User:Wendysiew/Sandbox

Wayango is a Singapore-based social music website, beta launched by Xpointo Media in November 2008. Key members of the Xpointo Media team were formerly from CNET Networks International (which was since acquired by CBS Interactive). Wayango provides three main services to users: a social networking platform, a music recommendation service and a digital music store.

Site features
Music content

Wayango has an artist directory with information on over 300,000 artists and 9.7 million tracks. This content is searchable and open for user-generated input in the form of wiki edits; photos and lyrics contributions; reviews, ratings and discussions.

Wayango's music genre section categorizes and lists artists in over 1000 genre classifications. The genre content facilitates music discovery by providing information on an artist's musical style and recommending similar artists.

Song recommendations

Powered by Gracenote's Discover product, Wayango’s music recommendation engine helps users discover new artists or songs they may like by providing suggestions based on their pick of a “seed” artist or song.

Social networking tools

Each member is given an account and a personal music profile as a front to network with other members. Member profiles consist of:

- A feed of activities undertaken by members themselves, their friends and the artists they follow

- A snapshot of their favourite artists, albums, tracks and lyric line

- Artists they have rated, reviewed or discussed

- Song recommendations sent or received

- Song wishlists

- Playlists

- Tags

- Blog

Streaming

Audio streaming on the site is limited to 30-second previews of licensed music, accessible by clicking on the orange play button arrow next to the name of the track.

Store catalog
Music selection

The Wayango store features music from English, Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese and Thai artists across a wide variety of genres including Rock, Alternative, Dance, Hip Hop, Electronica, Jazz, Classical and Kids.

Tracks in store

The Wayango store contains more than 1.6 million tracks from independent and major label artists.

Tracks from the following major and independent labels are only available for purchase by Singapore users in WMA format: EMI, Universal Music, Warner Music Group, Ocean Butterfiles, Rock Records.

Tracks licensed from The Orchard, are available for worldwide purchase in MP3 format.

Social networking utility tools
In January 2009, Wayango implemented Facebook Connect, allowing Facebook users to sign-in to Wayango with their Facebook credentials. Facebook-connected users have the option of publishing their Wayango activities on their Facebook feeds.

At the same time, Wayango also launched a Music Compatibility application on Facebook. The application helps users identify top music soulmates - friends who are closest match in music tastes, by rating a series of artists.

Advertising supported platform
Wayango is an online advertising platform for brands with the desire to connect with music lovers. Beta launch advertisers have included Bacardi, Kaplan Asia Pacific Management Institute, MINI, Sony Electronics and Sony Pictures.