iLike, the popular music discovery site with a huge presence on social networks, is launching a set of new syndication services for musicians. Beginning tonight, iLike now offers extensive integration with Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube, allowing artists to distribute content to each of their online presences from a single control panel. In addition to these, the company is also launching a new self-serve platform for building customized iPhone applications for artists, allowing them to establish themselves on the App Store with a minimum amount of effort and resources.
While most readers probably associate iLike with music playlists and streaming, the service is also home to 300,000 artists who use its services to help manage and distrbute their content. Before today’s annoucement, the service offered more limited syndication options, allowing them send data through the iLike Facebook application, its iGoogle widget, and an iTunes plugin. But the new options go much further.
One of the most significant changes is the release of a new ‘Music’ tab for an artist’s Facebook pages, which will allow them to incorporate their music, videos, and concert information (previously artists would have to rely on the iLike Facebook application). The service has also expanded its support for Twitter, allowing artists to import their Tweets from elsewhere and distribute them to their social network profiles, or to syndicate them directly from the iLike dashboard.
Other additions abound: artists can now sync their videos between YouTube and iLike, so they won’t have to post them in multiple places. They can create their own ‘dot-com’ websites, which they can manage from the iLike dashboard. They can syndicate their content directly to their Ticketmaster profile pages. And iLike’s concert app and event pages on MySpace have also gotten a boost, allowing fans to purchase tickets directly without having to go elsewhere and including more social features (like being able to see who else is going to a certain concert).
Finally, in what is easily the biggest departure for the company, iLike is also rolling out a platform that will allow artists to create their own iPhone applications, which can include dynamically updated photos, music, blog posts, and other content (you can see a demo of the app below). iLike is charging artists a one-time fee of $99, and will also participate in a rev-share deal for those that want to charge for their applications (the current plan is for a 50/50 split). Artists that give their application away for free will only have to pay the initial fee. The iPhone is quickly becoming a very popular and powerful way to connect with fans, and there’s no doubt even smaller bands are eager to appear in the App Store. But iLike won’t be alone in trying to tackle this market – other companies like Mobile Roadie and Kyte are offering similar platforms for building custom iPhone apps.
iLIke rocks. This is definitely a great breakthrough as far as iLike is concerned. But I wonder how far the iLike platform would go.
“Legal” music still trying to find place in net. They should give out small part of music (say 15 sec long) as trailer for unlimited on-demand play, on sites like facebook.
And publish stories like “Your friend listened to small part of this song for free! – like! – listen – buy”
I think this jamwee site is planning on something similar. I got a private beta invite and am pretty excited about it. here is the concept behind it:
jamwee.com/jamweeconcept.pdf
Nice to see TC come out of twitter headwind. But commenters still there.
What are you doing here? this is not a twitter post.
Virtually acquire ILike on http://www.webm...r.com/ilikecom/
wow…an article that does not mention twitter or FB denial of Holocaust! Did hell freeze over or something.
I will definitely check out this app. Looks really cool
lame, more twitter please
Needs sonicbids and last.fm support.
i like iLike, but i don’t see the iPhone app in the app store. is this just demo-ware?
There isn’t an iLike App. iLike are helping bands and singers create iPhone Apps.
I have always thought iLike to be a very smart company doing great things in this space. Though I think they are somewhat hamstringed by the Rhapsody deal, incorporating YouTube videos should be a solid progression away from that.
The iPhone app platform looks very cool. Some bands will want that and pay for that. I’m going to check it out myself.
But the other stuff isn’t groundbreaking in any way. It just brings iLike a little closer to par with the leading Artists Services companies. Artistdata does all of the site syncing (and more), and has been for some time. ReverbNation has had the Twitter integration and Facebook band tab for a while (and over 500,000 peeps using it).
So the question I’m asking is ‘who is iLike?’ Are they a fan site or artist services site? Can they serve both masters? Is this just a short term response to running out of VC cash – tap the Artists? Or does this signal capitulation that their fan model has failed? Or is it something else?
Just seems like a drastic shift for them.
iConfused
The iLike application is not free, regardless of whether you charge for your app or not. See our full story with quotes from the iLike PR office about the price confusion at http://mymusics...ss.blogspot.com
I finally got around to posting a response about the iPhone app for bands issue on the ArtistData blog. In short, I think it’s cool, but I dont think it’s useful.
http://bit.ly/RqNYW
So the pricing is $99 plus revenue share? OK for the most basic of iPhone apps, but if you want the full meal deal you should get your own custom app with all the features you want for your band or yourself as an artist. The Toy Lounge of Minneapolis and St. Paul will create a full custom iPhone app for all of your promotional and marketing needs.