Cue the Music with QR Codes

QR codes are used for a lot of things and in various applications. It is widely used in marketing, fashion, travel and, as this post would show you, in music, too.

Here are some music-related campaigns that utilized QR codes:

Go Gaga with QR Codes

Lady Gaga is much more than a very talented artist; she is also a firm believer of social media and emerging technology. Is it any wonder why she tops the list of leading Facebook and Twitter users?

Lady Gaga’s romance with QR codes goes back a long time, but the latest has been her collaboration with Barneys New York. Barneys turned into Gaga’s Workshop, an update of Santa’s workshop only featuring Lady Gaga enhancing the retail experience. One of the attractions was the Gaga Machine, which used QR codes to provide clues and give messages to those who scan it, and also to access exclusive information about the Gaga Workshop.

QR Codes Playlist

An ad agency in London, Stupid, came up with playlist cards that contain customized QR codes on them. When your recipient scans the QR code, it opens up a Spotify playlist. This is a great application of QR codes in music, reminiscent of mix tapes from the 80s and the 90s.

In Berlin, graffiti artist Sweza, used QR codes to help make street art more interesting. Sweza painted boomboxes all across Berlin with a QR code glued on them. Scanning the QR code, passers-by are treated to a music clip!

QR Codes for Music Events

Telecom companies Siminn and Wonwei in Iceland created an interactive music installation to promote the various events surrounding the 2011 Iceland Airwaves Music Festival

MTV and Taco Bell also used QR codes to take customers to a special online microsite that showed exclusive Video Music Award videos and free music.