English band The Who are releasing a smartphone app targeted to younger fans, following publishing of their 50th anniversary compilation. They have also sent word about their intention to release application for an Oculus Rift in 2015. The Who app can be downloaded for free for iOS and Android, and it gets user into virtual museum with the streams of the band’s songs which can be listened accessing music services like Spotify. Every song in its area has small exhibits, presented lyrics and a link where fans can buy the song.
Although the app is a bit confusing, it carries an interesting idea how to design an interactive music content. Creator of is Immersive, which developed this app on account of the band. It’s not known how much members of The Who were put in making app.
Lead singer of The Who, Roger Daltrey said that he doesn’t like smartphones much but he didn’t deny importance of new technologies in entertainment and education. He thinks that the music industry have to take advantage of each available method to bring close the music closer to the fans.
“This app will hopefully teach our newer, younger fans everything they might want to know of our history, and hopefully unearth some odds and sods for our older ones.” said Daltrey.
An Oculus Rift app, which is planned to be ready early next year, will give more immersive experience. According to The Guardian, which had opportunity to take an early look at it, this VR app takes user to the Who-themed world where it’s possible to see a magic bus, a Soho doorway, and lot of bullseyes. In this world song lyrics appear around observer, and at some point it’s enabled to manage how to hear a music by moving head close to instruments that are floating around. It’s even possible that developer will add an area where the user could fly around a pinball scene as if he were a ball.
The Oculus Rift app will have its price, reports The Guardian. With this app The Who placed themselves among the first bands opened for virtual reality, but some others have already tried it out. Earlier this year J-Pop artist Kumi Koda released a wild Oculus Rift experience, and Beck’s concert is available VR version.
