Paris-based music service Whyd rolls out a recommendation engine this week that allows users to find tracks through searching what others with similar taste have recommended.
Whyd launched in November and initially let users bookmark tracks similar to Songdrop, and Techcrunch described the service as "Delicious for music." With the new recommendation engine launch, the site is demonstrating that it strives to be better known as a music-based social network.
Once a Whyd bookmarklet is installed on a browser, users can add tracks from multiple sources, including YouTube, Soundcloud and Vimeo, and listen later. With the update, users are recommended to each other based on the tracks they select.
Techcrunch compares the new features in Whyd with Last.fm and Napster, as both are deemed originators of music-based recommendations. Users can connect their Last.fm accounts with Whyd. Napster allowed users to browse other users' music collections that may appeal to their taste.
It's the focus on social and discovery that Whyd Co-Founder Gilles Poupardin says sets Whyd apart from others in the music streaming space: "We do not intend to be a full service music consumption destination," he says, "but rather a social network built around music, where new music lovers collect and share tracks that touch them."
Whyd won't compete head-on with Spotify and other music services as much it will work parallel to them.
"We see that today, people discover music on Whyd and then add it to Spotify or whatever service they use for offline access, even though it happens frequently that the music is not (nor will ever be) on Spotify," Poupardin said.
Competition is going to heat up for Whyd, as Spotify, Google and Apple all have digital music services in the works, with social media tie-ins sure to be built in. Beats Electronics' Project Daisy recently secured a $60 million investment and will become a standalone company.
