Photo credit: Turntable LIVE
Turntable LIVE listening parties feature exclusive fan engagement sessions, fundraisers and album releases. These virtual events offer real-time chat and audio streams direct from Spotify, Apple Music and others. Key differentiators include free and fast setup, integration with Discord and Slack, and data collection for artists.
Ahead of the upcoming public launch Turntable LIVE has achieved several significant milestones. In March, the company secured $7 million in seed funding led by Founders Fund and f7 Ventures. And just last month, Turntable LIVE announced that it had acquired JQBX – a self-described “Spotify plug-in that enables real-time music sharing”.
Joseph Perla, Founder and CEO of Turntable LIVE, spoke of the acquisition as a move that will “enhance the social dimension for virtual music experiences” and “enhance the user experience.”
Now, Turntable LIVE strategically focuses on artist hosted listening parties in diverse digital worlds. According to Perla, LIVE is about taking the classic turntable dance floor environment created over a decade ago, in a refreshed version that “does things right”.
Currently, StationHead is arguably the only other platform that has been successful in allowing users to live listen, stream, and attend release parties together. fans can connect Personal Apple Music or Spotify Premium profiles to host events and play their favorite tracks. Other outwardly “similar” offerings like Amazon’s Amp lack basic DSP integration features and cannot be considered direct competitors for Turntable LIVE.
Perla pointed out a lack of direct artist-to-fan platforms, data collection options, and unique monetization opportunities. Turntable LIVE sees an opportunity and believes their unique selling points are just what artists and managers need to garner waves of fan engagement.
According to Perla, “People need joyful, meaningful social experiences online, and music can make that possible.”
Users can create avatars, access digital dance floors, listen to pre-albums and chat on the Turntable LIVE platform. Artists have the option to host listening parties for fans in chat/video mode or avatar mode. Audio and video can be streamed directly from YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud or pre-uploaded files.
Users can create avatars, access digital dance floors and listen to pre-albums (Image credit: Turntable LIVE)
Immediately after joining the listening group, real-time display updates for music and chat are shared with users. The social music platform’s unique AMA (Ask-Me-Anything) feature can be accessed live via chat screens or via a custom avatar that interacts with users. Artists and label managers can also attract users from communities on Discord and Slack via bot integrations on the platform. In addition, artist teams can use social media channels to promote specific titles.
The collaborative social music platform also allows artists to plan surprises for fans, organize customized experiences, and strategically display merch links throughout the event to maximize engagement. With this “special content delivery” at critical points of the user experience, fans can engage with artists on a deeper level, according to Turntable LIVE.
Artist Listening Party in Chat/Video Mode (Photo credit: Turntable LIVE)
Admin tools offer automatic chat throttling and moderation of multiple events at once, allowing managers to take control of the conversation and steer it into a more positive mood. Advanced targeting tools allow for complete control over communication and storytelling.
One of the key differentiators of the platform is the fast setup time.
Turntable LIVE’s Listening Party Classic can be started same day in chat/video mode or avatar mode, along with full Discord and Slack integrations. Listening Party Premium requires a 1-3 day lead time to allow artists to customize colors, while Listening Party Stadium requires a month lead time to ensure artists can commission custom stage art ( Listening Party Stadium can only). organized in avatar mode).
For more established artists, in-person concerts tend to be the main financial earner. But the risk of hosting a listening party is minimal for those who can’t fill a venue or want to complement their physical events. With virtual listening parties, artists no longer need to set up a stage, audio and video equipment, or engage in actual interaction with fans. It’s no secret that traditional live concerts come with huge costs for artists and promoters. Turntable LIVE listening parties cost pennies by comparison while boosting online fan engagement.
Initial use cases reported by Turntable LIVE include EP and album debuts, vinyl listening parties, artist Q&A sessions, and fundraisers.
Turntable LIVE reports that the platform is already “used by hundreds of artists.” According to the company, “The rapid launch of TT in an exceptionally organic viral method, in just three months, demonstrated the demand for this type of collaborative, interactive music discovery experience.”
There are already serious buyers. According to data shared with DMN by Turntable LIVE, American rock band Greta Van Fleet recently threw a party to mark the release of their new single “Meeting the Master” and its accompanying music video. Users participated in chat and video modes and could use the site for 24 hours to listen to GVF music and connect with each other. The listening party attracted over 10,000 users and brought almost 20,000 new streams to Spotify and Apple Music.
Stream counts aside, there were bumps in other areas as well: the new music videofor example, quickly racked up 1,000 streams and hit a total of 680,000.
Mega label Sony Music also threw an album release party for one of its chart-topping country artists, Elle King. The listening party was available 48 hours before the event and 24 hours after, drawing over 1,300 visitors and triggering almost 5,000 streams on Spotify and Apple Music. Just days after the event, King secured a spot on the Billboard 200 charts.
Sony Music threw a listening party for country chart singer Elle King.
All listening parties contained licensed media and the artists kept 100% of the proceeds.
The platform provides artists with permanent websites dedicated to content sharing and co-streaming. You can also limit the number of participating users.
According to Perla, Turntable LIVE is “one of the first truly participatory online venues for real-time music enjoyment and social interaction.” He added, “Music always needs more compelling ways to reach and bring people together. Turntable LIVE achieves both.”
Turntable is LIVE Participation is free. Interested artists can contact Joseph Perla at (email protected)