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New App is Like a Singing Telegram via Messaging

By Michelle Amodio
TMCnet Contributor

A new app has hit the market that will allow users to send a song clip via messaging, giving the old fashioned singing telegram a bit of a technological makeover.

MSTY, an acronym for “my song to you,” will let users send up to 30-seconds of a song along with a photo and text, thus making your standard “happy birthday” messages a bit more colorful, perhaps even a bit more fun.

The app has been launched in 155 countries across the globe and contains over 2,000 song clips for messengers to choose from, from pop hits to classic tunes.

The app comes from Grant Bovey, former boss of Imagine Homes, who seems rather surprised that such a service doesn’t already exist. While people have always had the option of sending links to YouTube (News - Alert) videos or gifting a playlist via Pandora, a dedicated app specifically crafted to send personalized music-filled messages hasn’t been a service in existence.

"People have always utilized music in a very powerful way, from film and television to advertising. Why can't you send that emotion in a message? It seems very obvious,” said Bovey according to The Telegraph.

The app is completely legit in terms of music licensing as well; MSTY has licensing deals with Universal, Sony and Warner, offering legal access to 22 million songs. It is also integrated with Apple (News - Alert) Music.

This highlights how far we’ve come in terms of digital service offerings. This new world beyond voice, and even text messaging and data access, is referred to as the “fourth wave” of digital services, meaning there is a host of value-added services across a range of verticals. This new model of value-added services enables operators to capitalize on advanced technologies and capabilities, such as cloud, network functions virtualization and APIs.

Perhaps it’s worth nothing that MSTY’s service will not only benefit the users, but music artists as well, giving them an opportunity to drive new revenue through found music that might not otherwise have such exposure.

"We are revitalizing the back catalogues of these record labels," said Bovey. Older songs sent through MSTY will help messengers find or fall in love again with older music.

"MSTY will be able to drive people's decision-making in what they listen to."