Social Music Streaming App Resso Launches In India

Yesterday a brand new music streaming service called Resso launched in India. The latest entrant to the game, which is developed by a company called Moon Video Inc. but owned by TikTok’s ByteDance, has “social music streaming” as its main focus. Some of the app’s key features include being able to create videos, GIFs and pictures based on what one is listening to, the ability to post comments and connect with like-minded people and also share lyric posters of their favorite tracks.

At the launch in Mumbai, Resso made it clear that their target audience is millennials and the Gen Z bracket. Head of Music Content and Partnership, Resso India, Hari Nair said in a statement, “Our goal is to encourage them as well as everyday music listeners to express themselves in an interactive and engaging way.”

Resso has also cut deals with the likes of Sony Music and Warner Music as well as Indian players such as T-Series, Saregama and Times Music among others for their back catalog. Universal Music Group remains excluded from the list, but the brand’s rep said they are working to close the deal. An important question remains, however, if just a few comments, mood-based playlists and the ability to share lyrics will be enough to sway users away from other streaming services that have firmly established themselves in India?

Entrepreneur and currently part of music distributor CD Baby in India, Ritnika Nayan says, “I think it will be interesting to see how Resso manages to pull it off.”

While Nayan feels that Resso wants to target TikTok users, she also thinks that bringing the social element as part of the app could backfire on the company. “Some users prefer a cleaner feel to their music streaming app,” she says. Nayan adds, “On a broader level it makes sense, to combine the love of music and social networking into one. But how it will actually work and how it can set itself apart from existing streaming and social media sites will be a challenge.”

The unlimited scroll format the app offers can at times be exhausting even though the algorithm works on your taste and preferences. Another feature included is the breaking down of genres which feels unnecessary. Users have the choice to download the basic free app for a 30-day trial which is ad-heavy or opt for a monthly subscription of Rs. 99 for Android users and Rs. 119 for iOS users which includes downloads, improved audio quality and unlimited skips. 

At the launch, Nair mentioned that independent artists will remain a core focus for Resso India, but musicians are yet to be onboarded and set up verified profiles that will allow them to interact with their followers. With the official release out of the way, it remains to be seen how much of a ripple Resso India will make.