When Spotify launched its app platform a couple of weeks ago, not much attention was paid to the individual apps on offer, beyond big names like The Guardian and Last.fm. Digging a little deeper though, UK startup Top10‘s app is a perfect example of the potential the platform has.
Top10 is in the same ‘taste graph’ space as the likes of Amen and Oink, looking to build value by pooling huge amounts of opinion data. In this case, the idea is that users submit their top 10 lists for anything (favourite cancelled TV shows, favourite Bob Dylan albums etc) and over time, a cumulative, definitive top 10 combining all users’ choices is created. The Spotify app takes this idea, and turns it into an intriguing music discovery vehicle.
From the app’s main menu, you can browse a variety of top 10 lists, such as the best Pixies songs or the best songs of 2011. Clicking on any allows you to view both the cumulative list of all users, but also individual users’ lists. Of course, as it’s Spotify, you can listen to any top 10.
You can start your own top 10 lists within the app, and then check back as others contribute their own versions – how will your taste compare to theirs? Top10’s own website doesn’t really feel like a compelling proposition (why should I share my top 10 lists there?) but by slotting into Spotify, it may have found a home and an immediately practical use.
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This follows on from yesterday’s news that fellow UK startup ShareMyPlaylists had launched its own Spotify app.
If you have the app platform already available in your copy of Spotify (it’s being gradually rolled out), you can click here to access the Top10 app. Otherwise, you can download the beta version of Spotify to get instant access to all those lovely apps.
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