Rewind, a new app created by developer Ziad Al Halabi, aims to make it simpler for music lovers to discover the most popular songs from previous decades.
With a focus on fulfilling the desire for nostalgic musical experiences, Rewind allows users to travel through time and check the music charts from 1960 to 2010 to see the impact older songs have had on today's hits.
Al Halabi, who works in mobile app development at TIDAL, previously launched the successful audio player app Backtrackit, which received over 2 million installs.
Rewind was initially a weekend project, but its aim is to provide a way for people to rediscover the classic songs that dominated the charts in the past. The app's description poses the question, "What would it be like to open your favorite music app in 1991 or 1965?" and highlights the opportunity for users to find out which songs and artists were the most popular during those times.
Rewind goes beyond simply browsing the charts from the past and offers a more in-depth experience. In addition to the top Billboard charts, users can also check out the top albums and music videos of a specific year. The app also highlights notable trends from that era.
For example, when browsing 1991, users can see the "grunge-defining records" such as Nirvana's "Nevermind" and Pearl Jam's "Ten." Other sections include the most played radio tracks, highly anticipated releases, and newly formed bands of that year.
Rewind also has a "news" section that highlights significant events and moments of the year being explored. The app includes retro-style ads that provide an authentic experience for users. For instance, in 1965, users will see advertisements for the first distortion guitar pedal, and in the 1980s, ads for new synthesizers that played a role in defining the sound of that decade.
Rewind also features a TikTok-style music feed for each year, where users can listen to short clips of songs in a vertical format. Although the feature could benefit from the addition of "like" or "comment" buttons, users can currently play, pause, or open the full track on TIDAL.
It’s available as a free download on both Android and iOS and doesn’t currently generate revenue.
