I am currently the marketing coordinator at Music Intelligence Solutions, Inc, which powers www.uPlaya.com, a site democratizing the music industry with the revolutionary Hit Song Science technology. In addition to scientifically-based analysis of music, uPlaya provides musicians and music professionals with global, digital promotional tools.
Music Intelligence Solutions was recently named as one of the top 10 companies in Georgia by TAG and was recognized at the Georgia Technology Summit.
The Science of Successful Music
A digital music revolution is happening in the Hostess City.
Dominic Viti gets tuned in.
The future of the music industry can be found in Savannah. Above Leopold’s on Broughton Street, brainstorming within lime green rooms stocked with slick desks, computers, and movie posters, the technological seers of Music Intelligence Solutions (MIS) use string (or similarity) metrics to make discovering and publishing music only one click away.
“Music is an art, but it’s also a sequence of numbers,” said CEO David Meredith. “Because of algorithms, accessing and distributing music has never been easier.”
Digital Discovery
Tailored to the vast library of online music, MIS’ uPlaya software offers “Music Universe”- Pandora on steroids- which uses sophisticated algorithms to allow users to find music they will likely enjoy by dissecting a favorite son’s digital file and grouping it with songs in a galaxy of works similar to its rhythm, tempo and composition.
“Music Universe” also lets artists gain immediate feedback on the commercial potential of their work through a user rating system and allows them to promote it to audiences who have shown interest in similar sounding music.
Calculated Success
MIS has also patented uPlaya’s “Hit Song Science” program whereby musicians can measure a song’s hit potential by comparing its sonic characteristics those of hit existing songs. The tool also spots new musical trends and compares a song’s composition to such trends to determine its commercial prospects.
uPlaya is looking for a band to play at FutureMedia Fest 2010, a three-day event hosted by Georgia Tech to highlight technology advancements in the state of Georgia. The band will play in the Music Mix portion of the event, which will be held in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday, October 5, beginning around 6 p.m.
This is not a paid gig, but the opportunities to learn about advancements in the industry and network with major players is noteworthy:
- Network with music companies specifically chosen to present at the conference for their potential to positively impact the industry as a whole. Some of these companies may be looking for employees, so if you are on the hunt for an exciting day job, this could be a great opportunity to work for an innovative project that is ready to truly break it big.
- The opportunity to play for and network with executives from the likes of Google, The Weather Channel, HP, Coke and the White House
- The chance to see emerging technologies out of Georgia that are related to music. Be the first to see them and try them out!
- The opportunity to hear stimulating and engaging discussions and presentations from people who are in-the-know
FutureMedia Fest will be a convergence of industry leaders, academics, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists; participants will take part in provocative discussions of the impact of next generation media, panel discussions on a variety of topics (such as how content will be created, distributed and consumed), and discussions exploring disruptive business models. There will also be demonstrations from technology companies hand-picked for their innovation by FutureMedia.
For more information on FutureMedia Fest, please follow the link below or send an email to info@uplaya.com.
HOT NEW BAND!-- Winner of uPlaya's talent search with Y’all Wire, The Jeremiah Houston Band is turning up the volume on its claim to fame. With a wide medley of influences ranging from Journey to Johnny Cash, the group has assembled the perfect fusion of country, southern rock, and alternative music genres to give them a sound that is bigger than Texas!
Increasingly recognized for an assortment of sounds and styles, the group was just announced as the winners of uPlaya’s recent talent search with Y’all Wire.
While Jeremiah Houston’s velvety smooth voice is enough to make lady’s hearts melt, the band also appeals to men by getting in touch with the more authentic roots of country music featuring straight-forward and comical lyrics with witty undertones. One thing is for sure, these guys know how to connect with their audience to really draw them in!
Let’s be honest, beginning a career in music is not an easy road and far from a straight shot to fame. And truth be told, one of the most difficult tasks an artist often faces is stitching up the hole in their shallow pocket to fund their expensive lifestyle.
True, most musicians begin to play not with the sole intention of becoming rich but simply because they love making music and hold a strong passion for creating something very near and dear to them. But to get remotely where you want to be as an artist, you need to have the funds to get you there.
As an artist, purchasing the instruments and equipment necessary to create your music as well as hiring the right people to market it can all get pretty pricey- and that’s without mention of the cost of living and travel expenses. Fortunately, the wave of technological determinism and rise of the web has better enabled artists around the world to break down the barriers of entry to give them their shot at fame and fortune.
While the Internet has done wonders for musicians on many levels, IAPSM is looking to build off the web’s success in assisting artists to combat their financial frays. IAPSM (International Association of Professional Songwriters and Musicians) is a powerhouse of resources and services created by the artists for the artists. Because the newly launched site understands what musicians need and want the most, they are teaming up with the best businesses out there to emancipate such goods.
The site works to accommodate artists through its stipulation of a variety of preferred rates artists need at their partnered businesses. This includes discounts for accommodations and travel, music equipment and instruments, funds to purchase and sell custom merchandise, online services, duplication services and much more. TuneCore, CD Baby, Musicians Friend, and uPlaya are just several of the companies IAPSM has already created partnerships with to propagate this artist revolution and democracy.
About IAPSM
IAPSM was created by Stewart Reynolds. A musician and entrepreneur, Reynolds saw that there was no international collective for songwriters and musicians that could provide increased buying power to secure discounts on the goods and services that those people used the most.
Stewart Reynolds is a successful songwriter (Brittlestar) and producer (RM214, Amy Schell) with various songs placed in television shows such as the MTV Real World series and worldwide radio play.
Yesterday we ran the beginning of a rather long interview we did with the Block Scholars‘ David Bell about uPlaya, to offer a perspective that differed from its founder, David Meredith.
Part two is after the jump.
We All Make Music:
Because a computer algorithm determines your uPlaya score, do you think it’s even more objective than getting the opinion of another music professional, maybe someone you don’t even know, don’t have a relationship with?
David Bell:
It will certainly never replace the human ear. I don’t think it will ever replace an A&R because A&Rs have that experience in the music industry of knowing a hit. It’s gotta sound like a hit. Just because you got a good score doesn’t mean your song’s gonna be a hit.
A lot of people will turn around and say, “Well isn’t your music all gonna sound the same? Aren’t people gonna try and get scores? Aren’t people gonna try and build songs for uPlaya so they can get scores?” No, not necessarily. Because if you go by our site, or to uPlaya’s site, listen to all the different kinds of music that have gotten good scores. None of it sounds the same.
A lot of people say, “If you build a song that’s less than four minutes and it sounds this way, and it has this pattern, you know, the AABAA or something, then you’ll get good scores,” and that’s not true because I’ve got songs that are six minutes long that have gotten awards. It really doesn’t set any pop formula.
I don’t build songs to get good scores on uPlaya. I build songs for me. I have plenty of songs that didn’t get great songs that I will use on albums. The album that we’re going to release in the winter has songs that didn’t get good scores at all, but because I like the song want to put in there, I’m going to put it in there, you know?
We All Make Music:
Do you think uPlaya could one day be used to help artists move in different directions? I could imagine some kind of songwriting tool that would help composers and artists write songs in a particular style. If they have the technology to analyze the sonic properties of a piece of music, that could become a toolkit to help write songs for specific contexts and get that done more efficiently.
David Bell:
You know, I guess it could. I do think it will make more artists experiment with new things. With uPlaya, I don’t think there’s a set way to make music that will give you good scores all the time. You always figure that there’s somebody who will try to work the system, but if you get a good score on one song you basically have to have the same song again to repeat that score. You may change the words, but you need to have the same melody, beat, pitch, and overall structure.
We All Make Music:
uPlaya might help introduce new genres of music. You know, for fun we try different [genres]; our music ranges in hip-hop, everywhere from a more jazz style to electronica. The song we entered in last night has more of an electronica beat and we ended up getting a good score with that. So I think it makes you experiment to use more of your creative juices to see. You never know. Maybe a new genre gets invented because of uPlaya.
David Bell:
Yeah, I see what you mean. Everybody says it hinders it. I think it enhances it.
We All Make Music:
You’re convincing me. I’m a musician myself and I was a little skeptical, but everything you’re saying makes it sound appealing.
David Bell:
It is. It’s a cool tool. Just don’t go in with the idea that you’re going to be a billionaire when you get a platinum score because there’s still other factors involved – you pushing your music and having it sound like a hit to the point where A&R’s and other industry people like your music. It’s not that cut and dry and I think a lot of artists are thinking that it’s cut and dry – you stick it in there, and you sit back, and uPlaya’s gonna do the work for you. It doesn’t work like that.
I’ve personally been at it for almost a year with uPlaya, with the widgets and stuff and had been able to build up enough of a resume before uPlaya to the point where we could get noticed a little bit more by some people. I’m still sending out stuff to labels every day. uPlaya is a great tool because some record labels are secretly using it. If you read the Harvard Science report that came out in 2009, they were already using it for Anastasia, J-lo, 50 Cent. They were already using it for those artists back then. So you know the labels are using it. It’s kind of nice to be able to turn around on your resume and say, “Hey, I’ve got a few songs here that have got great uPlaya scores.” And they know what you’re talking about. So it gives you a leg up a little bit, maybe to the point where A&Rs and labels and other places go, “Huh, he’s got good scores. He must have something to offer us as an artist. Let’s find out exactly what he’s done to get to that point.”
We All Make Music:
Sort of an objective seal of approval.
David Bell:
It is, it is. Like I said, there’s no emotion tied except for you waiting to see if you got a good score or not. But it dissects your song and splits it up and gives an honest opinion. It compares your song to 50 years worth of music. So it’s kind of neat to see how you stack up, mathematically, compared with songs from the past.
We All Make Music:
That actually is a good segue. I wanted to change directions a little bit and ask you a question more specific to the music that you’re doing with the Block Scholars. As a group you guys definitely have your own style, and you’re admittedly trying to bring real hip-hop back to the forefront. This calls to mind a little bit of a nostalgic aesthetic. Because uPlaya draws from the reservoir of past hit songs, does having that nostalgic element make the site work a little better for your guys?
David Bell:
I don’t think so. Like I said, the music that we’ve doing for our album in the winter has electronica on it. It’s got electronica styles, which isn’t anything from 50 years ago. And we’re getting good scores from that. According to uPlaya they turn around and they go in and look at the new songs that are being hits and they change their database all the time. It’s not just songs from the last 50 years…you’re also being compared to the new music that is out there too, the Billboard hits, all that.
I don’t think it gives you any type of advantage if you do older style songs. Because if you go through and listen to the featured artists there’s some that are doing electronica, there’s some doing some doing experimental stuff that are getting great scores. So, there’s no formula. Everyone thinks there’s a formula on getting good scores, but there really isn’t. There really isn’t a formula and I don’t go in there thinking that when I place a song in there. Like I said, we’ve got songs on this album that didn’t get any Auddy awards at all, but we still want to put it up there because we like the song. That’s what the bottom line is.
This week’s interview with uPlaya‘s CEO David Meredith put forth a pretty convincing argument as to why the company’s hit song science can help musicians. But while Mr. Meredith made a number of great points, skeptical musicians might be better convinced by one of their own.
To that end, I spoke at length with David Bell about his experience using uPlaya. Bell (a.k.a. Slimdog) is the founder of Slimdog Productions and part of the hip-hop group The Block Scholars. He has become something of an artist advocate for uPlaya and the Hit Song Science technology. The Block Scholars, consisting of Bell and lyricist NoBull (Bennett Baskerville), have used uPlaya to further their burgeoning success as independent hip-hop artists.
We All Make Music:
As you must know, there are so many new services that have been rolled out recently, geared toward helping artists promote their music. And everything is changing rapidly in the music industry, so there’s a lot of new entrepreneurial digital services and web sites taking off. With all that out there, what is it that drew you to uPlaya in particular?
David Bell:
The fact that the technology breaks down your song, and that they compare your music to the last 50 years of hits. It’s kind of a good gauge on how your songs may compare to other songs that have been great hits in the past.
It’s also kind of fun. You know, after you’re done doing your song, it’s kind of fun to go in and stick it through their hit song science technology and see if you got a good score or not. Just like last night, we’re working on an album for this winter, and we had just completed a few songs, so I went in last night just to see how the songs are. Of course we think all our songs are good, but just for comparison’s sake you stick it in there and we happened to get a 79, which is a platinum [Auddy] on one of our songs. It’s kind of fun to sit there and watch the HSS work, and you know see a score pop up. Sometimes it might not be good, I’ve had that happen too, but it’s still fun.
We All Make Music:
Sort of nice positive reinforcement in the creative process.
David Bell:
That’s exactly what it is. And like I said, you can kind of take the results and run with them, or you can just turn around and say, “Hey, whatever.”
We All Make Music:
Did you have specific goals when you put your music onto uPlaya? Did you think, “I wanna see how these Block Scholars songs stack up against other hip-hop songs,” or “What’s their hit potential?” You’ve mentioned that you kind of used it to tweak your songs in certain ways. Was that something that you anticipated doing from the start or did that kind of develop along the way?
David Bell:
It kind of developed along the way. At first I was like, “Let me see if what they are saying is true.” We have gotten accolades for our music even before I went to uPlaya.
We were on many web sites; a Garage Band song of the day, one web site gave us hip-hop song of the year. So I went and took those songs and said, “These places already think the songs are good, let’s see how uPlaya judges them.” And the songs that got the awards got platinums and golds, so it kind of validates [the initial praise]. And then what I did was start experimenting with music, putting in demos that we just finished. [If they] didn’t get a good score, turn around, tweak it, add some more instruments, make the music clearer, a better bitrate, and put it through again, and up went the scores. Just little things like that make a lot of difference.
You know, I’ve put some 150-200 songs through, so I’ve invested a lot of money and a lot of music into uPlaya and you have to if you really want to see what it’s gonna do. You’re gonna have to go yourself and try it out. And I went and used the widgets and got great response on the widgets. They have a press kit. You gotta go use the press kit. I have a press kit with another site, you know, and I sit there and compare the press kits and see how many hits I get off of it. Are people looking at uPlaya’s kit as well as this other kit? Am I getting any feedback from anybody because of uPlaya, am I getting any feedback because of the other one? I do compare, on a daily basis, uPlaya to the other places that I’m at, and they’ve been great. It’s gotten us a lot of exposure as independent artists.
We All Make Music:
So it sounds like your experience using uPlaya has played a role in shaping your career or how you promote yourself as an artist, the business side of things. Would you say it’s played a role in what you’re doing creatively? Do you feel like you’re still taking the same creative approach that you did prior to using uPlaya?
David Bell:
I’m taking the same creative approach. Honestly, I’m not making songs to try and get hit songs on uPlaya. I’m making songs for me. Like I said, we’ve got a lot of songs that didn’t get great scores, but we’re still pushing those songs, as well as the ones that have gotten awards. I’m not gonna turn around and change what we do in order to get good uPlaya scores. Like I said, we were getting accolades and awards and stuff like that in magazines before we went to uPlaya. uPlaya is just one validation tool. It’s a validation. It helps validate what we already know about our music. Now it’s just a matter of getting it to the next level.
And the thing that really attracted me to uPlaya was to find out that some major labels are already using it. And places like Harvard had done extensive research and reports on it. I don’t know how many artists do, but I really looked to find out what uPlaya was about before trying it out and investing my money. Because a lot of us independent artists don’t have the money to do that. So I really went and looked for research from credible sources before I turned around and invested my money in it. Hopefully in the future all this investment stuff will pay off. It’s starting to a little bit. I feel with a little more promotion and maybe with some more help from uPlaya we can get our music to the next level and hopefully get it heard by somebody.
The words “hit song science” tend to set musicians on edge.
Rather than inspiring curiosity about a new piece of technology, the idea of a hit predictor, or some kind of perfect pop song analyzer, usually conjures up images of soulless homogeneity, of computers issuing ruthlessly effective and perfectly empty radio hits, of true creativity and artistry being wiped off the face of the earth as if it were a computer virus.
But according to David Meredith, the CEO of Music Intelligence Solutions, the company that runs uPlaya, that’s actually the exact opposite of what it’s for.
“With the explosion of creativity that’s happening these days, we need more sophisticated tools to help the content creator get the recognition they deserve,” Meredith explains, “and for the fan to filter through it.”
He’s not wrong. According to Tom Silverman, there were over 81,000 albums released last year that sold fewer than 100 copies. According to Meredith’s research, there are over 10 million songs available on the iTunes Music Store that nobody has ever bought. A decade into the 20th century, artists are done celebrating the fact that they can make a professional-sounding recording on their own. Now they’re wondering how to get those recordings noticed.
“We all need a way to curate this massive amount of stuff, and the tools aren’t there for it,” Meredith observes. “There’s a need for actual evaluation.”
The evaluation part is what tends to make musicians squirm the most: if a computer’s going to evaluate my art, how is it going to do it? But Meredith and his researchers have done a lot of homework. In building up uPlaya’s two services, hundreds of millions of songs were analyzed at a multitude of levels. “We can look at timbre, pitch, chord progression, melody, vocals, harmony, everything about the song [including the song's language],” Meredith explains.
uPlaya can analyze a song’s variables two different ways. The first, called hit potential technology, takes stock of past and current trends to determine the likelihood that your song, given a requisite amount of marketing money, will become a hit. It is, according to Meredith, supposed to be predictive rather than reactive, and the songs that score high enough are given awards that denote a strong likelihood for success.
An example of uPlaya's Music Universe.
The second, and more important type of analysis is called the Music Universe, or as Meredith likes to think of it, “Google Earth for music.” This type of analysis provides users with a visual display not only of what songs their music resembles, but of the likelihood that their song will appeal to fans of established hits.
This helps artists on a number of levels. It can help artists find kindred spirits or help them market their music to bloggers. It can help convince a label manager to try and introduce an artist’s song to a new audience.
It can also help smaller artists looking to score licensing deals. If a music supervisor wants a song like Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” for a soundtrack, but he can’t afford to pony up the $200,000 fee that song commands, he can jump into the Music Universe and find that song you wrote that pushes all the same emotional buttons. This theory is actually being put into practice by the Second City. The legendary comedy troupe is releasing its first branded feature film, Buzzkill, and they are letting Variety choose songs for its soundtrack using the Music Universe.
Meredith’s also encouraged by the fact that others see uPlaya as a critical tool for A&R. “There was a really interesting music blog who said that within five years, your Hit Song Science score is going to be more important than how many plays you’ve had on Myspace,” he says.
Of course, there will be dozens of things more relevant than Myspace plays in five years. But Meredith is confident that his company’s technology will be valuable to the entire industry, and for years to come. The artificial intelligence technology that powers uPlaya’s services is used for poring over mountains of data at incredibly high speeds. It’s been used in the financial services industry. It’s been used to optimize power grids and communication networks, “anywhere you need to sort through massive amounts of data and make informed decisions.”
The music industry might not change as quickly as financial markets do, but it is a very complex, dynamic business. The musical, financial, and cultural definitions of a hit song, like most cultural phenomena, are changing. But even as personal tastes, economic ecosystems, and models shift beneath everybody’s feet, one thing is never going to change. “Everybody on that continuum, they all need feedback,” Meredith says. “They all need attention on their songs. We see people using it on all levels.”
We All Make Music Feature by Max Willens on July 27, 2010
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