, a community-driven initiative aiming to expand the repertoire of QR-code-based song guessing card games by introducing genre-specific expansion packs. Founded by Deniz Binay and Jannis Tanner, the project seeks to address the limitations of existing games that primarily feature mainstream chart hits. Leveraging their backgrounds in design, marketing, and deep roots in subculture, they have created a platform where music and gaming fans can come together to curate authentic decks that truly resonate.
Key Selling Points:
Expands Existing Games: Songenius offers new card decks that can be used as standalone games or as expansion packs for popular song guessing games.
In-Depth Genre Editions: Moves beyond the superficiality of mainstream chart hits to delve deeper into music culture, offering a authentic selection of songs that enrich the gaming experience.
Collaborative Platform: Empowers players to actively shape the game by suggesting songs and genres, voting on them, and engaging in discussions about the editions and the game in general.
Fills a Proven Market Gap: Addresses the unmet demand for variety and depth in song guessing games—evidenced by countless online discussions, pricey online services, DIY tutorials, and open-source projects attempting to fill this void.
Background
Songenius was founded by Deniz Binay and Jannis Tanner, co-founders of the digital agency
. With extensive backgrounds in design and marketing, they also have deep roots in music subcultures—organizing events, advocating for nightlife policies, and working in indie media. This unique blend of professional expertise and personal passion equips them to tackle the challenge of expanding song guessing games into new genres. As avid players themselves, they shared the frustrations of the online community seeking more variety and depth. Finding existing solutions unsatisfactory, they decided to create their own concept.
, users can vote on genres they'd like to see developed into card decks. This initial voting doesn't require any account registration, making it easy for anyone to participate.
Community Curation: For those interested in deeper involvement, Songenius hosts a
server where members can suggest additional genres and contribute songs to shared Spotify playlists. These playlists serve as the foundation for each deck, ensuring that the song selections are diverse and representative of the genre's history and influence.
Deck Development: Through discussions and polls on Discord, the community collaborates to refine the song lists, balancing iconic hits with lesser-known gems to create a well-rounded deck. The goal is to produce decks that are both challenging and enjoyable, reflecting the true essence of each genre.
Card Details: Each card will feature QR codes linked to songs playable via popular streaming services, along with details like song title, artist, release date, album, and label. This equips players for all popular rulesets. We plan to support players in creating and discovering community-made rule sets in the future.
Project Timeline: The project is currently in the community-building phase. From today, we're inviting the community to get involved and determine which deck we produce first, so that we can start production in early 2025.
Quotes
"We realized that the best way to create truly authentic genre decks was to involve the community," said Deniz Binay, co-founder of Songenius. "By collaborating with music lovers worldwide, we're able to capture the essence of each genre and offer a gaming experience that resonates on a deeper level."
"Songenius is more than just an expansion; it's a celebration of musical diversity," added Jannis Tanner, co-founder. "We're excited to see how the community shapes this project and brings their unique perspectives to the table."
Media Opportunities and Assets
Interviews Available: The founders, Deniz and Jannis, are available for interviews to provide deeper insights into the project.
Media Center: All media assets, including images, videos, and press materials, are available at our media center: