By Ryan Van Etten on 04/27/2010
Here’s some graphical perspective on Facebook’s growth via estimated traffic data from Quantcast and Compete. The numbers are significantly different between the sources but the basic trend and relative traffic difference between Facebook and Google is evident: Facebook is a rocket, or, rather a full-blown planet with enough gravity to start a galaxy—the data shows it surpassed Google in traffic in late 2009.
Posted in Infoculture, News, Visual | Tagged comparison, compete, data, facebook, facebook growth, facebook vs google, Google, graph, open, quantcast, social media, stats, traffic, trends, visualization
By Ryan Van Etten on 01/24/2010
Bill Burton: “Sometimes we limit ourselves by what we believe we can do. We don’t even start. We don’t even try.” Burton delivered this powerful point in his TEDx talk last week, called How To Have A Christmas Number One Single, where, citing RATM’s rise to UK Xmas no. 1, he exemplified the boundless force of social media, and, through a storytelling memorization activity, he demonstrated the limitless—but often unrealized—potential of the human mind.
Posted in Boundless, Editorial, Interviews, Music, Music Flux, News | Tagged belief, Bill Burton, christmas number one, counterculture, culture, defiance, empowerment, facebook, fans, interview, jon morter, killing in the name, memorization, MusicBiz, no limits, nu metal, number one, people, pop, pop charts, psychology, radio, RATM, ratm4xmas, Simon Cowell, social media, social music, storytelling, TED, tracy morter, UK, X Factor, xmas
By Ryan Van Etten on 12/31/2009
Pandora is blowing music consumption off the grid. Myriad digital choices are sending audio junkies into sensory overload—music wants to be everywhere. The stage is lit—music has always been social, and the web continues to make it even more so. Communication is on the rise.
Posted in Apps, Editorial, Gaming, iPhone Apps, Music, Music Flux, Popular, Visual | Tagged Activision, Amie Street, analysis, AOL Music, Apps, blip.fm, ccMixter, chart, collaboration, comparison, consumption, Creative Commons, deezer, Delicious, Digidrummer, DJ Hero, DJing, EA Mobile, emusic, facebook, friends, games, gigzee, Grooveshark, Guitar Rock Tour, Harmonix, Hip Hop All Star, Hype Machine, iheart radio, iLike, Imeem, Indaba Music, indie, influencers, iPhone, iTunes, jamble music mashups, jamendo, jamglue, Lala, last.fm, Looptastic, mashups, mobile, mobile music, mobility, MOG, music gaming, music industry, music sites, musicians, musicovery, MySpace, Napster, networks, NIN, NLog Synth, pandora, predictions, project playlist, PureVolume, recommendation engine, ReverbNation, Rhapsody, rhythm games, Rock Band Network, scratching, Second Life, seeqpod, sensory overload, Sirius, Slacker Radio, social intelligence, social media, social music, songza, soundcloud, spotify, stats, streaming, Tap Tap Revenge, Tapulous, The Beatles Rock Band, thesixtyone, tinysong, trends, twisten.fm, ustream, Vevo, video, Virtuoso Piano, visualization, we7, your friends are your filter, YouTube
By Ryan Van Etten on 11/21/2009
The internet has leveled the playing field. It has proven that content is king, and that those who work hard at delivering content can build a following. Artists have channels with live streaming video content and direct connection with their fans through mobile applications. The same opportunities exist for everyone, and they’re almost all free. You may think that endorsements and partnerships are only for megastars—but I don’t.
Posted in Editorial, Music, Music Flux, Popular | Tagged adaptation, bands, behavior, brands, business, clothing, consumers, content, Design, direct-to-fan, DIY, endorsements, engagement, entertainment, facebook, fashion, IMVU, iPhone, justintv, Mariah Carey, MusicBiz, musicians, MySpace, partnerships, products, revenue, Second Life, social media, social music, sponsorships, stickam, streaming, ustream, webcam, YouTube
By Ryan Van Etten on 11/17/2009
I saw this interview of Dhani Harrison on Conan O’Brien the night before The Beatles Rock Band’s debut in September, and until then I had not realized that George’s son, Dhani Harrison, had played such a major role in the development of the game. In the interview Dhani describes how he ended up working on creation of The Beatles Rock Band, which started with his 5-year-long Guitar Hero obsession.
Posted in Design, Editorial, Gaming, Interviews, Music | Tagged alternative, band, band websites, Conan O'Brien, development, Dhani Harrison, facebook, game design, interaction, interview, music gaming, musicians, MySpace, Rock Band, rock/pop, social media, social music, stickam, The Beatles, The Beatles Rock Band, thenewno2, video, videogame
By Ryan Van Etten on 11/03/2009
Enter the mobile music frontier—the age of the app is here—and you don’t need to be a developer to create your own iPhone app anymore. Here are three four platforms that enable artists to build their own custom mobile applications.
Posted in Apps, Editorial, iPhone Apps, Music, Music Flux, Popular, Reviews | Tagged Android, app review, app services, Apple, Apps, bands, Blackberry, development, facebook, framework, geotagging, iLike, integration, IODA, iPhone, iTunes, Kyte, localized, location, m-commerce, media, MixMatchMusic, MobBase, mobile, mobile music, Mobile Roadie, mobility, musicians, MySpace, Nokia, platform, promo code, revenue, services, social media, social music, streaming, Twitter, YouTube