With features like Spotify's Discover Weekly, it's becoming easier than ever to tap in to new music. That being said, not everyone wants an algorithm to provide insight into what's hot in the world of music.
For those who miss interacting with real humans, The Yams has arrived.
The Yams is the creation of Shannon Connolly, former senior vice president at Viacom, and Connor Hanwick, bandmember of The Drums. It was developed in 2015, but hasn't started making headlines until now, following the beginning of its closed beta mode. In short, The Yams allows you to send a text message to one of its curators to get real-time feedback and music to listen to on-the-go.
Instead of downloading an app, everything is done via text. The service is still in beta, and The Yams is seeking feedback to further improve its offerings before it goes mainstream. So far, it works like this: users text The Yams' curators a few artists and songs they like, and a playlist is sent in reply. It's designed to be compatible with the music player of the messenger's choice, such as iTunes or SoundCloud. Best of all, the service is currently free.
"Yams playlists are contextual (based on what you want, when you want it) and conversational (accompanied with a few lines of context about why we chose what we chose for you)," says The Yams website. "If you're the kind of person that wishes you could talk back to the radio DJ, your Spotify Discover Weekly, or the track premieres on Beats 1, this is for you!"
As the cherry on top, The Yams is also open to addressing "music emergencies" for those moments when you absolutely need some jams. By texting "URGENT" in a request, a playlist is queued up as soon as possible.
In the event that a text message is sent to The Yams when the curators are unavailable, users receive a message letting them know when they'll be back. The Yams' curators are currently working during standard "business hours" and reply to texts within a few minutes.
While The Yams might not be for everyone, it could be just the ticket for those who yearn for more human interaction mixed with soulful beats.
