Instagram Launches Official Music Account

The photo sharing app has moved into curated content.
Tom Clift
Published on April 30, 2015

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".

Instagram

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.

Published on April 30, 2015 by Tom Clift
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