Changing The Tune of Jewish Music
The way we listen to music has evolved over the years. What started out as gramophones and music boxes morphed into radios, jukeboxes, audio cassettes (don’t forget the eight-track!) and walkmen. As technology advanced, so did the clunky listening devices — from boomboxes, CD players and discmen to the MP3 and iPod, which changed the world forever.
Since the invention of the iPod, and then the iPhone in 2007, technology has developed at an incredible pace to make them faster and easier to use. Today, you can barely find a trace of the older music products.
Music software has also seen major advancements over the last 2 decades. It’s moved from dragging and dropping and burning, to compact memory sticks and downloading, and finally to streaming. Accessing music on compact, portable devices has become easier than ever.
Facing the music.
All of this wonderful innovation went ahead without any input or guidance from our Gedolim and Manhigim. At no point did these tech giants work to ensure their compatibility with our Torah lifestyle. Spotify is so convenient. It’s so simple to sign up for an account and stream to your heart’s content. But Spotify doesn’t care about the neshama of a Yid. Neither does Apple Music, YouTube, or Amazon. In fact, the more they go against Jewish values, the more profitable they become. Unlimited, unfettered access to content across the spectrum is a priority for them.
But we believe in boundaries. We believe in protecting our eyes, ears, and minds, and safeguarding our spirituality. The freedom to search and be exposed to all content is antithetical to our way of life. Needless to say, attempts to work with these companies on filtering capabilities were met with derision. They need that openness. It goes against their business model to accommodate our sensitivities.
Parents were left with 2 choices – stick to the old route, which has its dangers, or capitulate to the new wave of technology and hope for the best.
Left to our devices.
The MP3 and memory stick route, while safer, created its own set of issues, mainly those of stealing and illicit content making its rounds. Since downloading, uploading and syncing these devices can be so tedious, well-intentioned Jewish kids started sharing music with each other. Not because they wanted to steal. It just seemed like an innocuous way of getting your hands on the latest hit songs – an innocent mistake that led to thousands of dollars in lost revenue for Jewish singers and artists.
The second, more dangerous route, was handing children iPhones and iPads with family music accounts, and hoping for the best. And then they would pray not to lose their kids to Spotify…
It’s so easy to get lost. A simple search turns up reams of inappropriate results, even as you type. Also, the lack of a designated platform for Kol Isha creates a pitfall for young boys. And browsing and AI-generated playlists definitely don’t take hashkafa into account. It’s time to change the tune for Jewish music listeners.
CHANGING THE TUNE of Jewish Music FOREVER!
24Six is an all-new, cohesive solution that will usher in a new stage for Jewish entertainment, where you can manage your family’s content and stream worry-free. Using leading technologies built for the Jewish family, 24Six enables you to have your values and music too.
Your family. Your values. Your control.
Everyone’s view of entertainment is different, and hashkafos may differ. What you consider OK might not be OK for someone else. Everyone has their own derech; camps, mosdos, yeshivos and schools have their own standards.
- 24Six gives every user the ability to define their own standards and build their own media experience.
- Users can use customizable filters with full control – blocking artists, categories or even all video content – and the blocked content simply won’t show up. The app will automatically resize, revise the layout, and modify tabs to match your updated preferences.
- Communities, yeshivos and public institutions will have the option of building public filters for their members and families that use the platform.