Design a Product Where Musicians Publish Work and Grow Fans, Modeled on YouTube

You are asked to create a platform in the spirit of YouTube, but built for artists, and the artists in question are musicians. As the product manager, define whom the platform serves, identify the problems it solves, prioritize the features for a first version, and explain how you would measure success. ```hint Pick the side to win first A YouTube-like product has artists on one side and an audience on the other. Decide which side you must attract first, then trace that side's journey from start to finish to find where it struggles most. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is this a new standalone product or a musician-focused experience inside YouTube? - Which musicians should it serve: hobbyists, independent artists building a career, or established acts with labels? - Should the platform carry music videos only, or also audio tracks, live performances and other formats? - What should the platform achieve first: artist growth, listener engagement or revenue? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - What musicians need that a general video platform does not give them, and the gap this platform fills - Both sides of the platform considered, with an artist segment chosen and the reason - The chosen segment's journey and its most painful steps - A prioritized first version and a plan for attracting the first artists and listeners - Success metrics for both sides, with guardrails and risks such as music rights and payouts ### Follow-up Questions - How would you handle covers, samples and other uploads that use someone else's music? - Why would an artist publish here instead of, or as well as, on existing video and audio streaming services? - How would you keep the platform from rewarding only the artists who are already popular?