Music industry pioneer and front man of The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, today (January 24, 2011) announced the iTunes App Store launch of BEP360, an iPad, iPhone and iPod touch app that immerses fans in a 360 degree universe of the legendary music group. The new app will not only bring Chicago fans, but music fans from all over the world into a new stage of technology with music acts.
Throughout The Black Eyed Peas touring, collabortions, and promotions, will.i.am somehow found the time to take part in creating an entierly new form of music video. Featuring the world’s first 360-degree view music video (“The Time 360”), BEP360 features the song “The Time (Dirty Bit),” the first single from the bands sixth studio album, The Beginning which was released via Interscope Records on November 26, 2010. The single's original video can be viewed to the left.
The song samples the chorus from Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' Oscar-winning 1987 hit ballad "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from the movie Dirty Dancing. will.i.am might have been on a 1980's kick when creating songs last year because "Check It Out" samples The Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star," which is a collaboration with Nicki Minaj released in 2010.
will.i.am and Nicki Minaj release video for "Check It Out" (Video)
It will be nice to see if The Black Eyed Peas 2011 tour, which has yet to be announced, will somehowlink with a new will.i.app. The last time The Black Eyed Peas were in Chicago was August 13, 2010 at Allstate Arena. They also played Oprah's 2009 kick-off show in Chicago which brought on the largest single city flash mob dance to The Black Eyed Peas re-mixed song 'I Gotta Feeling'.
Flash Mob Dance Participant Insight for Oprah Kick-off Show
BEP360 is the first release from will.i.apps, will.i.am’s new digital media production entity dedicated to pioneering and producing application-based entertainment experiences. BEP360 is the first in a line of upcoming applications that will converge the worlds of creativity, music and advanced digital technologies.
Thirty years after the first music video aired on MTV, the will.i.apps team has reinvented how fans can be further immersed in the world of their favorite artists by pointing and swinging an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad around a 360-degree axis that then changes the point of view. An entirely new form of music video, BEP360 uses digital teleportation to take fans deeper inside the world of The Black Eyed Peas. A demo of BEP360 app featuring The Black Eyed Peas and the making-of behind the scenes video can be seen at: http://www.williapps.com.
“will.i.apps and the BEP360 app have been established to help artists tap into the potential of our hyper-connected mobile world and bring fans deeper inside the music far beyond a four minute audio recording. It’s a unique and completely new way to experience 360 degree music immersion that will bring artists and fans closer together,” said will.i.am.
Key Features of BEP360
- · Point iPad, iPhone and iPod touch device at the cover artwork of the band’s latest album, The Beginning (Interscope Records) and watch augmented reality take form with BEP avatars dancing to the beat
- Direct a virtual photo session with Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap & Taboo allowing users to capture their own shots and share them.
- Direct a virtual photo session with Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap & Taboo allowing users to capture their own shots and share them.
- Stay up to date on everything about the Peas via an aggregated Twitter feed
- Play an addictive Peas-inspired puzzle game
- View pictures and comments posted by other BEP360 app users on a virtual earth
will.i.apps partnered with Metaio to facilitate the cutting edge augmented reality experience bringing the Peas into the fans world. 3D360, the technology leader in 3D360 video was also part of the team that pioneered this ground breaking platform allowing capture, and then play back of the unique 360 degree video. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to allow fans to get closer to The Black Eyed Peas and realize will.i.am’s vision of the first mobile 3D360 music video,” commented 3D360 CEO Myles McGovern.
Is this app something you will purchase? The cost for the BEP360 app is $2.99. Leave comments below about what you think of will.i.am new music industry venture!
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