BBC Sound Index - a great new way of tracking internet music buzz

Music charts have been changing to incorporate downloads, but with Myspace, YouTube and LastFM etc do they really give an accurate picture of what's hot in music?

The BBC are seeking to address this with their new 'BBC Sound Index' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/soundindex). Every six hours the BBC Sound Index "crawls some of the biggest music sites on the internet - Bebo, MySpace, Last.FM, iTunes, Google and YouTube - to find out what people are writing about, listening to, watching, downloading and logging on to. It then counts and analyses this data to make an instant list of the most popular 1000 artists and tracks on the web. The more blog mentions, comments, plays, downloads and profile views an artist or track has, the higher up the Sound Index they are. So, the Sound Index is a music buzz index controlled entirely by the public."

BBC Sound index - top global tracks across all sites crawled

On top of seeing the total picture, it is then possible to filter the BBC Sound Index data to reflect activity on particular sites or activity within different music styles:

BBC Sound index - top UK tracks by views on YouTube

There is also the ability to filter information by age, sex or geographic location (US, UK and 'Other'):

BBC Sound index - top UK artists across all sites crawled


BBC Sound index - top tracks filtered by 'men' across all sites crawled

This BBC Sound Index is currently in Beta mode and over time the BBC aim to enhance the Sound Index by, amongst other things, developing a weighting system, "to allow the more active forms of interaction to contribute more heavily to the Sound Index."

The BBC Sound Index is yet another example of how buzz tracking tools are quickly developing and is the latest in a list of tools that can be used to track buzz and what online communities are saying. With the Sound Index the BBC has stolen a march on others (this could have sat well within Google / Yahoo! etc) and if the Sound Index is promoted / developed properly it could be a major draw to the BBC online music pages. As the Guardian says "don't bet against the enormously usable Sound Index establishing itself as the first definitive music chart for the internet age."

Bebo OpenMedia / Open Media presentation at BAFTA in London - final live blog update!

Panel debate with BBC, Premium TV, AJAX, Endemol and Turner.

Open Media partner content is found through the discovery area on Bebo which means users will not feel invaded. 'Open Media' is open to everyone, not just big producers - long tail content is just as welcome.

Feeling that development in social networks content has only just started - chances for walk-on parts, characters crossing from online film to traditional programs and vice versa, qualifying competitions for X Factor / Big Brother etc

Joanna Shields sees Facebook and Bebo playing different roles. She sees Facebook is a communications utility, Bebo as a platform for self expression and content discovery.

"Aren't Bebo giving too much away?" No, making it a more interesting place for users will work in the long run - more users staying longer will lead to higher CPMs across the site + improved stickiness = more opportunities for advertisers.

For BBC it's about choice and relevance and this platform helps them to connect with youth audiences.

ITV conspicuous by their absence but 25 different partners have been signed up in a very short space of time.

Feeling that content that is unique will work better than 'repackaged old tat.' Content creators need to think about this environment and there are signs that they are starting to do this now. Feeling that Bebo gives a great platform for unique, youth targeted video content.

Presentations are now over and Jamie Cullum has started!

He 'loves Bebo' and is very appreciative though disappointed that he wasn't allowed to 'play with a Bafta.'

Nick Burcher writes: "Bebo's Open Media announcement was made through a well produced event and is a really interesting development. Content producers have a great opportunity to distribute and monetise their content in a new way - especially as they can use their own players inside Bebo. Signs are they will embrace this opportunity and the success of productions like KateModern demonstrate what can happen if they get it right."

Thank you Bebo for inviting me!

I blogged about this event in 3 parts:

Part 1 is here -
http://www.nickburcher.com/2007/11/bebo-presentation-at-bafta-in-london.html

Part 2 is here -
http://www.nickburcher.com/2007/11/bebo-presentation-update-number-2.html

Bebo presentation update number 2 - Joanna Shields announces Bebo's new Open Media platform!

Big film now with vox pops and a voiceover talking stats! Highlighting the 25m views in 3 months for Kate Modern and the folllow ups - Sofia's Diary and Gap Year.

Joanna Shields, President international, Bebo now speaking and announcing 'Open Media' + showing the new look as Bebo has been completely redesigned / relaunched today.

Users are spending 35-40 minutes per day, 40 million users WW and biggest site in UK. Audience use Bebo to engage with content.

BBC, Sky, MTV, Endemol, Yahoo, Last FM, Turner, Sony and lots of other people are partnering Bebo.

Partners will get free and open access to Bebo platform to distribute content as they see fit through free branded channels. Media companies can do what they want with these channels, can pre-roll clips and keep ad revenue. User interactions and favourites spread
virally through users network.

Benefits users, content providers and Bebo. The audience were invited to liberate content and find new ways to engage users online.

PA now from Remi Nicole!

I blogged about this event in 3 parts:

Part 1 is here - http://www.nickburcher.com/2007/11/bebo-presentation-at-bafta-in-london.html

Part 3 is here - http://www.nickburcher.com/2007/11/bebo-open-media-presentation-at-bafta.html

Bebo presentation at BAFTA in London - live blogging!

I have never tried to live blog before but I am at Bafta for a Bebo event and thought now would be the ideal time to try!

So having made our way through the rain, we are now inside BAFTA and are filing into the main theatre. 6 chairs are on stage for what looks like a panel discussion and musical instruments have been set up for the forthcoming live PA's including Jamie Cullum!

I have been hanging out with Kate Modern and her cast and have just seen actors from the latest production Sofia's diary. They have been whisked away now, but there is a buzz of anticipation!

Good start!

*I blogged about this event in 3 parts:

Part 2 is here -
http://www.nickburcher.com/2007/11/bebo-presentation-update-number-2.html

Part 3 is here - http://www.nickburcher.com/2007/11/bebo-open-media-presentation-at-bafta.html