Back in 2014, Pioneer DJ released KUVO, their DJ focussed sort of social media thing that allows venues, DJs, and clubbers to all gather in an iPhone as a sort of blood of nightlife activity. It’s a symbiotic thing where everyone connects and exists on one big happy Pioneer DJ focussed world. And KUVO has now had an update that lets DJs post mixes and videos, provided they’re actually uploaded to Youtube or Mixcloud first.
Major update for KUVOTM, our club culture entertainment service –
One-stop social network for hearing DJ mixes and searching club events in your local community
13th March 2018: We’ve significantly updated KUVOTM, our free club culture entertainment service, to create a specialised community-based social network for dance music.
Since its launch in 2014, KUVO has provided a web and mobile-based platform for sharing the playlists of club DJs in real time, and assisted with the fair distribution of royalties to electronic music artists all over the world. With the new features in its updated version, KUVO aims to help energise local club communities by matching clubbers and DJs through the power of the music.
DJs can now post their videos and mixes on KUVO*1 and, in turn, use the community-based social network to promote themselves to fans who may be interested in going to their next gig. So, now it’s easy to hear performances by your favourite selectors and find out when and where they’re next playing live. Use the various new filters and map feature to find parties and events you like the sound of, either in your local area or a city you’re planning to visit. The new KUVO provides a one-stop hub for discovering new music.
DJs can also benefit from using KUVO – promoting themselves by sharing their mixes and details of their upcoming performances with local clubbers, their friends, and people who enjoy the genres of music they play.
The easiest way to prepare mixes for sharing on KUVO is to record them via our professional performance software, rekordbox dj (ver 5.2 or later), using the Live Playlist feature that automatically saves playlists with time stamps. This feature is also enabled when using NXS-GW, the network gateway hardware created for KUVO in 2014, which can be installed by nightclubs. The NXS-GW transmits information about the tracks DJs are playing in the venue to performing rights organisations (PROs) to assist with the fair distribution of royalties to artists. Tying in with the Association for Electronic Music’s Get Played, Get Paid campaign, this helps to support electronic music artists with no additional costs for venues, DJs or clubbers.
Watch our introduction video [link] or find out more about KUVO.
The new version of the KUVO app (iOS ver 3.0) is available for free in the App Store from 13th March 2018.
*1 Video and audio that a KUVO-user DJ has posted to YouTube or Mixcloud.
KEY FEATURES OF KUVO (KUVO APP AND KUVO.COM)
- Club Map: filter event information by your favourite genre and check-in information from venues
Use the Club Map, our dedicated map for clubs and event venues, to find places where DJs and friends you follow on KUVO are checking in or events that match your preferred genres. Search for clubs that suit you based on variables such as profiles of DJs who play there and past DJ mixes/playlists from the venue. Even in unfamiliar places, such as holiday destinations, you can find venues that play the music you love.
- Discover: find new music and DJ mixes
Local mode
Find mixes posted by DJs playing in your local area. Or select another city to discover DJs, parties, events and new clubs.
Global mode
Listen to mixes from DJs around the world. Recent posts with high ratings are recommended to you.
My Feed mode
See more personalised information, such as mixes posted by DJs who you follow. When people you follow mark a mix as a favourite, you can share that information and listen to the mix.
When you’re listening to a mix on KUVO, you can see the playlist if it’s been shared by the DJ, plus information about the DJ’s upcoming gigs. This means you can use KUVO to not only discover new music, but also clubs and parties that match your musical tastes.
KUVO App Specifications
Compatible OS iOS 10 or later Compatible Devices iPhone
I like the idea…
… but it’s massively undersubscribed to be useful at this point. For example, there are a tons of clubs, bars, and DJs local to me (Leeds, UK). But only three clubs are on KUVO, and only one DJ, which for a population that ranks as third biggest in the UK outside of London and Birmingham isn’t good at all.
I can’t actually see anything wrong with the idea and the execution, but it does lack interaction. Unlike other social media platforms, there appears to be no way to message or comment. You can follow DJs and venues, but not engage with them. It’s more of a reference guide or notice board right now, and for it to get any traction, it definitely needs to be more… social because that’s what people are used to. And on Android too, which perhaps is a big part of the problem.
So for me, it needs to be on everyone’s mobile, and promoted far more than it is if it’s to be successful. And that’s going to be an uphill struggle when the world is on other far more established social platforms. For example, The Faversham in Leeds (literally in the middle of student central) has currently got 24 followers on KUVO. On Facebook however, is has 11.5K followers. That’s what Pioneer DJ has to contend with.