DAA;P — Album As An App

A retro-styled, installable PWA for direct artist-to-fan music distribution.

Time-limited album previews, shareable links, QR codes, zero intermediaries.

What’s the idea?

DAA;P (short for D_Album_As_An_App) is a small, focused app that lets musicians share their albums directly with their fans — no streaming platform, no algorithm, no middleman.

Think of it as a digital copy of an album in a cassette case. The artist hands it to you (via a link or a QR code), you pop it in, and you get a set amount of time to listen. While you’re listening, the artist can point you to their own shop, their Patreon, or wherever they want you to support them. When the time is up, the album closes itself — unless the artist decides to extend it.

The whole thing is wrapped in a retro, late-90s portable-player look on purpose. It’s meant to feel like a thing you own for a moment, not a feed you scroll past.

Who is it for?

The artist who wants to keep control.

If you’re a band, a solo musician, or a small label, you can upload your tracks and artwork, decide exactly how long fans get to listen, hand out the link however you want, and add your own links so listeners can buy the vinyl, tip you, or join your Patreon. You don’t need a distributor, a record label, or a tech team. You don’t pay a cut to anyone. Your fans are your fans.

The listener who wants the album, not the algorithm.

If you follow a band, you’ll probably get a link from them at some point. You open it, sign in with your email, and the album is yours for the window the artist chose. Listen in order or shuffle, see cover art and track list, use it like a normal music player. When the time runs out, it’s done. No subscription, no auto-renew, no upsell.

Why does it exist?

Most music discovery today happens through algorithms. The artist doesn’t choose who hears their work; the platform does. Independent musicians spend more time fighting for visibility than making music, and a big share of every dollar that does flow through goes to the platform, not the artist.

DAA;P flips that around. The artist decides who gets access (by handing out the link themselves), how long they get to listen, and where the listener goes to support them. It doesn’t try to replace Spotify — it tries to be the thing Spotify isn’t: a quiet, direct, artist-controlled space.