Alone or in the club: Virtual jukebox app spins back after laying new tracks as a social experience

Former music promoter Adell Hendon said he knew he couldn’t keep the turnup going forever on his own. Now the Kansas City native is helping other people party even longer with his socially-interactive virtual jukebox app — YouSpin.

“I used to throw a lot of parties with DJs and even independent artists — a lot of hip hop artists in Kansas City,” he explained. “I decided to do something different because I knew that wasn’t going to necessarily last.”

Hendon is officially launching a major update to the app – YouSpin Anywhere — 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.  Aug. 12 at The Ship, 1221 Union Street.

Click here to explore YouSpin and its features.

Because of the pandemic, the app has pivoted. Hendon originally had the idea for the app about 10 years ago when he noticed a problem with the club scene.

“Especially in Kansas City, there’d be slow nights — Monday through Thursday sometimes,” he said. “So I was like, ‘Hey, what if we made an app that would allow people to pick and play music at their favorite bar or club right from their phones, and it would come from the sound system. Maybe we could add a chat so that people could talk amongst each other and just break the ice and things like that and create their own music experience in the bar.’”

After its development, the app began to take off in local clubs and bars, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, people started staying home. YouSpin Anywhere provided a solution.

Instead of going to a club, users can create a virtual club that can be shared with friends and family anywhere. Once the link is shared, anyone can add songs to the playlist, chat, and upload photos in the club. Everyone can contribute to the party experience from anywhere in the world.

“So it’s almost like Zoom, but for music,” he explained. “You can hear the music in real time. This is the only time you’ve ever seen a music streaming app that allows you to play music together in real time, so we’re really proud of that.”

It also works if you are in the same space. For example, he said, if you’re having a house party and someone wants to play their music, you don’t have to switch devices.

“We can use one phone, one auxiliary cord,” he added. “Then everyone can tune in and pick songs and hear. It’s pretty incredible.”

The app, which still offers its original DJ mode, is free to download and to connect to clubs. To create their own virtual clubs and parties, users can subscribe through the YouSpin website for $2.99 per month.

The app spins a wide variety of music, Hendon said.

“(We’ve got) all types of genres: pop music, hip hop, R&B, rock, reggae, Afro beats, Bollywood,” he continued. “We’re trying to make it a global thing.”

He also wants to use the app to boost independent artists.

“They can release new albums on there,” he added. “They can connect with their fans on there, do listening parties, that kind of thing. We’re trying to do something different in the music industry and especially with music streaming.”

In order to legally play music from various artists on YouSpin, Hendon said, he must follow industry guidelines and uses legal umbrellas through BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) and ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers).

Although the app has been largely bootstrapped, Hendon received proof-of-concept funding from Digital Sandbox KC in 2016 and is currently working on applying for more funding.

The app’s features will be on full display at the launch party. Although there will be two DJs — DJ Prismada and DJ Leonightus — providing entertainment to open and close the night, the main event will be the virtual club created for the party. The goal is to get as many people as possible to download the app, join the club, and contribute by picking songs, Hendon said. 

Attendees are encouraged to share the virtual club with others around the world.

“It’s not just going to be people at the event themselves,” he said. “We have a club in Mexico that we’re going to be connecting with. It’s called the Gusto. It’s in Puerto Vallarta and they are going to tune in.”

An app like this is needed, he said, especially during the ongoing pandemic, so people can stay connected.

“How can I give the world an opportunity to have fun wherever they’re at with music?” he added. “That’s what it is. That’s what I created.”

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This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

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