Almost every week I get emails asking for my opinion of new music 2.0 sites and services. If they interest me at all, I’ll I spend a few minutes exploring the offering and give my quick opinion.
Recently I realized that it might be interesting for Hypebot readers to get a behind the scenes look at a music site or service in beta and express your opinions about the offering. At the same it could also be more helpful to the company looking for advice. Many minds are better than one.
Overlay.tv has graciously agreed to be the Hypebot’s first "collective intelligence" experiment. Currently in public beta, Overlay.tv is a product that they believe could be of service to the music industry and some big name artists agree. Here is…
the original email I received from Overlay.tv’s art director Faisal M Sethi:
Hello Bruce,
I hope all is well. I would like to know if you could share any thoughts about a new technology we’ve developed, and it’s potential impact on the music industry, and the general fan base at large. We are on the verge of signing a major label artist to adopt the platform, and the response from both independent and major labels alike has been very positive.
Our technology allows artists, labels, and fans to add hyperlinks anywhere, at anytime, and to anything in an online music video. The "Overlays" could simply be fun items like hearts and kisses, or links to albums, singles, contest pages, tour dates, invisible easter eggs to hidden back stage videos– the possibilities are boundless. Effectively, a passive viewing experience has now become one of enriched interactivity between artist and fan. We also share any referral fees incurred with the content producers.
With $4.6 million in Series A financing, we are poised to make a positive impact on the music industry. Below are a few samples using The Beastie Boys, R.E.M., Kanye West, and John Vanderslice. (All of the links are live and clickable). To remain unobtrusive, you can simply turn the Overlays off at anytime, but the links continue to remain live.
http://www.overlay.tv/overlay/1361
http://www.overlay.tv/overlay/1135
http://www.overlay.tv/overlay/47
http://www.overlay.tv/overlay/2120
I look forward to any thoughts, comments, questions and criticisms you may have about the platform. In advance, many thanks. Keep on writing. I’ll keep on reading. Take care.
Simply,
Faisal M Sethi
Overlay.tv
OK Hypebot readers, click around and tell us, Faisal and the Overlay.tv team what you think.
Is the product engaging? Useful? Fun? What would you like to see changed or added?
