What distinguishes Resonance in a crowded market of online music-providers? The site is geared towards musical exploration, with an emphasis on the idea that one’s locality plays a role in their culture and musical preference. This has worked well so far at a place like Stanford, where 1,000 songs have already been added by users. The music on Resonance could be heard coming from dorm rooms across campus on any-given weekend. In a sense, the playlist is almost “approved” by those in the local community, which makes it appealing for the Stanford student with little time to seriously search for good, new music, and needs suggestions by those he or she trusts.
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.
