There are few musical inventions that have stood the test of time like the jukebox.
It debuted in San Francisco on November 23, 1889 at the Palais Royal Saloon in San Francisco and went on to become an image of Americana that still endures today.
Believe it or not, the piece of machinery was just an altered Edison phonograph.
Louis Glass and William S. Arnold added a coin slot to the Thomas Edison invention and the “nickel-in-the-slot phonograph” as it was known, became an instant hit. Within a year, about 15 of these machines existed and it’s said that they brought in somewhere close to $4000. In 1890. That would equate to 121,560 US dollars today.
Fast-forward 132 years and there’s a new version of this classic listening device that is being offered not only for the listeners’ enjoyment, but as an additional revenue stream for bands and charities alike.
Juke is a new online tool that allows fans to request songs from bands, either in real time or before the show, and have those requests be played in a live setting.
The structure is simple.
A band can enter a list of songs for fans to choose from to Juke’s website or app, then the fans can request which of those songs they’d like to hear by leaving a “tip.”
Tip amounts can vary depending on the artist or the event, and that isn’t the only part of the equation that lends flexibility to the artist. According to Jordan Knight, who handles Sales and Marketing in the Nashville market, it’s a breeze for those looking to use the platform. “The App is free to the artist and can be used as often or little as wanted,” he says. “The performer receives 90% of tips each week on Tuesday via Venmo or Paypal.”
The idea originated one evening as Founder/CEO Griffin Eaton watched a friend play at a venue in the Midwest. “I was at a brewery with my girlfriend and we were watching our friend sing his original music. He was incredibly talented and after an hour I really wanted him to play a song I was familiar with. We all love the familiar,” he explains. “His originals were great but I hadn’t heard them and I would have loved to listen to his take on a cover.”
Eaton didn’t request a song that night. He didn’t have cash on him and he didn’t know what covers his friend knew so to avoid being rude, he decided to keep his request at bay. But something else happened that night. An idea was born.
Eaton didn’t hesitate with his new idea. “Planning did not take long,” he says. “The next thing I did was interview my friends about what they want when listening to live music. Not being an artist, I then tracked down six singers I kinda knew to interview them about their motivations and desires. Still convinced there might be a product here that could serve both parties, I worked with a band on a prototype.
“So we set up at a bar on a Sunday afternoon soon after. I printed out the list of all the songs the band knew. I was sitting off to the side so it was less intimidating to request a song with a credit card reader. I also brought my TV so guests could see the powerpoint and put in their request.”
The experiment went well and after the show, Eaton knew he was ready to build it out.
“Three out of every four groups of people that came in that afternoon requested a song,” he adds.
Juke has indeed grown into a reality and the process has been consolidated for ease from both sides of the stage.
“It is super simple,” Knight says with excitement. “You can scan the QR code displayed prominently at an event or go to Juke.band. Fans will find a full listing of Juke shows broken down by the day. Select the show and choose a song from the list. Then you just click request and enter the tip amount. The request will be updated immediately and it is viewable by the artist. Fans will also be able to see which songs other fans have requested and boost the vote, as well.”
Early adoption is always a hurdle for new ideas, but Juke got a big shot in the arm when Umphrey’s McGee decided to use the platform for its recent hometown show in South Bend, Indiana. Knight explains that this particular event showcased the flexibility that artists have with Juke.
“The Umphrey’s Mcgee show was amazing. We presented the band with the idea of letting the fans choose the encore for their South Bend show on 11/14 and they loved it. Keyboardist Joel Cummins grew up in the area and volunteered for South Bend Center for the Homeless while in college, so the fit was natural. Together, Umphrey’s McGee and Juke were able to raise over $6,000 for that charity in 6 days. As a surprise to everyone, UM not only played the top request, “You and You Alone,” they played numbers two and three as well. This was the first time that they performed this trio of songs consecutively. It was a full 30 extra minutes just as a thank you to the fans,” Knight explains.
“The app was designed to help working musicians make more money for their live performances or in the case of Umphrey’s, a way to raise awareness and take action for non-profits,” Knight adds. “We are seeing an average of a 15-25% bump (over a week) to an artist’s base pay on the shows they are already playing when they use Juke.”
Plans are in the works for venues to work with the company, as well. At least one venue has signed on in both the Knoxville and Nashville markets at this point.
When asked what the goals are for Juke, Knight referenced the company’s commitment to keeping the artists’ wishes first.
“It doesn’t cost the artist anything and they can choose to use it when they want,” he explains. “When we discuss anything in relevance to this project, we always ask, ‘Does this benefit the artist?’ If it doesn’t then we need to rethink it.”
For artists looking to sign up, it’s simple.
“We send the band a package with QR codes and signage and let them run with it as much as they feel comfortable,” explains Knight. “Mention it while you’re on stage and people can request songs in real time. Or you can do it all beforehand and know what to rehearse.”
While the program lends itself to jam bands with large catalogs and cover bands, it also appeals to artists of all kinds. “It will give artists a lot of data over time. It will tell you which songs people in a certain region of the country want to hear. You can set up a list by the show and it can be used as little or as much as you want. Umphrey’s let their fans choose their encore, which is a big deal to their fans. With bands who aren’t quite that big and throw in a cover every now and then, it’s a good opportunity to interact with the fans and see what they want to hear from you. You can also do a list of all original songs, of course…maybe throw some rare songs on there that people don’t get to hear very often,” he continues.
“You can really find out what your fans are excited about. And after someone requests a song, it takes the fan to a linktree that features the artist’s upcoming shows and/or music, if that’s what the artist wants.”
“Our mission is to make it easier for musicians to monetize their talents,” concludes Eaton. Our immediate goal is to track our progress towards that mission, and iterate our offering to improve the value we bring artists.”
Anyone interested can reach out to Jordan@juke.band for more information.
