AWAL Radar — Hyperlaunch

Hyperlaunch and AWAL: A Data-Driven Approach to Discovering Emerging Talent

Overview

Hyperlaunch partnered with AWAL to create AWAL Radar, an innovative tool designed to help their A&R team identify emerging and fast-growing artists at the earliest stages. Developed before AWAL’s acquisition by Sony Music for $450 million, this project unfolded in two phases: an initial experimentation with data sources to identify the strongest signals of artist breakthroughs, followed by the development of a comprehensive user interface for tracking and analyzing artists. The resulting tool has provided AWAL with a unique advantage in the competitive landscape of music distribution, a value that has only increased following the acquisition.

The Challenge

AWAL, now part of Sony Music, sought to enhance its A&R capabilities by identifying promising artists early, particularly those signed with competitive indie distributors. The challenge was to build a data platform that could analyze publicly available data from Spotify and YouTube to generate valuable insights into artist growth and popularity without access to exclusive, rich data feeds typically available only to signed artists.

The Solution

Hyperlaunch proposed a two-phase approach:

Phase 1: Data Experimentation and Proof-of-Concept
The first phase focused on determining which data sources provided the most reliable signals of emerging talent. By using Spotify and YouTube APIs, Hyperlaunch developed a serverless platform using Node.js, Amazon Aurora, and Apache Superset. This platform tracked key metrics such as follower growth, daily streams, monthly listeners, playlist placements, and copyright information. The data was periodically fetched, stored, and visualized to identify artists showing significant growth or potential.
Phase 2: Full-Featured UI Development
After validating the proof-of-concept, Hyperlaunch moved to develop a full-featured, intuitive user interface using React. This single-page app replaced Apache Superset and integrated with AWAL’s existing infrastructure, including Okta for single sign-on. The new UI allowed A&R teams to filter artists based on predefined criteria, view detailed artist profiles, track playlist performance, and manage user-specific settings and preferences. The platform also introduced powerful new features such as global and user-specific filters, artist and playlist search and sorting, and automated email digests to keep users informed.

Technical Details

Serverless Architecture: Used Amazon Lambda and API Gateway to create a scalable, cost-effective backend.
Amazon Aurora (PostgreSQL): Provided a robust, cloud-based relational database for housing all the collected data.
React Single-Page Application: Delivered a responsive and dynamic user experience, replacing the initial Apache Superset setup.
Okta Integration: Ensured secure user management and streamlined onboarding via OAuth, aligning with AWAL’s internal security protocols.
Data Integration with Spotify and YouTube APIs: Enabled real-time data fetching and analysis, identifying key trends in artist growth and popularity.

Results

AWAL Radar proved highly effective in identifying emerging artists, giving AWAL’s A&R team a strategic edge. The tool empowered the team to quickly spot promising talent, analyze trends, and make data-driven decisions. By integrating robust data analytics with an intuitive user interface, AWAL Radar has become an indispensable part of AWAL’s artist discovery and acquisition strategy, especially significant in light of AWAL’s subsequent acquisition by Sony Music.

Mark Newman, AWAL’s Product Manager, stated, “The two-stage process was a fantastic way to quickly validate our ideas and build a tool that is now a key part of our operations. Hyperlaunch’s expertise enabled us to turn a complex concept into a highly valuable tool that gives us a real competitive edge.”

Chris Garrett, CEO of Hyperlaunch, added, “Working with AWAL was a great experience. They are at the forefront of artist services and willing to take risks and embrace innovative approaches. AWAL Radar showcases what can be achieved when a forward-thinking client and an agile development partner collaborate closely.”

Conclusion

The development of AWAL Radar demonstrates Hyperlaunch’s capability to deliver cutting-edge, data-driven solutions that meet complex client needs. By rapidly validating concepts and iterating on them to create a full-featured platform, Hyperlaunch has enabled AWAL to maintain a competitive edge in artist discovery—a critical advantage that continues to benefit the company following its acquisition by Sony Music. The project is a testament to Hyperlaunch’s strength in creating impactful tools that drive business success.

By combining innovative data strategies with agile development practices, Hyperlaunch delivered a solution that not only meets current needs but is also adaptable to future challenges, setting a new standard for artist discovery tools in the music industry.