Hollywood Popular Artists

May 2nd 2012, 21:20

By Uptin Saiidi (@uptin)

I see you. Yeah, you. Listening to your iPod on your new Beats headphones.

You're in the zone, shutting out the world.

What makes you you isn't the physical iPod though, nor is it the headphones. It's all the tracks you've chosen for the iPod. You're one of a kind because you take comfort in the fact that no one in the world has the same songs you have on your device.

But for Roman Grandinetti, a DJ and entrpenuer, the physical form of the iPod as an expression of art wasn't good enough. So for the past few years he's been working with a team to create pins. That's right, the same type of pin worn at that Occupy Wall street march last month ... except different in that it's an MP3 player that an artist can record anything on and then release them to fans.

Anything can be recorded on the pin: a song, a poem or their barking dog.

The device, called a play button, has alerady been embraced by artists including Santigold, Pharrell, Yoko Ono and Azelia Banks. Roman hopes people will wear the pins as accessories and staples of their own individuality.

Last night (May 2) in NYC's Lower East Side, the pins of 100 "influencers" were launched at an event called CNNCTD. The name symbolizes the idea that music, fashion and art all are connected in multiple ways.

"That's what we wanted to do, we wanted to just show you how everything intertwines and how one generation can influence the next," Roman, who also was the curator of the event, said.

The art exhibit will be traveling around the world, heading next to Paris.

Josh Penn, 25, hopes that trend will not only take off but also remain a platform for emerging artists. "We defintely think that it's going to be the next medium for releasing music. We're people, we like things, we're very physical," he said. "I still carry my iPhone around with me, but there's no personality there, and this is a way to combine digital and physical."

In an industry that's gone mostly digital, it's certainly a step in the opposite direction. Of course, it's not so much a practical device, as it is a fashion accessory.

"It's not just wearing a T-shirt, it's being able to wear the music, so it's awesome."

Would you wear a pin if your favorite artist released it? Sound off in the comments!>

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