{{Short description|Music blog aggregator}} {{Infobox website | logo = Hype Machine.svg | name = Hype Machine | url = http://www.hypem.com | commercial = Yes | type = Music Aggregator | language = English | registration = | owner = Anthony Volodkin | launch_date = 2005 | current_status = active }}
'''Hype Machine''' is a music blog aggregator created by Anthony Volodkin.
==History== Hype Machine was originally a music database created in 2005 by Anthony Volodkin, then a sophomore computer science major at Hunter College.<ref name=cnnmoney>Heilemann, John [https://web.archive.org/web/20061116200620/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/10/01/8387122/index.htm Capturing the buzz] ''CNN Money''. March 15, 2007.</ref> The site was born out of Volodkin's frustration with music magazines and radio stations.<ref name=wired1>Van Buskirk, Eliot [https://www.wired.com/2007/05/the-music-fan-behind-hype-machine-qa-with-anthony-volodkin/ The Music Fan Behind Hype Machine: Q&A With Anthony Volodkin] ''Wired Magazine''. May 28, 2007.</ref> He said, "I discovered MP3 blogs like Stereogum and Music for Robots. I couldn't believe there were people spending their time writing about music, putting up tracks so you could hear them. And I thought, there has to be a way to bring this all together."<ref name=cnnmoney/> In 2005, Volodkin sent his site address to pioneers in the online music domain, including Lucas Gonze of Webjay, in order to gain feedback. Instead of sending a response, Gonze and others posted the link online. Volodkin observed, {{nowrap|"[Hype}} Machine] got launched without ever being launched."<ref name=inc>[http://www.inc.com/30under30/2009/profile_hype_machine.html 30 Under 30 2009: No. 27 Anthony Volodkin] ''Inc.com''.</ref>
In the early-to-mid 2000s, Hype Machine was one of many MP3 blogs which helped establish the development of early blogosphere-related music scenes such as blog rock,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter C. |date=2023-01-04 |title=The Warm Glow of the Blog-Rock Era |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-warm-glow-of-the-blog-rock-era |access-date=2025-07-22 |work=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dombal |first=Ryan |date=2021-05-25 |title=The History of Pitchfork's Reviews Section in 38 Important Reviews |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-history-of-the-pitchfork-reviews-section-in-38-important-reviews/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> blog rap<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-14 |title=Passion Pit's 'Chunk Of Change' EP Turns 10 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2014536/passion-pit-chunk-of-change-turns-10/reviews/the-anniversary/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}</ref> and bloghouse.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abascal |first=Lina |title=How Bloghouse's Sweaty, Neon Reign United the Internet |url=https://www.wired.com/story/how-bloghouse-music-united-the-internet/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bain |first=Katie |date=2021-12-03 |title=How Did Bloghouse Happen? A New Book Tracks The Genre's Rise Off the Internet & Onto Sweaty Dancefloors |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bloghouse-book-lina-abascal-justice-hypemachine-chromeo-1235005191/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>
Hype Machine had an advertising partnership with BuzzMedia until 2014, when it switched to Townsquare Media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wauters |first=Robin |date=31 May 2010 |title=BUZZMEDIA Signs Up 6 Major Music Sites, Including The Hype Machine And RCRD LBL |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/05/31/buzzmedia-expansion/ |access-date=2014-07-25 |work=TechCrunch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=aflanagan |date=2014-02-05 |title=Hype Machine Partners with Townsquare Media, Departing SpinMedia |url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/5893958/hype-machine-partners-with-townsquare-media-departing |access-date=2014-07-25 |magazine=Billboard |format=Text}}</ref>
==Site structure== Hype Machine's structure has been described as an "amalgamation of Pandora Radio and Pitchfork Media".<ref name=inc/> It aggregates the most recently posted songs from a selection of music blogs (about 800) and lists them on the website's main page.<ref name="wired.com">Van Buskirk, Eliot [https://www.wired.com/listening_post/2008/03/friends-can-tra/ Friends Can Track Each Others' Listening Habits on Hype Machine] ''Wired''. March 28, 2008.</ref> Users have the ability to "love" songs, which saves the song to their Loved List. The site has thirteen different genres to select music from. Users can also select the "Latest" tracks from categories including "Freshest", "Remixes Only", "No Remixes", and blogs in the user's country. Hype Machine also provides a full directory of the blogs from which their database of music is derived. Additionally, Hype Machine maintains a Popular List for the last three days and the previous week, both of which are determined by the number of "loves" given to each song by users. In 2007, the site introduced the Music Blog Zeitgeist, which aggregates music bloggers' annual "Best of" lists, as well as using their own data to create lists of the top 50 artists, albums, and songs for the year.<ref>[https://www.wired.com/listening_post/2008/01/hype-machine-au/ Hype Machine Merges Bloggers' "Best of 2007" Music Lists] ''Wired''. January 29, 2008.</ref> In March 2008, the site added a Listening History section, which allows users to see what songs their friends have recently listened to.<ref name="wired.com"/>
Above each song are provided links to online music retailers such as eMusic, Amazon, and iTunes, allowing users to purchase the track. The commission from each sale serves as one of the main revenue streams for Hype Machine.<ref name=cnnmoney/> In January 2010, The Hype Machine partnered with SoundCloud, allowing labels to provide music bloggers with new and pre-released tracks.<ref>Butcher, Mike [https://techcrunch.com/2010/01/25/soundcloud-teams-up-with-hype-machine-to-service-music-bloggers-better/ Soundcloud teams up with Hype Machine to service music bloggers better] ''TechCrunch''. January 25, 2010.</ref>
==Apps== Hype Machine released an iPhone application on May 11, 2011, and a Blackberry 10 version in 2013.<ref>[http://blog.hypem.com/2011/05/hype-radio-iphone-app-%E2%80%94-out-now/ The Hype Machine iPhone application] May 11, 2011.</ref>
==Reception== Hype Machine's traffic has grown steadily since its launch in 2005.<ref>[http://the99percent.com/articles/6376/anthony-volodkin-why-steep-learning-curves-are-worth-it Anthony Volodkin: Why Steep Learning Curves Are Worth It] ''The 99 Percent''.</ref> It has been profiled by CNN, ''Wired'', and ''The Guardian''.<ref name=cnnmoney/><ref name=wired1/><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/mar/24/internet.music Bloggers' banquet: For new and old music believe the Hype Machine] ''The Guardian''. March 24, 2007.</ref> It was named to ''The Guardian'''s list of 100 essential websites of 2009, one of four music-oriented sites to receive mention.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/dec/09/best-websites-internet The 100 essential websites] ''The Guardian''. December 9, 2009.</ref> Fred Wilson called the site "the best thing to happen to music since the Rolling Stones" and the "Technorati for music".<ref name=cnnmoney/> Gawker Media founder Nick Denton called the site "the future of all media".<ref name=cnnmoney/>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://hypem.com/ }} *[http://blog.hypem.com/ Official blog] *[http://hypem.com/iphone/ Official iPhone App] *[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hypem.android/ Official Android app]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hype Machine}} Category:American music websites Category:Online music and lyrics databases Category:Internet properties established in 2008 Category:2008 establishments in New York City