New Playlist App: Spinlist, from Hipstamatic Co-Founder, Takes on Music Streaming - Dispatch Weekly

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November 1, 2016 - Reading time: 3 minutes

Spinlist, a new playlist app from Lucas Buick, co-founder of Hipstamatic (the photo filtering app) is set to challenge music streaming, allowing users to discover and share playlists.

The app already has deals with: Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud and Youtube. Other companies that are yet to confirm are: Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora Plus and Google Play Music.

Sharing Music Platforms are Not New

The invite-only beta on iOS and the web platform is not a new idea. Many other platforms have already folded, including: This is my jam, Bop.fm and Soundtracking.

Part of the struggle is getting funding, an audience and creating a platform that is easily used and shared.

Music Streaming: the Statistics

According to ifpi:

  • Digital revenues now account for 45 percent of total revenues, compared to 39 per cent for physical sales.
  • Digital revenues rose 10.2 percent, leading to the industry’s first significant growth year-on-year growth in almost 20 years.
  • Global digital revenue was $6.7 billion, with revenues increasing 45.2 per cent to US$2.9 billion and, over the five year period up to 2015, have grown more than four-fold.

Splinlist Addresses a Gap in the Market

Photo Credit: Spinlist
Photo Credit: Spinlist

Lucas Buick said, ““I think a lot of those other startups might have been ahead of their time.”

Spinlist combines human music curation with AI allowing users to recommend playlists.

So far Spinlist has attracted impressive funders such as Sparklabs Global.

Buick has also had a history of turning trending ideas that catch on with younger audiences, which bodes well for the new playlist app.

Do you think Spinlist offers enough of an incentive for music lovers to switch from popular platforms like Spotify?

DW Staff

David Lintott is the Editor-in-Chief, leading our team of talented freelance journalists. He specializes in covering culture, sport, and society. Originally from the decaying seaside town of Eastbourne, he attributes his insightful world-weariness to his roots in this unique setting.

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