The music industry has been through many changes. From the invention of the phonograph to MP3s and streaming, the ways in which fans access recorded works has always been in flux. There’s every chance that the next disruption in music delivery is right around the corner.
What might this shift be? Imagine someone suggested we could all be listening to tomorrow’s hits by sucking on lollipops. Okay, maybe sweets will never reach the same market saturation of the radio or how CDs took over in their day. But it is, in fact, possible to listen to music by chomping down on a lolly.
Realizing this feat is AMOS Sweets, the relentlessly creative candy company responsible for a wide assortment of whimsical goodies. Take Peelerz, assorted gummy candies shaped like fruits (bananas, oranges, mangoes, and peaches) with rinds one can actually peel. They’re also the mad geniuses behind the 4D Gummy Block series, candies mimicking Tetris pieces that the young (and young at heart) can lock into unique shapes before consuming. It’s clear AMOS Sweets believes it’s okay to play with your food.
Most astounding, though, is the aforementioned musical lollipops. Dr. Malik, the resident inventor-in-chief, puts it this way: “Candy has always been a multi-sensory experience. It engages taste, sight, touch, and smell. We wanted to explore whether sound could become part of the candy experience.” Sign us up!
The unique suckers come in a variety of complementary flavor/genre combinations—strawberry and hip-hop; blueberry and electronic dance; and blackberry and K-pop. Other rocking tastes include lemon, peach, orange, watermelon… and grape milk? Mmmm… Grape milk. Since the musical lollipops are being included in this year’s GRAMMY gift bags, maybe Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, or Mumford & Sons will be able to inform the world what that last one tastes like. There’s even a Christmas edition ideal for stocking stuffers. (Take note: there are only 10 short months left to get your shopping done before the big day). Expect future iterations to include Latin rhythms and other regional styles.
If you’re watching your figure, worry not. TastySounds are fat free, and each is only 50 calories. For those worried about saving the animals, AMOS Sweets has you covered: they’re 100 percent vegan. Maybe you’re thinking you’ve seen these astounding num nums before, and yes, you probably have, as they’ve gone viral on social media. Anyone addicted to scrolling through TikTok is likely to have watched a handful of reaction videos.
Here’s how to enjoy these Wonka-esque miracles. First, hold down the button at the bottom of the stick until the light indicates it has been turned on. Next, insert the included earplugs into your ear canals. Look, ma! No wires! Finally, press the button once to begin playing. Press it one more time to pause. Each device offers up to an hour of playtime, though you’ll surely consume the entire candy before your 60 minutes is up. Interestingly, one can still listen to the music even after the candy is gone. Preserve the stick’s juice and maximize your listening by double-clicking the button to turn it off. Unfortunately, there’s no option for skipping tracks.
By now, you’re no doubt wondering how this works. The answer is through bone conduction technology. What does that mean? Normally, sound is heard through airwaves that enter via the ear canal. In this case, vibrations go directly into the inner ear through the skull. With these delectable suckers, “The music is embedded in a small electronic chip inside the stick,” explains Dr. Malik. “When the stick touches the mouth, vibrations travel through the jawbone directly to the inner ear.” This same tech is also used with certain hearing devices, such as surgically implanted bone-anchored hearing aids, or BAHAs for short. Swimmers sometimes use bone conduction devices so water doesn’t interfere with their tunes.
Only one person can listen at a time, which is either good or bad depending on your perspective. You won’t blow up the neighborhood when eating one of these treats. Also, the fidelity is never quite going to eclipse the latest Beats by Dre headphones. But hey, the technology will advance, right?
You’ve probably never listened to the music included with TastySounds lollipops. Don’t expect to hear Taylor Swift or Post Malone after popping one in your mouth. That said, the beats you’ll enjoy are sufficiently groovy. Here’s the playlist for the strawberry/hip-hop version:
Track 1: “Up To Something” by Ty Noam Frankel and Louis Roggeman
Track 2: “Main Event” by Philip Peter Dudley Panton, Oliver Wilde, and Tom Barnes
Track 3: “Perfect Disaster” by Anthony Demetrio Arasi, Brian E. Johnson Jr., Joey Casanova, and Patrick J. Avard
And here’s what’s on the blackberry/K-pop treat:
Track 1: “Let’s Dance” by Velvet Williams
Track 2: “Rainbow Heaven” by Velvet Williams and Chang Rock Kim
Music Connection would like to offer a few suggestions for future iterations:
“Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows” by Lesley Gore
“Candy Shop” by 50 Cent
“I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow
“The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis Jr.
“Sugar” by Maroon 5
“Candy Girl” by The Four Seasons
There are many other sugary-sweet tracks that would fit nicely with this medium. What would you like to hear? Make a list and send us what you’ve got. In the meantime, let’s all fantasize about a world where everything we eat brings art to life.
