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Digital
Grooveshark launches new data site
By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 30 May 2012
Grooveshark has launched a new music data service called Beluga, which I am assuming must be a particularly groovy whale.
The new site combines Grooveshark streaming data with fan research undertaken by the often controversial digital music firm, giving us insights about the demographics and location of an artists’ fan base, and revealing that 97% of Ben Folds fans file their tax returns via the web, 97% of Justin Bieber fans own a nail repair kit, and that 96% of Mumford & Sons’ American fans are AAA members. And I’m sure there are some business opportunities in all those facts.
Launching the new service, Grooveshark CTO Josh Greenberg told reporters: “Any artist with music on Grooveshark can leverage Beluga’s revolutionary data to learn about their fans, route their tours, sell merchandise, work on building a following, and take their careers to the next level. Beluga opens doors for advertisers and brands to partner with artists who connect with their target audience, presenting endless opportunities. Best of all, we provide all of this market research information entirely for free”.
Grooveshark is, of course, currently being sued by all four major labels over its streaming service which, by allowing users to upload music, often hosts large amounts of unlicensed content. The Groovesharkers insist that by operating a takedown system for content owners their service is legal, and dispute allegations that staff members at the digital firm also upload unlicensed tracks.
It has long been assumed that Grooveshark’s owners hope that they can ultimately overcome legal squabbles with the music industry by having a sufficiently large user-base, and finding ways to make that audience useful to rights owners, and the new ata service could be seen as a move in that direction. Though at the moment the majors don’t seem likely to forgive and forget past issues, even if Grooveshark is offering the most fantastic artist-related user analytics in the world – and however much money can be made from the Ben Folds online accounts package, Justin Bieber nail repair product, and the Mumford & Sons/AAA brand partnership.
