Creating Placebo's Music Catalogue on tvOS
How could we bring to life Placebo’s catalogue on Apple TV’s premiere tvOS service?
Kobalt Music Group is an independent rights management and music publishing company. Kobalt has developed an online portal to provide royalty income and activity to artists and allow them to manage their rights and royalties directly. Kobalt, representing Placebo, approached Conjure to develop a tvOS app for the launch of Apple TV launch. Placebo were the first artist to have an Apple TV app as part of celebrating the 20th anniversary of their eponymous debut album.
“This new technology will present Placebo’s catalogue in an entirely new way, giving the fans something unique in a space controlled by the artist.”
Paul Hitchman, President of Kobalt Label Services
A vision realised
We had the exclusive opportunity to develop an application specifically for the innovative Apple TV, with the rare advantage of working directly with the hardware before its official release. In a close collaboration with Kobalt Label Services, the Placebo app was created to bring the band's artistic endeavours into the homes of both existing and prospective fans.This app serves as a complete library of Placebo's extensive back catalogue, providing users with access to videos spanning the band's two-decade career, including content from their seven studio albums. The collection features not only single promo videos but also live show previews and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.
A comprehensive back story in digital
The app prioritises a seamless, immersive experience for Placebo fans, offering a lean-back experience on TV.
It features distinct 'channels' for each album and a shuffle option across the entire catalogue. Users can explore albums through video mixes and choose to continue the track listing or explore related content like live versions or B-sides. The goal was to provide a simple, user-friendly, and innovative way for users to delve deep into Placebo's catalogue.
Exclusive content, carefully curated by Kobalt’s curation experts, enhances engagement and represents the selected album or period. The initial version focused on a quick, achievable concept which soon expanded.