What was once a raging music tech inferno that was snuffed out too soon is being rekindled with a spark of innovation and a hefty dose of capital.
Turntable Labs, the brainchild of the original creators of Turntable.fm, is back with a new social music app called Hangout. With $8.2 million in fresh funding and lessons learned from their initial startup, they’re ready to make a mark on music technology once again.
In the early 2010s, Turntable.fm emerged as an innovative platform that promised to change the way we listen to music online. The product allowed users to DJ in virtual rooms, share tracks, and engage in social interactions, creating a real-time interactive space for music lovers.
However, the original Turntable.fm met an unfortunate end when the complexities of music licensing began to consume the company’s resources and stall crucial product development. Combined with a lack of sustainable revenue, the brand’s operational issues made it difficult to attract further investment.
Fast forward to today, when the company, led by Joseph Perla, is ready to give it another go with Hangout, an app designed to recapture the best elements of Turntable.fm and address its past. Unlike its predecessor, Hangout’s founders believe it has a clearer strategy for growth and sustainability, and the app’s development has been supported by a recent $8.2 million seed funding round led by Founders Fund, Elizabeth Street Ventures, 468 Capital, and f7 Ventures alongside angel investor Michael Guimarin, the CEO of WordOut.
One of the key differences between Turntable.fm and Hangout is a refined focus on community and gamification. Hangout aims to offer an engaging social listening experience with custom avatars, upvoting systems, and real-time interactions. As the app prepares for its full launch in 2024, its founders are in active talks with music rights holders to ensure all legal bases are covered — a lesson learned the hard way at their previous venture.
The waiting list for the next Hangout release can be found hereSee a tour of the platform below.
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