Music means a lot to a lot of people, and it can be a great way to meet or get to know each other. Or it was in better times. With concerts that are basically dead, the chances of someone hitting someone at the bar during a show are zero. But a new app called Vinylly uses your Spotify data to match other people with similar musical tastes – or at least, that’s the claim. In practice, my jam is too niche, or the app needs work.
Vinylly has been available on the iPhone since last year, but it only landed on Android last month, and in short, it’s a one-turn dating app: it’s all based on how well your Spotify data matches someone else’s. a. If this is not entirely clear, it means that you need a Spotify account to use it, and that the automatic data harvest saves you a lot of time by using Preferences. However, the focus also means that other romance-important details, such as religion and political affiliation, may not match, which can be a problem later.
The app is not too difficult to use, although there are some issues. Generally, just link your Spotify account (which is very easy once you’ve installed and signed in to the app) and type through the questions to set up your profile. That last part can provide a bit of polishing. One step to choose the location on your profile means you have to scroll through the hundred options to get to the bottom of the list and tap ‘next’ to continue. It should probably be a floating button or something built into a navigation bar.
The app also lets you match partners in different types of relationships and identities. If you just want someone to go to concerts and share music, this is an option, but you can also direct comfortable relationships or even something serious.
However, some of the details you determine during the essay are a bit misleading. For example, the app asks in what format your first purchase was. This is a simple question, right? Well, if you look at your profile, it’s called ‘sound preference’, which is a whole other thing, and there are some minor inconsistencies like these that need to be adjusted by the developers. Igniting Vinylly after being pushed out of memory or killed also flashes a bunch of weird interstitial screens, plus a definite charging point in the holo era.
The interface for the app itself is actually a bit cute and in tune with the musical theme. You do not sweep left / right or heart, you “shuffle” and “fast forward” and “play” them. Relative musical compatibility is indicated by the volume slider at the bottom – or, at least, the app claims that this is the case. I never saw it move from the death center.
Each match was 50% – and no, I do not enjoy My Chemical Romance.
Many of the people I have been recommended to make contact with also have musical tastes that differ very drastically from my own. If and when you come across someone with similar tastes – who actually looks difficult, but maybe I just like weird things – tapping the “Play” button on the death center does not just indicate a possible pass; you are also asked to send a message to them. Wallflowers will need the courage to tap into at least one of the pre-made suggestions, but you can also fire up personal messages.
Message options.
Some of the messaging options take the overly reductive drafting process to the extreme. ‘Hello Natalie, have you heard? In the lately? “Although I am by no means an expert on online dating (I never did, fortunately), I have to accept that writing your own message will be less awkward than the options you have given. You can access have your calls progress via the grid-like icon in the top left of the main view, in the top right you will find your profile and application settings.
This is where my hands-on ends. The most important thing is that I have a girlfriend. But also the key: no one has answered my messages in the last hour, so I can not be sure how the rest of the app works in practice.
The app also has a clear monetization model. In the future, features like chat will require a paid “Gold” premium subscription, though the developers have made it free for now. However, there are some benefits to hiding basic features behind a paywall. The app actually has a built-in tool with which matches can select virtual concert dates, which is a nice touch.
I personally spend 4-8 hours a day listening to music while I work away, and these are probably newcomer numbers compared to some people. Vinylly is maybe a little buggy, and it may not have done very well to suit me with people, but I can see that this information is popular. Music is a big part of many of our lives, and Vinylly lets you share the experience with others.