Wouldn’t it be great if MTV documented and showcased emerging bands on its television network, instead of making uninspired, irritating reality TV shows? Well if MTV won’t do that, then a new web site that launched this month will. Noisey is a video-based "new music discovery platform" that is profiling new bands and local music scenes from around the world. The site was built using HTML5 and as a result it delivers a visually appealing app-like experience. This could be the future of music TV. I for one hope so, at least.
Noisey, currently in public beta, features mini documentaries of bands alongside videos of live music. I tested Noisey out by viewing the coverage of a young band I discovered via this year’s SXSW Music festival.
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I first discovered the band Yuck via NPR Music’s coverage of SXSW. Yuck is based in London, but is itself a global showcase – members come from London, New Jersey and Hiroshima. They’re a 4-piece who play a melodic and youthful blend of alt rock.
Noisey offers up a 5-part series on Yuck, starting with an introductory mini-documentary. The other 4 parts are mostly live songs, interspersed with commentary from the band and fans.
The interface has links to Yuck’s social media presence – the band is active on both Twitter and Facebook. Yuck also has a blog, which features songs via SoundCloud, videos via YouTube, tour date details, and more.
There’s a lot to like about Noisey. Discovering new music via an Internet version of a music TV network is compelling enough. It’s also truly global, by allowing users to peek inside the music scenes of countries all over the world. Yuck is from England. I also checked out Criolo, an underground hip-hop artist from Sao Paulo in Brazil. "This is rap for real," says a fan on the streets of Sao Paulo in the introductory video, "favela, slums, public housing." Word.
Noisey is curated by the pop culture magazine VICE. It also boasts technical support from Dell and Intel.
If you want to know what a future MTV will look like, it will likely bear a lot of similarity to Noisey. Check it out!
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