MusicQubed

MusicQubed.[1] is a white label music application developer that provides a tethered download service aimed at casual music fans. MusicQubed supplies a mobile application that downloads up to 100 tracks that update daily and overnight. As of March 2014 over 1.5 million people have used the MusicQubed service.[2]

The company was founded in 2011 and has partnered with Vodafone, Samsung, Now! O2 and the Official Charts Company. One of the founders, Chris Gorman, spoke to Music Week in January 2014: "The £10 or $10 a month super fans and aficionados have been well catered for, leaving the market for mainstream music lovers largely underserved and under-monetised.".[3]

When MusicQubed first launched in 2011, its first release was a tie-in with Now! That's What I Call Music,[4] charging users £1 a week for unlimited access to the UK’s Top 40 singles.

In July 2012, MusicQubed announced a deal with Samsung,[5] where the UK's Official Top 40 application would be preloaded on Samsung mobile phones.[6]

In February 2013, MusicQubed launched O2 Tracks in partnership with O2.[7] O2 Users could access the UK Official Top 40 as well as new releases for £1 a week if you are an O2 customer, otherwise it costs £4.99 per month after a two week trial. Later in 2013, O2 announced the new Lady Gaga album 'ARTPOP' would appear on O2 Tracks six days before its official release date.[8]

Later the same year, MusicQubed announced the appointment of ex-Vodafone Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Chris Burke as their Chairman[9]

In November 2013, MusicQubed partnered with Vodafone in New Zealand to launch Vodafone Music, where users could listen to 70 full tracks, including New Zealand's Official Top 40 for $1.50 per week[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Home - MusicQubed". MusicQubed. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Chris Blackhurst: Snobbery over 'wide-boy chancers'? It's time to embrace entrepreneurial spirit if we want to compete on world stage". The Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "'UK music streaming services must halve subscription price' - study". Music Week. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Spotlight: MusicQubed". mobilemarketingmagazine.com. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Samsung Launches the Official Top 40 Chart App Powered by MusicQubed". Samsung UK. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "MusicQubed bags Top 40 UK preload deal with Samsung". Music Ally. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "O2 Launches O2 Tracks Bringin the Top 40 Direct to Mobile". O2.co.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Lady Gaga ARTPOP album gets early UK debut on O2 Tracks". the Guardian. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Mobile Today - MusicQubed snares former Vodafone CTO as chairman". mobiletoday.co.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Vodafone Music App hits the Shelves". Vodafone.co.nz. Retrieved 14 October 2014.