On May 15, 2012, SoundCtrl hosted its third annual FlashFWD Awards, honoring the best in music:tech.
We presented the following awards:
SoundWAV Influencer:
Recognizing an individual who has significantly impacted digital music culture through the early adoption or creation of new technology and is seen as a visionary and voice in the music:tech industry
Scott Samuel “Scooter” Braun
Scooter Braun is recognized with the SoundWav Influencer Award for his diverse and influential impact on digital music culture. Braun is well-known for his role as talent manager for acts such as Asher Roth, The Wanted, and most notably, Justin Bieber, whose digital footprint has far outstretched any other artist in history. Under the guidance and management of Scooter, Bieber has accumulated an astonishing and powerful online following, even breaking the Guiness World Record for Most Social Media Messages in 24 hours on his 18th birthday. Apart from leading one of the most powerful online fan campaigns in history, Scooter is less known for his recent move into the music startup sphere with significant investments in various companies. Over the past couple years he has begun to incubate a variety of fresh startups which we will soon begin to see trickle in the music:tech market.
Best in Mobile & Tablet:
Recognizing a product or service that is breaking new ground in mobile technology and expanding upon traditional fan engagement
Snibbe Interactive (Scott Snibbe)
Scott Snibbe is a media artist and entrepreneur, whose company Snibbe Interactive created the sensational app, “Biophilia.” As one piece of an epic multi-platform project by Björk that includes a new website and a state-of-the-art live show, “Biophilia” is unlike any music app to date. Unlike other artists who have used apps to promote their album, the “Biophilia” tablet experience is the album. It allows the listener to play with the music through ten unique designed apps, which each containing a new song, music score, and an interactive ‘game’ that lets you manipulate the track. “Biophilia” was named one of 2011’s Best Apps by Apple and landed on year-end best-of lists from NME, Mojo, The Observer, and Uncut, among others. Snibbe, whose work is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, is a revolutionary figure himself who has exploded our conceptions of what a music app can be by bridging music, art, and technology.
Best in Discovery:
Recognizing a product or service that has most significantly impacted and improved the way fans discover and share recorded music
Spotify
Spotify made a huge splash last summer with their highly-anticipated launch in the United States. While initial adoption numbers were impressive, Spotify gained exposure to the mainstream when they teamed up with Facebook, allowing direct integration and sharing functionality within the social network, and the service was the talk of last September’s f8 Developers Conference. Not resting on their laurels, Spotify continues to update and innovate their product, adding new features like Spotify Radio and releasing updates and improvements to their award-winning mobile apps. The release of their API last year allowed brands, services, and publications to develop, curate, and share, and add their own voice to the Spotify experience. Spotify’s team is well on their way to creating music’s definitive operating system.
Best in Live:
Recognizing a product, service or organization that has most significantly improved the live concert experience from either a fan or artist perspective
Square
It is not an understatement to say that Square is revolutionizing the live experience for musicians and fans. Co-founded by Jim McKelvey and Jack Dorsey in 2009, Square has made accepting fans’ payments at merch tables and concession stands at live events a norm, while also providing valuable analytics to artists. In March, Square unveiled their new iPad app, Square Register, allowing for improved customer-facing, as fans can directly input their information into the tablet and customize their order. As more and more artists turn to accepting payments via mobile, Square has established themselves as the dominant player in this space for their simplicity, accessibility, and affordability.
Best in Artist Support
Recognizing a company that put forth a product or service that focuses on giving artists more options in creating and promoting their music independently. The voting was open to the public, but is now closed.
BandPage
Launched in 2010, BandPage gives artists the ability to create customizable landing platforms for their Facebook pages (hosting music, pictures, and info) and is the #1 Musician app on Facebook with millions of unique users a month.
