While not everyone is constantly glued to their phone, the fastest way to stay in touch and keep track of important goings-on is still that portable anywhere-device you take everywhere. Increasingly, music services and organizations are catering to artists on-the-go by ensuring desktop-web interactivity ports over to smartphones. Now, for artists already verified on the Spotify For Artists program, Oct. 12 is the first day their iOS app is available.
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The three basic functions supported by the Spotify For Artists app are profile updates, streaming-audience analytics, and a one-week window providing real-time stats on how many users are listening to new releases. An Android version is expected soon.
Words like "analytics" and "metrics" might put some artistically-minded people to sleep, but these digital quantities are the closest thing to applause from real people on the internet. For the business side, apps helping artists understand how their works are put to use have been put out by BMG, Kobalt, and SONY/ATV.
Navigating tech innovations creatively while responding to a vast online fan base adds to the tasks today's performers and their teams must juggle. While apps like Spotify For Artists hope to make this easier, the excitement ahead is for busy musicians to use apps to engage with their fanbase better. It's urgent enough so that Taylor Swift is developing a social app all her own. For artists managing on smaller budgets, new apps like Spotify For Artists should help them reach out and understand how their offerings fits into the daily diet of a world still hungry for fresh music.
