The iRok2 Blog

Stay Connected With iRok2!

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:10:49 -0400

Hey Rokrs!

Team iRok2 is busy developing new and exciting features for the game, as well as loving your feedback on things you love about iRok2 and things that you’d like to see change. We want to continue to hear about your iRok2 experiences, and we also want you to stay up to date with all of the fun things going on at Camp iRok2.

We need your Likes and run cool contests and real ROK on our Facebook page: http://facebook.com/irok2.

Stay connected with Irie and iRok2 by following us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/iRok2.

Tell us what you think about iRok2, we want to hear from you.

Party on, Wayne! Party on, Garth!

Billboard's Top 5 Singles of 2011

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:53:02 -0500

2011 saw some really amazing moments in history and music. Everything from the end of the 10 year hunt for Osama Bin Laden to the wave of political protests that swept both Arab and North American states. On the opposite side of the spectrum, we saw the much anticipated albums from music powerhouses like Radiohead and the Black Keys. And, who could forget the outrageous power of the viral video a la Rebecca Black’s Friday?! All in all, 2011 was a year that will go down in history.

We took a look at some of the hottest tracks played in iRok2 this year, and with the help of Billboard’s top singles of 2011, we put together an epic top 5 of the best of the best. Check it:

#5 Motivation by Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne: This single Helped Rowland’s album “Here I Am” peak at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 http://irok.to/vSeX9a

#4 Ni**as in Paris - Jay-Z & Kanye West: This track was produced by Hit-Boy, who also did Kanye’s “Christmas in Harlem” http://irok.to/uuBbMO

#3 Dance Till The World Ends - Britney Spears: The remix to track features femme fatal’s Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha http://irok.to/u9kfau

#2 Someone Like You - Adele: One of the many winning tracks on Adele’s album “21”, this song will break your heart! http://irok.to/rElHeE

#1 Super Bass - Nicki Minaj: You can’t beat this track, it helped Nicki skyrocket into superstardom in 2011. Can you hear that boom-da-doom-doom bass? We can! http://irok.to/rpdOpF

Message From iRok2 CEO: The Music Revolution Is Just Beginning

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:33:00 -0500

Happy New Year!

I’ve finally had a few hours to read Steve Jobs’ biography. The first two thirds seem like really ancient history, but I’m just entering the story of how Steve conned the music labels into believing that they could control music distribution through the iTunes chain. Brilliant. Now, with YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, etc., we all know that the world’s music is available to everyone. Exclusive control of distribution (ironically, even for Apple) is a dead issue.

Which begs the question, “Is the music revolution over?”

We at iRok2 believe that it’s just beginning. We believe that it’s not just having music, but what you can do with it that counts. Of course, some things you can do (like dance and have sex) have always been coupled to music. But, we’ve staked out having fun and writing a soundtrack to everyone’s life story as our territory.

As iRok2 Rokstars you’ve joined us in exploring this territory and pointing to the road ahead. With your help, we introduced Twitter Integration to provide a channel of global communication for each Rokstar and launched our Facebook App to provide the basis for further integration with your personal Rokstory. Just for starters, we have organized the game as a classic Rokstar Career Biography, from basement to Hall of Fame – iRok2 gives you the platform to make your dreams of stardom come true. You now have a RokBook - a personal journal, and Tour Stickers to mark your accomplishments. As the year ends, our catalog has reached over 20,000 tracks, growing with your interests. We are in Open Beta and ready to add new Rokstars to the tens of thousands who have already joined us.

In 2012, we aim to keep the music revolution alive with you, our kickass Community of Rokstars, and iRok2. Let’s write an awesome soundtrack together.

Robert Arn
iRok2 CEO

Santa Wants You To Rok... And, So Do We!

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:56:35 -0500

It’s been 10 glorious Days of Rok, and we’re still going strong! To say it’s been festive around Camp iRok2 lately is a little bit of an understatement. From the Sith Who Stole Christmas to Chipmunks singing about Santa Claus and hoola-hoops - we’re jollier than we’ve ever been! Every day that you play the 12 Days of Rok you receive a secret reward - have you played today?

Now, with only 2 days left until Christmas Day, we wanted to remind you to enter our Twitter RT contest for your chance to win a FREE 1 month All Access Pass! All you have to do is RT our Holiday message - and you can RT as many times as you want!

RT to WIN! Get a FREE All Access Pass and celebrate the Holidays with ROK! http://irok.to/tOKuES

Halloween Gear Fit For The Undead!

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:35:55 -0400

If you haven’t picked up one of the limited Halloween tees, you better do it quick! We’ve got the spookiest new Gear perfect for any undead, brain-noming zombie Rok’r - available now until October 31st. Watch out, though… If you’re not wearing one of the new Halloween tees you might be a tasty morsel for one of our other spookified Rokstars with a thirst for braaaiiinnnzzz…

New Crew: Meet the Roadie

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:34:00 -0400

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to the Sound Guy. Despite his ragged appearance and beer belly, you welcomed him with open arms. He’s been busy ‘Check 1-2’ing while you Rok’d out to your favorite tracks!

Well, the Sound Guy has a friend, and he’s even more helpful on the stage: the Roadie. You want to sound like an epic Rok’r? Hire the Sound Guy. You want to make it to your next show without spraining your Latissimus Dorsi or tearing your Brachioradialis? Hire a Roadie.

Have you hired anyone from The Crew yet? Which Crew character would you like us to launch next?

Not only have we expanded The Crew, but we’ve also given the Sound Guy a more distinguished look - fitting for a dude who loves equalizers.

Check ‘em out:

Better, Faster, Stronger! iRok2 is 30% faster.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:51:42 -0400

You guys know Andrew, right?? He’s our resident tech guru, and he’s the guy who makes everything work smoothly so you can Rok out and pwn every iRok2 track. Well, just when you thought Andrew couldn’t outdo himself, he does! iRok2 is now 30% faster while you play.

What’s so great about gaining 30%, anyway?! Let’s put it into perspective:

30% of $1,000,000 = $300,000
30% of the average human life span (81 years) = 24.3 years
30% of the average life span of a dog (12.8 years) = 3.84 years *which is actually 26.88 dog years!
30% of the hits on the Original Nyan Cat video (39,002,202 views) = 11,700,660.6 views

Not too shabby.

What do you think of the new fancy faster iRok2 experience? We love hearing from our Community, so comment away!

Dude! Killer Sound! Meet The Sound Guy

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:24:34 -0400

We’ve been listening, and you guys sound extra awesome lately! Aside from your stellar Rokstar skillz and unmistakeable talent, we’ve seen a huge spike in performance within the Community and we wonder if it has a little something to do with this guy…

The Sound Guy! He’s a pretty chill dude. He likes to help out real Rokr’s and make gnarly music. He’s been around the industry for a while, and we think he’s experienced enough to be worth every coin.

A Rokstar isn’t a Rokstar without their trusty Sound Guy. What do you think of him?

We are stoked to have the SG join the iRok2 crew, and now that he’s here, we need your help. We need to name the Sound Guy! Which name suit him best? Leave your ideas in the comments, and the Rokr who gives us the best Sound Guy name will win a sweet prize and bragging rights galore!

Live Your Dream... Become a Rokstar!

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:54:04 -0400

Over the last few weeks, you will have noticed some pretty cool changes to the game. There has been a lot of speculating and guessing about what these changes mean, and when the new features would be available to players. The wait is almost over…

We’re excited to announce a brand new progression system for all Rokrs! Now, instead of just leveling, you will have the chance to become the ultimate Rokstar! In addition to your standard iRok2 game experience, we’re introducing a story line which will take you from a “Unknown” Rokr to a “Hall of Fame” Rokstar!

The full rollout of this new side of iRok2 is on its way, but in the meantime you’ll notice that traditional “levels” are gone. They’ve been replaced by “Stages” of your Rokstar career. Don’t worry, the rules haven’t changed, you still need fans to progress up through all of the Stages. Energy has also changed and now the max energy for each Rokr is 16.

Stay tuned for more developments and releases, and get ready to become the world’s most radical ROKSTAR!

What do you think of this change? Do you have any questions about how Stages work? Are you stoked to become an infamous Hall of Famer?

What the what?! iRok2 is on Facebook!

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:07:44 -0400

Since our beta release, over 6 months ago, we’ve received an overwhelming number of requests to have the iRok2 music game available on Facebook. And, because everyone and their Grandmother (literally) uses Facebook everyday, it only makes sense that we’d make the leap and launch an app! So…. We are super stoked to announce that you can now jam to your favorite tracks while you’re logged into Facebook! That’s right, we’re your go-to rhythm music game, available to you on Facebook way before Guitar Hero or Rock Band.. cos that’s how we roll :)

If you’re already an iRok2 Rokr and want to play via the Facebook app you will need to either create a new account just for Facebook, or move your account over from the iRok2 website to the Facebook app. Word to the wise, once you’ve moved your account over from the website to the app there’s no turning back. Click here to check out the app.

In addition to launching our app, we’ve also launched our RokBook! Every Rokr will now have access to a RokBook which will store all of their favorite things. Right now you are able to bookmark your friends and other Rokr’s and they’ll all be saved to your RokBook. To add Rokr’s to your RokBook visit their studio and click the little star in the red flag.

News For Rokstars And A Flash Update

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:24:11 -0400

If you have an iRok2 account and don’t log in every time you visit the site, you probably haven’t seen our new and very exciting landing page! We’ve changed the messaging and we’re now talking about starting a Rokstar Career… What do you think that could mean? Do you feel like a Rokstar when you’re playing iRok2? Want to be more of a Rokstar than you already are? Stay tuned, we have some tricks up our sleeves for all you die-hard Rokrs!
For those of you who have not yet viewed the new page, you can visit iRok2 or check it out below:

Some other developments in the Flash world: a new beta version of the Flash player was released today! It’s always a really good idea to keep your Flash player up to date; you’ll find that iRok2 is most optimal with the latest version of Flash (this will help with stalling, videos not loading, glitches, etc.) You can download Flash Player 11 here. Remember, this is the beta version of the Flash Player so there may be bugs and issues that Adobe is still working out. Give it a try, but be patient :)

NEW ITEMS: Sunglasses and Facial Hair!

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:39:03 -0400

If you’ve logged into iRok2 today, you will notice that there are sweet new items that you can now use to deck out your Avatar! Slick new sunglasses for the girls, and rad facial hair and shades for the dudes.

We also launched a big change with your avatar thumbnail picture. We’ve taken a snapshot of your badass avatars and have used them to replace the old Gravatar pictures. We’re really stoked about this change because now all of you Rokstars are properly represented on the site! And, jsyk, any change that you make to your Avatar’s appearance will be reflected in your thumbnail avatar pic.

Check out the new gear!

I Challenge You!

Thu, 12 May 2011 14:04:29 -0400

There are many cool ways to connect with people who love iRok2 as much as you do. One of those ways is by sending and accepting Challenges. Challenges are super easy to set up, and really fun to play. You can click the “Challenge” button on any of the Track Pages, or, you can click the “Challenge” button in the completed menu at the end of a song.

Once the Challenge is has been accepted, there are a few points to keep in mind:

After that, all you need to do is get your Challenge on!

Besides being a fun way to interact with other Rok’rs, accepting a Challenge is the most affordable way to play songs on iRok2 - it only takes 1 energy (instead of 4!!).

So, go on - accept that Challenge and have some fun!

Moving and Shaking at iRok2!

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:29:11 -0400

If you’ve logged into iRok2 today, you might have noticed that a couple of things have changed. We’re all very excited about these changes and hope that you are, too! Today is the first day that you are able to play a new feature on iRok2 - Set Lists!

A Set List is kind of like a mini-game or a mission, using cool song tracks to get you from start to finish. Each Set List has a unique theme, and there are 5 songs that you can play in each Set.

While you’re in your Studio, you’ll notice a new tab to the right of the Activity tab. Once you click on it, you’ll see a bunch of new Set Lists waiting to be played!

They’re on-going, so if you need to step away from the game after you’ve started a Set the game will save your progress and you can finish it up later.

Once you’ve completed a track, you will be able to see your progress for that Set in the Set List box. You’ll also have the option to play the next track in that Set - looks a lil’ something like this:

We’re all really stoked on the Sets. And, a little birdie told me that if you Rok a Set really well you might just get a little special something once you’ve completed it…

What do you think of the new Set Lists?

Tell us what you think below, or post it to our wall on our Facebook page. You can also chat with us on Twitter!

iRok2's Top Rokrs

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:40:24 -0400

Here at the iRok2 office, we are constantly amazed by the awesomeness and loyalty of our Community of players! Every day, week, and month you guys are Rok’n out in the game, getting sweet scores, and making iRok2 a wicked fun place to be :)

Take a peek at our top Leaders, and give them some props in their sound studios!

Top Rokrs for the month of April:

1. foofighters - 14,615,498 points (visit foofighters’ studio)
2. CXhinito13 - 11,103,163 points (visit CXhinito13’s studio)
3. tommy335 - 10,049,264 points (visit tommy335’s studio)

Most Active Rokrs in April:

1. kashino - 75 plays (visit kashino’s studio)
2. foofighters - 51 plays (visit foofighters’ studio)
3. olayoklat - 48 plays (visit olayoklat’s studio)

Most Famous Rokrs in April:

1. gaandea - 456,616 fans! (visit gaandea’s studio)
2. ashleywelch - 370,612 fans! (visit ashleywelch’s studio)
3. webster360 - 319,106 fans! (visit webster360’s studio)

Go give those Rokr’s some kudo’s, and see if you can give them a run for their money by Rok’n out to your favorite tracks, everyday!

You know, we really love your feedback! Comment below, or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter!

10,000 Tracks!

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:15:45 -0400

iRok2 has hit a huge milestone with over 10,000 tracks in our catalog, and it’s all thanks to you! Our awesome Community has requested over 10,000 tracks and counting.

Big up’s to rokrebel18 who requested our 10,000th track - Teenage Riot by Sonic Youth (one of my favorite bands!)

As a thank you, iRok2 has awarded rokrebel18 with a one month All-Access Pass and 5,000 coins! Congrats! You should stop by rokrebel18’s studio and check out the recent tracks played.

You could be the next Rok’r to help us reach our next milestone! Just keep requesting tracks, and we’ll keep giving them to ya! This is just the beginning of the thousands of songs that will be available for you. And, don’t forget to play the Daily Track’s - you’ll win big rewards just for playing :)

Have we mentioned that we love hearing from you? Comment below, or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter!

You Asked, We Delivered.

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:57:57 -0400

We’re so excited to announce that the iRok2 plugin for Google Chrome is now live and available for use! Our team put up some really easy to follow instructions for all of our Google Chrome users.

Don’t use Chrome? No worries, we’ve got you covered! You can find instructions for IE and Firefox here.

Once you’ve installed the plugin, tell us what you think. Comment below, or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter! We love hearing from our Community :)

More Rewards = <3

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:12:57 -0400

There are a couple of different ways to earn bonus rewards while playing iRok2. You can earn more coins AND more fans by doing these simple activities:

Playing the Daily Track:

Every day a new Featured Track is posted in your Studio. If you complete this track, you’ll win double coins and fans!

Playing any song daily:

When you log into iRok2 and play a song each day you will receive a bonus! Keep in mind: though we love it when you just visit our site and check out what’s new or what other players have been up to, you can only receive this bonus for playing a song each day.

More rewards for doing what I love doing everyday (playing iRok2)?! Yes, please!

Don’t forget to comment below, or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter! We love hearing from our Community :)

House Keeping

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:52:52 -0400

Can’t believe it’s already been over 1 month (almost 2!) since iRok2 Beta launched! Time is flying and our team is busy working to get the game in tip top condition so that you can Rok out with style and ease.

What do you think of the changes that we released in Beta? Have you personalized your avatar, yet? I just took my avatar shopping and paired up the Splash City Tee with the Skinny Black Jeans - perfect for Rokin’ in this wicked spring weather! What’s your favorite new item in the Gear Section?

We changed a couple things up to help give you a more connected experience in your Studio. Now, you can access the Daily Track right from your studio. You can also see your recent activity, and other tracks that you may like! Check it out and tell us what you think.

We also wanted to let you know that some players may experiencing a slight lag due to YouTube’s in-video ads. This blog’s direction is still the best way to help keep your game time smooth and minimize any lag. Did you know that Google Chrome is the browser that works best with iRok2? Or, decreasing the size of the game will help with continuity and ease? Check out more tips to optimize iRok2, here.

Don’t forget to comment below, or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter! We love hearing from our Community :)

iRok2 is in Beta!

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:13:15 -0500

It’s true! On Jan 31st we deployed our first public beta release, officially opening the site up to everyone and tossing out those invite codes once and for all. Have a music gaming friend looking for new tracks to play? Know someone who loves music video? Send them to iRok2! Help us out by spreading the word.

You’ll notice a few other changes as well. Avatars have made their official debut. Jump to the Gear menu to customize your avatar’s appearance and buy new items. This obviously means that we’ve opened up the iRok2 Store so you can buy stuff like energy, the All-Access Pass and avatar items. We know the shelves are a little bare right now but rest assured that we are working hard to improve item selection.

Another new addition is the Home menu which displays your recent activity and accomplishments. More than your history, this is also a great place to interact with your friends. You can now start conversations and even comment on what’s been played. Plus, any time you receive a gift, challenge or comment you’ll see a notification indicator at the top of the Home tab. Now you’re tuned in!

We also made a few modifications aimed at making the site more like a game than a catalog. The most obvious change is that your avatar follows you around on virtually every page. But there are other changes as well including better reward notifications.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the latest changes. How do you like the avatars and activity feed? What could we do to make them better? Drop us a comment below.