So, what’s going on with Musicboard?

Source: TechCrunch

Background

Musicboard, an app for music discovery and recommendations, has been struggling, according to its users. Over the past several months, users reported that the app experienced outages, the website went offline, and the Android app disappeared from the Play Store.

The app has been downloaded around 462,000 times to date, according to market‑intelligence provider Appfigures. On Reddit, users have been recommending alternatives and offering each other support while waiting for any update.

User Concerns

While it’s not unusual for an app to shut down, when there’s still an active user base, developers typically provide communication. Musicboard users say they haven’t heard anything, prompting them to reach out to the press for help—especially to export their data.

Image Credits: Musicboard

Some users organized an unofficial “Help Save Musicboard” initiative to bring more attention to the matter. The group is led by the Musicboard user known as Lavarini and run by volunteers.

Official Statement

TechCrunch contacted Musicboard for answers and received a short statement, signed simply as “Musicboard,” which read:

App is not shut down. The servers had temporary downtime, which has now been quickly fixed. And we’re working together with the Google Play team to get the app back up there. The app wouldn’t shut down without a respectful timeline for the users and official communication. App is staying live.

Follow‑up questions went unanswered.

Founders’ Other Projects

The founders, Johannes Vermandois and Erik Heimer, have been involved with other projects. Their AI app, Frank AI, was set to be acquired by Freedom Holdings, Inc., but the potential acquirer terminated its letter of intent in September 2024. Their company, Dreamsands, Inc., also publishes another app, Helm, an AI therapist.

Help Save Musicboard Initiative

Over email, Lavarini says the users’ efforts to help save the app will continue. The initiative “aims to support awareness and discussion around the long-term sustainability of the indie app Musicboard and its community,” Lavarini wrote.