Wavelength
Social music discovery platform connecting listeners through shared taste.
Overview
Wavelength is a mobile-first social platform where music taste becomes the foundation for connection. Instead of following friends or influencers, users discover people through algorithmic taste matching — finding others who love the same deep cuts and hidden gems.
The Challenge
Music streaming has become a solitary experience. Existing social features on major platforms feel bolted-on rather than intentional. We wanted to build something where the social layer was the product, not an afterthought.
Approach
I designed the mobile experience from concept through a series of rapid prototypes, testing each iteration with a cohort of beta users recruited from music communities.
Core interactions
- Taste profile — A visual fingerprint generated from listening history, displayed as an abstract waveform unique to each user.
- Wavelength matching — A feed of users ranked by taste compatibility, with shared favorites highlighted.
- Collaborative playlists — Matched users can co-create playlists, with each addition scored for compatibility.
Results
The beta community grew to fifteen thousand active users within the first two months, driven entirely by word of mouth. Average daily session time reached twenty-two minutes, and the collaborative playlist feature generated over forty thousand shared playlists during the beta period.