A screenshot of the Resonance playlist at Stanford.
A team of Stanford students have developed a project that they hope will allow users to explore the world of music with some help from their neighbors. They have created Res.onance.com, a simple site that offers a playlist created by people in a certain city. After logging in through Facebook, users can add songs to the playlist themselves and can then rate the songs being played. The team explained the song selection process: “As users rate songs, we provide you with a playlist of top ranked songs and a solid mix of new additions.”
Resonance plans to seize on the local aspect of the project with additional functionality. All logged-in users have a Resonance score which reflects the popularity of the songs they have added to the playlist. The team plans on adding new features that use these Resonance scores to “identify tastemakers or trendsetters” in the community.
After a quick start at Stanford, Resonance has already created playlists in Boulder, CO, and Austin, TX. When asked about a business model and future plans, the Resonance team responded, “First and foremost, our goal is to provide people with an awesome venue for discovering new music they love.” They hope to expand to other locales across the country, and do not plan on monetizing the site anytime soon.
As with any online project, Resonance faces competition and a critical user base. But with their professional and aesthetically pleasing page layout, the site’s simplicity, and the novelty of a connection to the musical heart of their community, Resonance looks like a project that will keep growing and expanding.