example exploring both music and its context; involving both practitioners and researchers; and encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Many different issues make such approaches challenging, and various different popular music focused subject organisations have developed somewhat independently of one another. This conference brought four such groups together, to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and encourage crosstalk.
/// SUPPORT
Popular Music Studies Research Group (PMSRG), University of Huddersfield research.hud.ac.uk/pmsrg/#
Centre for Music, Culture and Identity (CMCI), University of Huddersfield
research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cmci
The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch (IASPM UK & Ireland)
iaspm.org.uk
Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production (ASARP)
artofrecordproduction.com
Dancecult Research Network (DRN) studies into electronic dance music culture
dancecult-research.net
International Society for Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
metalstudies.org
/// ORGANIZERS
IASPM UK&I: Rupert Till
ARP: Katia Isakoff, Shara Rambarran
ISMMS: Karl Spracklen
Dancecult: Graham St. John
University of Huddersfield: Jan Herbst, Austin Moore, Lisa Colton, Toby Martin, Catherine Haworth, Mark Mynett
/// CREDITS
This online project was edited, collated, and made available online by Chris McConnell, Jack Zissell, and Colin Frank.
/// PRESENTATION DETAILS
Live-Market Evaluation of Interactive Music Apps
Rob Toulson & J. Paterson
/// ABSTRACT
Interactive Music Apps have been shown to enable unique and intimate listener experiences , which are not possible through physical, download or streaming music-formats. For example, in 2014-15, the AHRC-funded ‘Transforming Digital Music’ project presented a unique music format for iOS – known as ‘variPlay’. This format allows the user to explore the building blocks of an artist’s recorded music and interact with alternate versions of each song on the release. This paper discusses a further AHRC-funded extension of the variPlay project, with a particular focus on the business case for interactive apps in the popular music marketplace. In collaboration with Warner Music Group, the variPlay platform is explored in real-time by releasing customised apps for three major music-artists throughout 2018. To evaluate the business case, the commercialisation targets three different audience demographics to explore the appetite for interactive apps in potential consumer markets. Additionally, a number of monetisation approaches are tested in the field, including direct purchase, in-app purchase and free download (loss-leader) models. Warner Music Group is marketing each app via its normal mechanisms for commercial music release on a global scale. The impactful journey from proof-of-concept research through to commercial release is documented, reflected upon and evaluated, incorporating a musicological perspective of the interactive-music landscape, identifying technological and artistic approaches, and analysis of commercialisation and IP milestones. The paper therefore acts as a roadmap and multi-faceted case study for music innovators wishing to pursue their own market-focused research projects.
crosstowntraffic2018.wordpress.com
This presentation took place as part of the conference Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice, which was hosted by The University of Huddersfield from September 3 - 5 2018. This event combined the IASPM UK&Ireland Biennial Conference, the 13th Art of Record Production Conference (ARP), an ISMMS conference, and the additional participation of Dancecult.
A recurrent theme within popular music studies has been discussion of how the field can integrate different disciplines and professions, for example exploring both music and its context; involving both practitioners and researchers; and encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Many different issues make such approaches challenging, and various different popular music focused subject organisations have developed somewhat independently of one another. This conference brought four such groups together, to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and encourage crosstalk.
/// SUPPORT
Popular Music Studies Research Group (PMSRG), University of Huddersfield research.hud.ac.uk/pmsrg/#
Centre for Music, Culture and Identity (CMCI), University of Huddersfield
research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cmci
The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch (IASPM UK & Ireland)
iaspm.org.uk
Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production (ASARP)
artofrecordproduction.com
Dancecult Research Network (DRN) studies into electronic dance music culture
dancecult-research.net
International Society for Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
metalstudies.org
/// ORGANIZERS
IASPM UK&I: Rupert Till
ARP: Katia Isakoff, Shara Rambarran
ISMMS: Karl Spracklen
Dancecult: Graham St. John
University of Huddersfield: Jan Herbst, Austin Moore, Lisa Colton, Toby Martin, Catherine Haworth, Mark Mynett
/// CREDITS
This online project was edited, collated, and made available online by Chris McConnell, Jack Zissell, and Colin Frank.
/// PRESENTATION DETAILS
Live-Market Evaluation of Interactive Music Apps
Rob Toulson & J. Paterson
/// ABSTRACT
Interactive Music Apps have been shown to enable unique and intimate listener experiences , which are not possible through physical, download or streaming music-formats. For example, in 2014-15, the AHRC-funded ‘Transforming Digital Music’ project presented a unique music format for iOS – known as ‘variPlay’. This format allows the user to explore the building blocks of an artist’s recorded music and interact with alternate versions of each song on the release. This paper discusses a further AHRC-funded extension of the variPlay project, with a particular focus on the business case for interactive apps in the popular music marketplace. In collaboration with Warner Music Group, the variPlay platform is explored in real-time by releasing customised apps for three major music-artists throughout 2018. To evaluate the business case, the commercialisation targets three different audience demographics to explore the appetite for interactive apps in potential consumer markets. Additionally, a number of monetisation approaches are tested in the field, including direct purchase, in-app purchase and free download (loss-leader) models. Warner Music Group is marketing each app via its normal mechanisms for commercial music release on a global scale. The impactful journey from proof-of-concept research through to commercial release is documented, reflected upon and evaluated, incorporating a musicological perspective of the interactive-music landscape, identifying technological and artistic approaches, and analysis of commercialisation and IP milestones. The paper therefore acts as a roadmap and multi-faceted case study for music innovators wishing to pursue their own market-focused research projects.
