Industry News

Following the music app space can certainly keep one busy. Be it mobile, Web-based, or for social networks like Facebook, there is certainly no shortage of developer activity targeting music fans and artists.

Many of these are cute, interesting apps that have a nugget of interesting features but are not necessarily fully thought-out businesses. ClubWorld, our App of the Month for April, is not one of those.

ClubWorld, from Tap Tap Revenge developer Disney Mobile, is the first music app coming out of Disney since it acquired the game's developer Tapulous las year. ClubWorld takes the social game concept made popular on Facebook and brings it to the mobile phone.

It's a real-time social game in which players act as nightclub owners. Users hire bouncers, bartenders and can customize the club with their own style and music. That includes streaming music from iTunes and letting players buy/download music from iTunes within the app.

Featuring tracks by David Guetta and Tiesto, ClubWorld sounds a lot like the Facebook game Nightclub City, but it also lets club owners leave their venue and visit other establishments, choosing which to enter from a virtual "main street." It also introduces users to each other through a matchmaking system based on each player's music choices. And it has Tap Tap Revenge-like mini games to play within the virtual world. The app is free and available now.

March's App of the Month winner, Soundtracking, took advantage of one highly interesting mobile technology-location. ClubWorld takes advantage of another exciting space that we expect the music industry will explore further-social gaming.