# Battle Bot Instruments The Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele Brings Music to an Old-School Toy By Matt Ho | Published 2012-01-18 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roc-em-soc-em-ukulele References: [technabob](http://technabob.com/blog/2012/01/16/rock-em-sock-em-robot-ukulele/) & [etsy](http://www.etsy.com/listing/64874206/roc-em-soc-em-robot-ukulele-robolele) From the creators of the Transformers ukulele comes another throwback bot in the form of the Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele. The Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele brings back the [classic battle bot toy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mini-robots) from the 80s, which calls for two individual bots to fight it out until a head pops open. Clearly this robot has been defeated, but at least it now serves a [musical purpose](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harmoni). The body and the neck of the instrument is shaped into the iconic red robot that stands opposite of the blue one. The ukulele itself is constructed from [maple wood](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cardboard-guitar-1), which gives the instrument an earthy tone even with the use of red paint. For those looking for something a little more personal, the design team takes customized requests for this toy-inspired instrument. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.4/10 - Popularity: 3% | Activity: 2% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Humor](https://www.trendhunter.com/humor) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Retro-inspired Instruments:** The Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele taps into the trend of reviving nostalgic toys and repurposing them as musical instruments. - **Personalized Musical Instruments:** The ability to customize the Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele allows consumers to express their individuality and create unique musical experiences. - **Toy-themed Musical Gadgets:** The popularity of toy-themed musical gadgets, like the Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele, offers a disruptive innovation opportunity in the music industry. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Music:** The music industry can leverage the trend of retro-inspired instruments to attract nostalgic consumers and offer unique products. - **Customization:** The customization trend in the Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele presents opportunities for businesses in the customization industry, allowing consumers to personalize their musical instruments. - **Toy Manufacturing:** The success of toy-themed musical gadgets like the Roc 'em Soc 'em Ukulele opens up new opportunities for the toy manufacturing industry to expand into music-related products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Connected Ukulele Instruments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-ukulele.md) - [Transforming Robotic Speakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robosen-soundwave.md) - [Quirky Strummable Synths](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electronic-synth.md) - [Collaborative Limited-Edition Ukuleles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/collaborative-limitededition-ukelele.md) - [Playful Music Collabs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/loog-x-hello-kitty.md) - [Beatboxing Robot Dogs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dj-beat-boxer.md) - [AI-Powered Toy Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rocar.md) - [Compact Bio-Synth Gadgets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pocket-scion.md) - [Robotic Handheld Gaming Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/game-bot.md)