Unrivaled mobile services leader Smart Communications (Smart) announced it has renewed its game-changing partnership with the world’s number one music company, MCA Music, Inc., a Universal Music Group International (UMGI) company, to provide even more exciting digital experiences to music fans all over the country.
Since launching their partnership two years ago, Smart and MCA Music have changed the music landscape in the country by being the first to offer convenient and affordable access to music anytime, anywhere via music-streaming service SPINNR.
“Music is a big part of our ’Smart Life’ entertainment proposition, and we’re glad that MCA Music is continuing to partner with us to bring the best mobile music experience to millions of users nationwide through SPINNR,” said Ariel Fermin, EVP and Head of Consumer Business at Smart. “As a pioneer in the digital music industry in the Philippines, SPINNR has helped change the behavior of music fans nationwide by giving them affordable and legitimate access to all the music that they love.”
The MCA Music – Smart partnership is a big boost to the music industry, particularly in making music downloads more affordable and accessible to everyone thru SPINNR,” added Ricky Ilacad, CEO at MCA Music. “We feel that music fans are the biggest winners in this partnership because of the ‘money-can’t-buy experiences’ that MCA Music and Smart have been giving them- VIP Concert tickets and Meet & Greet sessions with the biggest artists.”
Boosting digital music sales
As the first music streaming service to debut in the Philippines, SPINNR has enabled users to experience listening to their favorite songs on their smartphones wherever they want, at just the tap of a finger on the screen.
The service likewise tore down the steep barrier preventing access to the latest digital services by allowing users to pay for their song purchases or streaming subscriptions using their prepaid loads or charge it on top their postpaid accounts—a definite first in the country.
This meant they don’t have to be credit card holders in order to gain access to the music service, thereby opening an entire ecosystem of services to more Filipinos nationwide.
This innovative payment system has helped in boosting the digital sales of local and international artists through music downloads and streaming subscriptions. Downloads and streaming has in fact contributed to the 6.9 percent growth in digital music revenues worldwide, which stood at $6.9 billion in 2014, or almost half of all global music sales, according to a recent report by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
“SPINNR is a big instrument in promoting legitimate music downloads as basically anyone can download their favorite music without the use of credit cards or any complicated payment schemes,” Ilacad added.
Complete music experience
With the renewal of the multi-year partnership, millions of music fans across the country can expect a ramped-up music experience that extends beyond listening to songs to the latest concerts by the biggest foreign and local acts, fly-offs to watch concerts in other countries, exclusive backstage access and meet-and-greet opportunities, as well as the latest merchandise from their favorite musical acts.
Since 2013, the partnership between Smart and MCA Music through SPINNR has brought the biggest names in international music to the Philippines, including the likes of Rihanna, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Madonna, Sam Smith, and Maroon 5, among many others.
SPINNR has also been instrumental in bringing fan-favorites such as 5 Seconds of Summer, 1975, The Vamps, Us The Duo, and Imagine Dragons closer to their multitude of Filipino fans.
“SPINNR has always been about the total music experience—not just being able to listen to music on your phones. With the renewal of our partnership with MCA Music, Filipino fans can expect more and even more unique experiences from their favorite artists with the help of SPINNR,” added Mellissa Limcaoco, Innovation and Product Development Group Head at Smart.
The SPINNR app, which kick-started the music streaming revolution in the Philippines, won at the GSMA’s 20th Global Mobile Awards which is dubbed the “Oscars” of the mobile industry.
SPINNR is available as a free downloadable app on Android phones and iPhones, and can be accessed by other internet-capable gadgets like tablets, laptops, and desktops via www.spinnr.ph. Users can log in using their Smart, Talk ‘N Text, or Sun Cellular account or their Facebook account.