The Recording Academy® and CBS launched the GRAMMY® Live app prior to the THE 55TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS® and offered music fans what they called, “unprecedented, multiplatform access to all the VIP and backstage events leading up to and throughout (the show).”
GRAMMY® Live app
The good news: GRAMMY Live began Friday, Feb. 8, at 2:00 PM, PT, at GRAMMY.com, CBS.com and on the GRAMMY Live mobile apps for iOS and Android™, and continued through the live telecast on Sunday, Feb. 10 (8:00 – 11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The app worked great, was loaded with multimedia content and interesting information.
The only bad news: West Coast viewers accessing the list of nominees during the show were greeted with the full list of winners before they were announced on the air. Major spoiler. Big bummer.
In all fairness, it could have been because the app was not able to be localized and timed for regional release of information. This is not an easy task, so we won’t complain too loudly, however it was a bit of a buzz kill for an app that really works well and delivers on so many levels.
Despite this glitch, the app was hugely successful for CBS. “Our aim is to deliver a digital experience worthy of Music’s Biggest Night® and bring music fans more of what they want,” said Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Entertainment, News and Sports for CBS Interactive. “Judging by the 13 million social comments and 1 million unique viewers that tuned in to GRAMMY Live online and on mobile devices last year, fans want a second-screen experience that brings them closer to their favorite musical acts and gives them an opportunity to truly take part in GRAMMY events.”
According to a statement issued earlier this week, “GRAMMY Live will also give fans access to exclusive GRAMMY Week events including the MusiCares® Person of the Year gala honoring Bruce Springsteen and hosted by Jon Stewart, the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception, the Pre-GRAMMY Gala and the official GRAMMY Celebration afterparty. In addition, GRAMMY Live will feature exclusive interviews with various artists from the GRAMMY telecast rehearsals, backstage “thank you” cams and an exclusive performance from CBS.com’s ‘GRAMMY Live: The Gig of a Lifetime’ contest winners, Birmingham, Ala.-based rockers Within Reason.”
GRAMMY Live content is available free at Grammy’s Official Site, CBS.com and the GRAMMY Live mobile apps for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and Android devices.
GRAMMY Live Technology Partners include AEG Digital Media, Mass Relevance‘s social curation visualizer, Akamai’s (www.akamai.com) global distribution HD network for live streaming and video on demand, Acquia (www.acquia.com), Drupal (www.drupal.com), Lullabot (www.lullabot.com) and Ooyala (www.ooyala.com).