Tunipop has undergone multiple iterations since beginning in 2005. Originally envisioned as a way to recapture images from record album covers, it was not until the company began to look at the intersection of licensed merchandise and digital music that the true nature of the opportunity became apparent. The question was simple. “Why can't you purchase an artist's merchandise along-side their tracks on digital music services?” This question remains a guiding principal and one that lead to the evolution of Tunipop as it now exists; the focal point for optimizing merchandise revenues in the face of declining recorded music sales. The opportunity to do more with fan gear is patently obvious. However, the challenges of rationalizing the market to coincide with trends in music consumption are as diverse as they are deep. Tunipop will create value not as a retail outlet, but as a focal point for artists, suppliers, retailers and most importantly the buying public, to identify and access music merchandise in new and compelling ways.

Who is Tunipop?

Tunipop was founded by serial entrepreneur and passionate music fan, Andy Young. After assisting a friend and successful independent musician with a few gigs in his home town, Young decided to leave behind a career in corporate marketing to pursue opportunities in the music business. Lacking musical ability, Young leveraged his 28 years experience in the graphic arts industry and focused his attention on intersection of fan merchandise and digital music. After three years and several false starts, Young has developed a unique perspective on a part of the business that he sees as both under appreciated, and an important component of the future of the new music business. Advisors to company include individuals from a broad range of industries and backgrounds. Tunipop is privately funded.

What is music merchandise?

If there is one thing we have discovered, it is that the term music merchandise is often misconstrued. It usually has to do with tangible items like t-shirts and posters, but frequently includes CDs, DVDs and even digital downloads. In the case of Tunipop, we are primarily concerned with the non-recorded elements of music merchandise like t-shirts, posters and other types of fan related gear. We like to think of merchandise as any non-recorded item that carries an artists image, likeness, or brand. This includes a vast spectrum of products from chotzkies, to clothing of all kinds, to household goods and furniture. Basically, anything that can be imprinted with a design or logo is a candidate for music merchandising, it's really up to the artist and their goals. However, as you might expect, the t-shirt is at the core of nearly all merchandise offerings.

Primary Objective:

Add value across the entire supply chain by optimizing fan merchandise to coincide with trends in digital music consumption and spending. We will do this by focusing on the following:  

Identification: Identify artists with available merchandise and the official source to purchase.

Access: List services and companies that can assist artists with the creation and sale of merchandise.

Discovery: Increase visibility to consumers with a standardized Go2Merch moniker.

Correlation: Connect merchandise information with digital music identification schemes.