Sound Leisure's managing director Chris Black talks to Jenni Shuttleworth about how jukeboxes are no longer a thing of the past
01. Would you agree that the jukebox sector has changed significantly as technology has improved?
Yes, I believe the jukebox sector has changed for the better. In the days of records and CDs, each disk was an album, meaning that the jukebox was filled with hundreds of album tracks that seldom got played, hence the popularity of compilation albums, which offered a high ratio of hits on just one disk.
This also had a downside though as many discs contained the same tracks.
Now, with digital files, we are able to ensure that every track on the jukebox deserves to be there. What’s more, we can profile a jukebox so that it contains the right kind of music before it even gets to the site. This process of profiling never ends as we are constantly analysing and updating the music being played to ensure that similar tracks are supplied in the future.
Operators used to have to visit jukebox sites regularly to update the CDs and to replace the fiddly bits of paper that showed the album cover and track lists. Thankfully this is a thing of the past. Updates can be done completely online if necessary, meaning that jukebox operation is easier than ever before.
02.What has been the most significant moment technologically in the history of the jukebox?
I would have to say that it was when my father first showed digital technology back in 1988. We showed a version of the original jukebox again at last year’s Preview show in London. It was a prototype and quite different from today’s boxes but the potential was clearly there - to be able to send music to the box directly without relying on someone to load the box manually. The problem was licensing the technology and putting a price on it. This took many more years of hard work.
03.What new opportunities has the improvement of technology provided the sector with?
I think that new technology has made jukeboxes relevant again for a lot of people. In the 1950s, jukeboxes were the first port of call for people wanting to hear new music. This is happening again. We are able to supply the latest music, often before it is even available to buy in the shops. This creates a buzz among customers. We have found that 85 per cent of the music played on our jukeboxes is chart and new releases.
People love the fact that there is always something new on the boxes and operators love the fact that the technology makes their job easier.
04. How do you see technology further progressing in the jukebox sector and what do you think the next innovation will be?
Currently, we provide solutions for sites with or without a broadband connection but the future is likely to be online. Updates will become even more regular and it could be that individual customers will be able to store their preferences to come back to in future visits.
I think we have reached the outer limits of the number of tracks available on the boxes. The future will be how they are presented to attract the customer. We have just released the Rock Box, which is designed specifically for rock sites - this is designed to maximise income by appealing to a certain customer. We are treating the customer with resepct by sourcing their type of music. I think this is the future.
