Last week, music curation and streaming service Songza launched an iPad app to join their already-available iPhone, Android, and web apps. And over the course of the last ten days, the company’s iOS apps have been downloaded more than 1.15 million times.
This is a testament to how startups can disrupt crowded spaces as long as the core idea is solving the problem differently. Songza achieves that with some added user delight to boot.
Unlike Pandora’s algorithms or Spotify’s blank canvas approach, Songza offers up playlists that have been curated by music experts, like Rolling Stone writers and DJs. But the way these playlists are delivered is what really makes the app special (and likely abutting threatening to the other companies in the space).
Songza has a feature called Concierge, wherein the app takes bits of information, like your preferences, the day and time, and the fact that you’re on a mobile device, and gives you a list of activities common for that specific moment in time.
So, on a Friday late at night, Songza will give options for a sweaty dance party or getting high, with filters for each like Pop and Hip Hop. Users can then choose from playlists that fit under that umbrella.
On the other hand, you’ll see activities like getting up and working out on a Monday morning like this one. There’s also an Explore feature which lets you select your playlist by Activity, Genre, or Mood.
Songza hasn’t shared numbers from before the release of the iPad app, but founder Elias Roman did say that before this week, the web was their most trafficked platform. But that’s all changed with the release of the iPad app, which is only good news as Roman sees Songza as a mobile-first product.