Why Bandsintown Integrated Stream Chat Into Its New Live Stream Service, Bandsintown PLUS
Blog post from Stream
Bandsintown, a music discovery platform with over 60 million users, successfully integrated Stream's chat functionality into their live streaming service, Bandsintown PLUS, using Stream Chat's Android SDK in under three months. Initially, the platform was designed to provide personalized concert alerts and music recommendations, but the pandemic prompted the development of Bandsintown PLUS, which offers exclusive live stream concerts with notable artists. Recognizing the necessity of real-time audience engagement, Bandsintown opted for Stream's chat API, leveraging their existing relationship with Stream to quickly implement a feature-rich chat experience. This integration enables viewers to interact with one another and artists during performances, enhancing engagement and simulating live audience reactions. The chat has proven popular, with significant participation from viewers, and Bandsintown plans to further explore its potential by possibly making chat interaction a default feature. Despite hopes for the return of live music events, Bandsintown anticipates that streaming concerts will continue to be a vital aspect of their offerings.