Screenshotting my Spotify tracklists or sharing music through my Instagram story is truly an unappreciated endeavor. After months of feeding the public with small tidbits of my excellent music taste, I’ve realized one thing: Nobody cares. Then, I discovered Bopdrop—an app for people who actually care about what others are listening to.
With a clean interface of white and mint green, Bopdrop invites users to post 30–second snippets of their favorite song of the day—that is, one post a day. Users can see what music their followers are listening to, and the all–too–familiar "Explore" page lets you scroll through random recommendations posted by fellow Bopdrop newbies. The layout is simple. Upon signing up, users can tailor their feeds to abide by their favorite music genres. Although choices are basic, the selection of music available is extensive.
Although the community is relatively small (the most followers I’ve seen a user have nears 50), that's the appeal. In today’s world of social media, there's hardly a sense of community, with Twitter’s millions of users scrambling for retweets and Instagram’s billions fiending for likes. Bopdrop, however, is simple, straightforward, and most importantly, casual. Users aren’t judged by their appearance, their sense of humor, or their wealth. They're simply judged for their song choice. With such a tight–knit community, Bopdrop doesn’t feel less like a social media app and more like an interactive playlist.
The Chicago–based company encourages users to “share the music that matters most with the people that matter most.” Although the majority of my friends aren’t on the app and hadn’t even heard of it, it does feel good to be a part of the small community, something I believe has come to be lost as social media has proliferated. In comparison to other social media companies, Bopdrop has recognized the importance of music to this generation. From supporting independent—and even international—artists to having easy access to DIY creator tools, our generation has changed the way music is made and consumed. Although Instagram was the first app to integrate widespread music sharing into its platform, the desensitized nature of the app sends your personal treasure into the abyss. Bopdrop’s small community and simple layout bring joy and appreciation back into music sharing.
On the other hand, its small user base may be its downfall. In the world of music sharing, variety is key and after scrolling for hours, seeing post after post of The Weeknd’s B–side tracks becomes less and less satisfying. Along with a small community, users can’t tailor their 30–second snippet to their liking, confining them to the mediocre bridges or overplayed choruses that conceal a song’s true potential. Additionally, the app is only available on iOS platforms, leaving Android users waiting.
Will Bopdrop become a large social media platform? For now, probably not. Although there is virtually nothing else like it on the market, its bare display and simple functionality just aren’t unique enough to capture users' attention. Additionally, with virtually no marketing, the platform has only been able to grow by word of mouth. Despite this marketing technique, the platform garnered 2,000 downloads on launch day—a bigger number than expected. In terms of retention, it’s a coinflip. With the one–post–a–day provision, users may feel limited in their sharing privileges, but may also be encouraged to explore the taste of their peers. All in all, Bopdrop’s future is dependent on time and the market itself. Will big–shot apps adopt Bopdrop’s features then leave it to fade into obscurity or will it be left alone to bask in 15 minutes of fame?
As the new kid on the block, Bopdrop has a long way to go before it can join the rungs of other social media sites. But with the right mix of marketing, some updates, and maybe a bit of star sponsorship, Bopdrop may come to define the way we share music.
