MUSIC ALBUM - JOHN FRUSCIANTE | SAT-JF14 | 2014
When an Album Falls From Space / Record Collection "SAT-JF14"
They launched an album into space, so you could only listen to it the moment the satellite passed over your head. Someone actually did this for real. It's the story behind former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante's solo album "ENCLOSURE."
The problem
In 2014, Frusciante and his label Record Collection were looking for something nobody had ever done before, in an industry where early previews on YouTube and social media had become completely normal.
The insight
The idea was to turn the romantic notion of "music falling from space" into an experience of waiting, chasing, and finally encountering it. Given Frusciante's own connection to space, it's hard to imagine a more fitting approach.
The idea
On 3/29 (March 29), 2014, they loaded the album onto a cube satellite called "Sat-JF14" and launched it from the California desert aboard Interorbital Systems' NEPTUNE rocket. A free app let people track the satellite's position in real time, and the album would unlock for listening only during the exact moment the satellite passed directly overhead. The app also had a chat feature, so fans could share the moment with each other as it happened.
What happened
The project was covered by Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Verge, Gizmodo, and more. The app was downloaded 30,000 times in its first week, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. It won a Gold Mobile Lion at Cannes Lions 2014. The satellite kept transmitting until late at night on 4/7 (April 7), and the album got its regular release the next day, 4/8 (April 8).
Afterthought
Launching a rocket, building an app, and following through all the way to satellite tracking—that level of commitment is just amazing. Sure, this project only worked because it was John Frusciante, but you still have to tip your hat to the Brazilian creative team that went all-in chasing something nobody had ever done before.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2014
