The American rock band, whose sounds have filled the cassettes and ears of listeners for over two decades, updated their app for fans to connect to their recently released album, The Getaway.
Once their guitar riffs and bass-slapping hits your ears, the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a rock band that requires no introduction. The characteristic oscillation between funk rap and melodic choruses in their songs continue to pervade car stereos across the world and some songs have become synonymous with roadtrippin’ itself.
The success of their globally-acclaimed album Californication (1999) revolves around many factors including the return of lead guitarist John Frusciante, the explicit commentary on “manufactured” Hollywood, and the turn of audio technology as cassettes were swapped with CDs and headphones. The switch to CDs allowed for better sound stability and noise reduction which suited the funky interweaving guitar and bass notes for which RHCP is best known. The Chili Peppers wanted to capitalize on tech trends in the same revolutionary way as they dropped their album The Getaway and an update to their mobile app couldn’t have been better timed. The app allows fans to listen to and download live shows, check tour dates, connect with other users geographically, relive throwback photo albums, and buy RHCP merchandise. Hey if it worked once, you can’t stop right?
21st Century (Stadium Arcadium, 2006)
A lot has changed since the release of their self-titled album in 1984 and though the Chili Peppers continue to deliver the funky breakdowns and rock solos of old that fans love, don’t say that they haven’t adapted with the times. The Red Hot Chili Peppers app, powered by Mobile Roadie, is all about using tech and music to connect like-minded fans. It hosts easy to navigate links (think: no drop down menus) to news, tour dates, videos, throwback and show photos, merchandise, and tickets.
One of the best utilizations of the RHCP app is its geofencing feature. When users walk into a declared geographic area, the app notifies them with a push notification about events like a new album sale or an upcoming signing. If there’s one thing that RHCP fans have in common, it’s that they hate pushy things. Mobile Roadie developed geofencing as a passive feature that runs in the background and you can choose whether to get an alert when you’re near the designated location. It’s the perfect way for people who love a random dose of the Chili Peppers to reconnect with the band’s music.
When RHCP came to Mobile Roadie in May to update their app, it was natural to want to promote The Getaway simultaneously. Mobile Roadie assigned a dedicated development team to monitor a push queue so that on June 17th, the album’s release date, 600,000 push notifications were sent to fans all over the world. The long-time partnership between the two entities paid off dividends as the album debuted at No. 1 on the Top Selling Albums chart and the RHCP app officially records 252,475 downloads on iOs and 66,333 on Android.
Encore (The Getaway, 2016)
The RHCP app highlights how a good mobile artist application can complement something such as an upcoming show or a new album. It’s a collaborative effort between the band and Mobile Roadie to not only execute a well-timed delivery of services but also schedule continuous maintenance for their increasing fan base. A concerted effort with effective communications should leave you, your audience, and their ears happy.
What’s your favorite feature of the RHCP app? Should they add a lyrics section? Did you love the new album? Leave a comment to let us know how diehard of a Chili Peppers fan you are!