The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.
Quick Pitch: Hone your musical skills and compete against others for prizes and virtual fame.
Genius Idea: A music-based social game that require skill — but not too much skill.
Music-oriented games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have allowed everyone and their mother to have a rock star moment. Online social game BreakoutBand kicks that experience up a notch, letting users create, record and share songs, as well as compete against other users for fame and glory.
“Guitar Hero and Rock Band were awesome, but it seemed that the natural evolution was to enable players to actually become the artist and make their own songs,” says founder David Moricca. Moricca has more than 10 years experience working in youth media and entertainment; he previously worked as director of online learning services at Scholastic.
There are a ton of platforms out there for musicians that allow bands to share music and enter remix competitions. BreakoutBand is like training wheels for services of that ilk. Users can join for free to create their band profiles, after which they can start making music. All jams are created via the site’s beat maker, where users can choose a song kit, complete with all the instruments one requires to compose a tune. One can then go into the vocal booth to warble away.
Naturally, users have to pay for said song kits. The site has a virtual currency called Breakout Bucks that you can purchase or earn by achieving certain milestones as an artist.
Once a song is completed, users can release their song, which will then be posted to their profiles and played on the site’s radio station. They can also share songs to Facebook and Twitter. One can even download a song for later listening. Naturally, the goal is to record palatable tunes, so as to accrue fans — and Bucks.
The site also hosts competitions, adding tangible prizes into the mix. In the past, BreakoutBand has partnered with Old Navy and Pepsi Max on branded song competitions, but recently it added a new competitive element featuring up-and-coming musicians. Users will be able to check out new artists via the site, as well as remix their songs in order to win prizes, such as video responses from the artist, VIP passes to shows, chances to meet the artists in person and merchandise.
The first artist on the digital block is rapper Kellee Maize, but BreakoutBand plans to feature a new band every five days.
When it comes to rights, all original songs created on the platform are owned by BreakoutBand, and remixed songs are owned by the artists. Still, Moricca says this state of affairs could change in the future.
“We will continue to evaluate the appropriate rights approach as the company progresses,” he says. “We have actually been blown away by the creativity of our artists and the quality of their songs, and our goal is to work with all of the different constituents to promote them. Hopefully, a superstar will emerge on the site and we can help them get discovered.”
Photo courtesy of Flickr, southerntabitha
Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.
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