Instagram Launches Official Music Account

Instragram has launched their first official account dedicated to music and musicians. The new, internally-run @music account will post on a variety of music-related content, and feature profiles of emerging and established musicians from all around the world. The move marks an interesting new direction for the photo-sharing service, which for the first time appears to be actively cultivating a community based on the specific interests of its users.

Operated by Instagram music editor Alex Suskind, the newly-minted account will post six times a week, with content divided between a series of designated hashtags. #LocallySourced will shine the spotlight on unsigned acts, #DoubleTrack will cover musician’s interests outside of music, and #15SecondLessons will feature video tutorials on "everything from riffs to drumbeats".

Posts so far include brief interviews with social media-fiend DJ Questlove and up-and-coming Japanese rock band Tricot. The account will also feature the work of music photographers, album illustrators, instrument makers and fans.

An official music account does seem like a good fit for the service, with many of its most popular accounts belonging to famous musicians. According to a statement by Instagram founder and CEO Kevin Systrom, "For the past four years, we have become the home for artists big and small — a place where people across the musical spectrum come to share stories, reveal their creativity and connect directly with fans."

Assuming the account is successful — and 27,000 followers in less than a day suggests that it might be — it could potentially open the door for a whole range of official channels covering things like food, movies, fashion and of course, cat photos. It also seems like a smart way for the service to attract targeted advertising — although according to coverage at TechCrunch, there are currently no plans to include ads in the @music account.