DJ software company Algoriddim’s announcement yesterday of a David Guetta version of djay for iPhone and iPod Touch marks yet another move in the direction of digital DJing for the mainstream, and of music moving slowly but surely beyond the “play” button.
The app is a version of the company’s popular djay program that includes some David Guetta branded additions: A set of tunes from his new album; some of his samples that can be triggered over whatever music you’re currently “DJing” with in the app; and cleverly, built-in search to find any other Guetta tunes on your device. Of course, the reaction from DJs is likely to range from indifferent to hostile , but that’s not the point: This isn’t aimed at them. It’s aimed at people who love David Guetta and want to consume his music. The fact that djay for iPhone/iPod Touch costs pennies without the David Guetta branding, but US$7.99 with it, shows that clearly.
What you’re buying here is David Guetta, the experience, which includes a some music and a neat method of playing it. He’s a DJ, now you be the DJ. The more you think about it, the cleverer it is. Why not let the audience “walk the walk” as well?
It’s a great branding exercise for EMI, at the very least. While several artists have their own apps, this is to my knowledge the first DJ app of this type – but I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last.
Digital music means new ways to play – for everyone
There’s already a Pete Tong app that scans your library and suggests “what Pete would play”, and with Turntable.fm’s success and Spotify’s recent getting-into-bed with Facebook, it’s now possible to listen along to what your friends are listening to, in real time, via those platforms. Music is getting not only more interactive, but more social too.
Us DJs, of course, have never been able to put a tune on and leave it alone, and we’ve always pathologically sought audiences to listen to what we create. But now, it seems, we are moving ever-closer to a reality where nobody will play records passively, on their own, ever again. Where music, how that music is delivered, and who we’re sharing it with, are ever-more intertwined. Where everyone’s a DJ.
Remember when we used to put a CD on in our bedrooms, on our own, and just let it play? No, nor do I!
What do you think of the David Guetta app? And are you happy that DJing, mixing, sampling and general tomfoolery with digital music is going mainstream, or do you feel things are going in the wrong direction? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Phil Morse
