Music apps revive the radio star: How apps make the idea of celestial jukebox happen

In the 1990s, it floated as a possible game-changing idea: At the time when record executives were fraught with fear that competition from television and other emerging mediums might hurt record sales and kill radio, which was the medium that used to drive the sales, the idea of a celestial jukebox was pitched.

 

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Stanford Professor Paul Goldstein coined the term to describe how technology would mean exciting times ahead for music: If video could really kill the radio star, then a new medium for playing songs would resurrect him. The celestial jukebox was envisioned to give listeners access to an almost limitless wealth of past and present songs that could be played right at their fingertips.

That dream is here now. In fact, it has been making baby steps since the early part of the 21st century. People saw the rise of portable devices and websites that allow for streaming and downloading music. What followed was the birth of tablets and smartphones marketed with the promise of better, faster interaction and connection with people. Record-fast Internet speeds and the development of mobile applications allow these gadgets to deliver such promise.

 

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A handful of these applications allow for playing music on demand. Downloadable for a small amount or even for free, in the case of some, these online, customizable stations allow listeners to play and pause their favorite songs and discover new ones. These apps also allow users to share their playlists with their friends, making listening to music a social activity like it used to be. Really, it's like a jukebox minus the nickel slot.

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It's no wonder about half of Americans are hooked into at least one of these music streaming apps on their mobile gadgets.

Headed by Timothy Munro Roberts, Station Digital allows music lovers access to their favorite songs, right at their fingertips. Visit this blog for more information.

Listen to Music = Make Money = Shop in a CloudWebStore

Seldom does the opportunity to make money listening to music arise, but most recently a new company is offering music lovers across the Internet the chance to do just that.  Station Digital is the newest and one of the most innovative ways for users to do little more than utilize the service and earn points to purchase the music they love, or buy other physical goods being offered through its CloudWebStore.  The formatting is fairly simple and yet the process is quite ingenious. 

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When a newly-converted user first signs up for the free service, they immediately earn 1000 points, or the equivalent to $1.00.  Every time they go onto the site and stream the musical selection of their choosing, points are earned.  By doing little more than listening to music and rating certain titles and artists, reward points are consistently accumulated to purchase physical or digital copies of music, movies, video games, posters and more.  For diehard music fan, this is truly a no-brainer.  

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Over the last decade online music streaming has seen a tremendous boost in user traffic.  People no longer have to settle for terrestrial AM/FM radio, and with the selection made available by services like Station Digital, it feels only natural for someone to go where they can delve deep into customizing playlists with info like mood, era, location, interest and themes.  All the while, music experts are continually monitoring user tastes and history to better recommend other kinds of bands and artists that may open them up to all new discoveries in different genres.  No longer are we subjected to Top 40 radio where predictability is a given.  Listeners have become empowered by online music streaming and are finally in control of what they hear and when they hear it. 

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To learn more about the CloudWebStore concept and how Station Digital is pioneering new ways of servicing customers and incentivizing them in the process, check out the company website for a more in-depth look at how entertainment is now even more rewarding.

Internet Radio and the New Station Digital

Internet radio has become a media force over the past decade and more providers are finding ways to entice users into steaming music. Standard models now include free services with the opportunity to upgrade to access better features, and many companies have seen success rise and bring more competition.

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The best internet radio sites provide stations that are grouped in similar ways to an actual radio; stations are themed to genre and common traits. The advantage to internet radio, however, is that sites can automatically create stations based on users' preferences. In addition, stations can be monitored by users to create a better musical profile and to ensure that the best music is played constantly. The majority of internet radio allow for the creation of custom stations based on artist similarities or song qualities that are mirrored in other tracks. 

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A new feature that has been debuted in Timothy Munro Roberts' Station Digital is the additional of a user rewards program for even the free users. The concept is simple: the more a user listens to tracks, the more rewards a user gets. Rewards can be applied in the site's online store for real merchandise, such as free downloads, physical products such as fan clothing, and more. The core service is similar to others in that users create, manage, and listen to stations and playlists at their leisure, but Timothy Munro Roberts and Station Digital still insist on keeping services free while providing real benefits to the customer. The site has amassed over 23 million songs very quickly, meaning that users have access to a huge library within moments of logging in.

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The trend of digital radio has attracted more companies over several years but the concepts have remained the same, but Station Digital has taken a new approach. For more information on Station Digital, visit the company's website and browse through what the service has to offer. 

The upside of premium: Going ad-free and more

What most people on the Internet take for granted is that running online services doesn’t come cheap. The hosting services have to be paid for in some way, and many online services and content are either offered free of charge or derive some form of income from a subscription to use their products and services.

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The former is usually more widely used by social networks, with the incoming network traffic and subsequent ad revenue being more than sufficient to keep things afloat, whereas the latter is usually the course taken by the extensions of real life businesses such as software developers.

 

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Others combine both business practices, offering their core services for free while giving a number of other benefits to premium subscribers. Due to the rising costs of bandwidth and the maintenance of websites, this system of offering more services to subscribers remains a good compromise. Many startup companies and other Web services go by this route as a business model, offering their basic functions free of charge for the casual user while enticing more engaged users, businesses and professionals in particular, with more features.

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For many businesses, this practice makes the best use of both worlds. Frequently, the most common benefit touted is the ability to surf without seeing intrusive advertisements, which is such an appealing offer in many circles that it has also been applied, to a limited degree, for not-for-profit setups like forums and Wikis, which reward donors with a certain period without advertising.  

Founded by technology executive Timothy Munro Roberts, the GoldenHeart Holdings company Station Digital offers both free and premium streaming services for music fans looking for new songs across multiple online radio stations. Visit this website for more information on the service.

Solutions as a service: The GHH advantage

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Software as a service (SaaS) has been growing through the years as a popular solution for businesses that wish to incorporate cloud computing technology into their workflow. Efficient and cost-effective, SaaS eliminates the need for excessive in-house computing and gives company employees a great degree of work mobility, allowing them to process more in real time even while off-site.

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But with so many companies occupying the same niche, what does it take to stand out? What must businesses look for in a SaaS provider that would give them more returns in terms of business process efficiency?
  
GoldenHeart Holdings, LLC, founded and headed by CEO Timothy Munro Roberts, aims to redefine SaaS as “solutions as a service.” A diverse company specializing in distribution services, GoldenHeart Holdings provides businesses not only software solutions but also distribution, marketing, merchandising, and selling tools they need to stay competitive globally. The companies under the GoldenHeart Holdings umbrella apply a multifaceted approach to distributions solutions for commerce and entertainment that aims to simplify online purchases.

The company’s paradigm of “solutions as a service” doesn’t just end with providing software tools. It also incorporates the talent of its team of world-class technology experts and other products that go a long way in giving businesses the edge in ecommerce.

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GoldenHeart Holdings founder Timothy Munro Roberts is the visionary behind companies such as Savvis and Terremark. Visit this website for more information on him and the company.