The once wildly popular but unauthorized Discord music bot “Rythm” is back with over 50 million fully licensed songs after striking deals with major music companies.

The rebirth of the shared music bot

The beloved Rythm allowed over 560 million Discord users to easily stream music from YouTube during voice calls, creating shared listening experiences. However, it was shut down in September 2021 by Google for violating YouTube's terms of service by ripping audio from videos.

Now, after securing licensing deals with major record labels and publishers, its founder and CEO, 21-year-old Yoav Zimet has reincarnated Rythm as a legal, licensed social music streaming platform with new premium subscription options. "We're not trying to replace Spotify or be a traditional music streaming service", said Zimet. "Our goal is to create a new category centered around listening to music together with friends and having those shared experiences''.

Rythm's new legal streaming options

Under the new model, Rythm offers both free and premium tiers:

Free Tier

• Join collaborative listening sessions hosted by premium subscribers
• Listen to curated radio stations

Premium Tier ($4.99/month)

• Create collaborative playlists for up to 20 people to listen together
• Revenue shared with rights holders

The brand new Rythm interface includes a collaborative queue, music controls, album art, visualizers, and other social features. While no ads will run initially, the company may introduce "thoughtful" advertising later.

Expanding beyond discord's walls

Although Rythm began as a Discord bot, the company has broader ambitions to build a dedicated social network for shared music listening across platforms like iOS, Android, and other desktop apps. "We envision Rythm as a place where you can gather with friends to listen to new album releases together and experience that communal aspect that's been lost with solitary streaming", Zimet explained.

Backed by over $10 million in funding from investors like Corazon Capital, Mucker Capital, and music industry veterans at Laffitte Management Group, Rythm is betting on a new segment of the streaming market focused on social listening experiences.

This return has garnered reactions from various artists, who appreciate Rythm's focus on legal streaming and social listening, seeing it as a valuable addition to the digital music landscape. Mitchell Tenpenny, known for his hit single "Drunk Me," expressed enthusiasm about Rythm's return, highlighting the bot's potential to enhance shared musical experiences among friends​. Additionally, Tinashe praised the platform for its commitment to music and creativity.

As music continues its digital transformation, innovators like Rythm are exploring new frontiers in how we discover, experience, and engage with music together in the streaming era.