White Widget Team is known for delivering holistic, award-winning software solutions across diverse sectors such as transport, healthcare, and media, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to digital innovation, since the company was founded in 2012.
Case Study
Award-winning music app for one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Bob Dylan
Last Updated on June 10, 2024by White Widget Team
We craft software for rock stars and Nobel prize winners, like Bob. Can we jam with you?
It’s not every day that we are asked to develop the official app for a powerhouse music legend like Bob Dylan. Every single line of code we wrote had a layer of tension baked in, as this was the first software ever written solely for this artist. For the uninitiated, Bob Dylan has won over 8 Grammy awards and the Nobel prize for literature, and was notoriously analog in his choice of mediums, until now. It wasn’t just an app for Bob Dylan, it would be a first for this music legend.
1
Award-winning App
Web App
Custom Development
iOS Native App
Working in partnership with the fantastic multimedia team at relentlessGenerator, White Widget’s team developed an interactive app that would hit #1 in App Store in 19 countries, that was featured in USA Today, Billboard and The Guardian’s list of Best Apps. Winning awards like the Clio, and nominated for a Webby, it was truly ground-breaking in the digital music world, as it was one of the first apps that would reveal more content based on what tracks were recognised in the user’s iTunes music library.
2
iTunes Music Integration
Since the app held exclusive content, this content would only be revealed if the app detected the user already owned the Bootlegs album via iTunes Music. It was likely the first music app of its kind that offered that kind of unlocking experience to its fans. White Widget had to write custom code and work through integration issues, but it was all worth it when we heard from Sony that the app made ROI many times over, thanks to the love of fans for Bob Dylan’s timeless music.
3
Core Features
This interactive app experience offered a cornucopia of never-before-seen content; gorgeous, side-scrolling timelines you could interact with, karaoke lyrics, video interviews from Bob Dylan and the people who influenced his music, and troves of rare content and curated photos. It’s no wonder that the Bootlegs album (and its timeless lyrics) will forever be stuck in our heads. On top of software development, White Widget painstakingly fixed karaoke timings, served extremely high grade audio, and perfected photo layouts.
“Using the latest in media technology, we were able to bring the music and the artist to life in a truly tangible and personal environment.” said Christian Schraga, VP of Digital Marketing for Columbia Records in a statement. “It was about adding new dimension to a familiar icon by creating innovative digital experiences that engaged fans of all generations.”
Did you know?
The dev team accidentally memorized the karaoke lyrics since we had to refine the timings hundreds of times.
David Navarette, Sony Music
I was impressed by White Widget's ability to iterate and problem solve on the go. They offer solutions instead of just waiting for directives.”
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