Tuned Global, the leading B2B music streaming and technology specialist, has partnered with Thailand’s largest media and entertainment conglomerate, GMM Grammy, to launch the first ever music streaming service dedicated to Thai artists and consumers.

Powered by Tuned Global’s turnkey music streaming technology, Plern aims to meet Thailand’s growing market demand for music streaming. Currently only 20% of the country’s 45 - 50 million smartphone users listen to music through streaming apps, with radio and video-sharing platforms more prevalent. Plern offers a low data alternative to video, with login-free access, lockscreen play, unlimited song skips and offline listening.

Plern’s catalogue, which includes music from Thai-based record labels RS, Serng Music, Top Line Music, Sure Entertainment, Siang Siam, Solution One and many more to come, including Believe distributed artists and labels, such as Hai Thong Kham Records, Sing Music and Guitar Records. Plern provides a depth and breadth of Thai repertoire way beyond that of leading global DSPs. Tuned Global’s white label music streaming app has also been specially adapted to offer in-app payment transactions, reward schemes and voucher redemption tailored to regions functioning within a predominantly cash-based economy.

The app provides a free, ad-supported option as well as a subscription tier, with the premium version offering lossless audio which will come in early 2022, exclusive multimedia content from local artists and early-bird purchase or discounts for upcoming concert and music festival tickets. Built-in features also include listening recommendations and auto-generated playlists powered by Musiio's artificial intelligence technology. Collaborative user playlists, live radio and podcasts will be added soon. Plern expects to attract five million monthly active users within the first year.

The deal saw GMM Grammy benefit from Tuned Global’s status as a one-stop-shop streaming provider for music, video and podcasts, handling content delivery, and metadata management in both English and Thai. With a proven track record across South East Asian markets including recent partnerships with LYKA and True Digital Group, Tuned Global possesses an innate understanding of how technological limitations, economic constraints, and other local nuances influence music consumption in emerging markets.

Asawin Rojmethatawee, Executive Vice President - Music Streaming Business, GMM Grammy PCL, said: “We created Plern to merge accessibility with a high-end music streaming experience and establish ‘massclusivity’ within the Thai market. With the help of Tuned Global, we hope to offer a service that goes beyond the limitations of conventional music streaming apps and provide an unrivalled user experience to all of Thailand.”

Con Raso, Managing Director of Tuned Global, added: “With demand for localised streaming services growing around the world, it’s been a pleasure to work with a company as significant as GMM Grammy to launch Plern. With an expansive local repertoire catering to the needs of mobile users in both urban and rural communities, this app is set to transform the Thai streaming market.”