GRAI Acquires Hangout FM to Reclaim Social Music Discovery

Modern streaming platforms have mastered friction-free access but sacrificed the communal element of discovery. While users spend over 20 hours a week with music, the current model relies on narrow algorithmic personalization. By integrating Hangout’s social listening insights with its own AI infrastructure, GRAI intends to replicate the human-centric experience of sharing music in real-time, much like the original Turntable.fm pioneered in 2011.

Andrei Avsievich, co-founder of GRAI, believes the convergence of social demand and modern technology finally makes this shift possible. For Joseph Perla, the founder of Hangout, the move ensures that the core mission—recreating the intimacy of passing around records—remains central to the product's evolution. GRAI is positioning itself as an industry-aligned player, having recently secured licenses from Music IP Holdings to manage the complex intersection of AI, recorded music, and artist royalties. The company, founded in 2025 by the team behind the Vochi video-editing app, is currently preparing for its upcoming launch.