May 1, 2014 Top Five Must-Have Music Apps for 2014
In this age, nothing brings more music to our ears than a mobile music app. We apps can listen to our favorite songs and find new tunes whether at home or on the go. Stephanie Falvo of Echno Nest says that, “We as consumers are beginning to expect more from our music services. Not only do we want a place to catalog our music, but we want to use platforms that cater to our music tastes.” However, no two mobile music apps are the same, and the vast number of music apps available for can be overwhelming. This list of the top five mobile music apps will ensure that you have the best listening experience to keep you jamming to your ears’ content!
1. Spotify (FREE for Android, Apple, Blackberry, and Windows Phones/$9.99 a month for ad- free listening):
Spotify is essentially the app of Playlists. This popular music streaming program available on desktops enables you to access the playlists from your computer on your mobile device. Not only will the app shuffle these songs, but new tracks similar to the original playlist content are also included in your original playlist. Some playlists provided by Spotify include New Releases, Mood, and Pops so that you can find news and longtime favorites under the app’s “Browse” section.
Another aspect of the Spotify app that distinguishes it from others is the “Discover” feature. Not only can you find information on artist appearances in your local area, but you can briefly pause the first song you are listening to in order to hear a sample of another song suggested by Spotify. Spotify is clearly a great Playlist app to use when you want to hear both past favorite songs and new hits you might now be exposed to when using the desktop program.
2. SoundHound (FREE for Android, Apple, Blackberry, and Windows Phones):
Have you ever been out and about when you hear a great song but have no clue about its actual title? You are then faced with the following dilemma: a) memorize a part of the song so that you can look it up later or b) forget the small portion of the lyrics you tried desperately to remember.
SoundHound is essentially the app that does this work for you. Whether you choose to play, sing, or hum the tune of a song, it will quickly load the name of the tune, display lyrics, and even provide a link for you to purchase the song if you so desire. The app also features charts with the current popular songs and can be personalized if you choose to sign up and create an account. So say goodbye to those moments of trying to figure out the name of a cool but anonymous tune. SoundHound has you covered.
3. Pandora (FREE Android, iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, kindle fire, nook, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry; $3.99 a month for ad-free listening):
This mobile app enables you to take Pandora Radio with you any and everywhere, which was unheard of with the desktop website. After signing into the app with your e-mail address and Pandora password, you can create and listen to multiple music stations by genre, song name, or artist. You can like or dislike a song, create an entirely new station from a current track, or share this music via social media.
The Pandora app is also allows you to create an actual profile to connect with other users. The profile tab enables you to add a picture and biography. It also features songs you bookmark and like and keeps tally of both your followers and the people you follow. Listening to the radio just got a little more sociable with Pandora’s mobile app.
4. Beats Music (FREE Trial, but $15/month for AT&T subscribers):
No other music app says “Personalized” like Beat’s Music. If you thought that the Beat’s headphones by Dr. Dre were a big hit, this new app will make you regret that you “Forgot about Dre” (yes, this is actually a song). Upon logging in with your Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail account, the app enables you to tap twice the bubbles with the names of the music genres and artists you like, but press and hold down on bubbles with music genres and artists that don’t suit your fancy. This enables the app to display both songs and albums according to your choices in the “Just for You” section.
The Sentence feature of the app is arguably the best component of all. A personalized playlist of shuffled songs will play when you type in information like your mood, location, and genre of interest. I heard “Fourth of July” by Dave Alvin, for example, after putting in “I’m AT WORK and feel like GOING BACK IN TIME with MY ENTOURAGE to AMERICANA”. No matter what your taste in music is, Beats Music has a song or two for you.
5. SoundCloud (FREE for Apple, Android, and Windows Phone 8)
While it is great to have music apps for consumption, some of us want an app like SoundCloud for creating and sharing our own apps. SoundCloud enables you to record up to 120 minutes worth of original music that other users can listen to, share, like, or even download upon your permission. Upgrading to a paid account gives users access to more recording time, but the app is completely ad-free for all users.
Each of these five apps have much to offer for music lovers using the most popular mobile devices. After all, Scott Holmes of United Future says, “Mobile music app provides us with real-time music experiences that allow us to connect with artists and share this information with others.” So whichever app you decide to use, have a happy listening!
About the Author
Janel Forsythe is the Digital Marketing Manager for ATS Mobile in the Greater Philadelphia area. She keeps clients updated on all the important news within the mobile marketing industry and enjoys listening to music in her free time. Contact her at janelf@advancedtele.com for more information about mobile marketing for all your music-based needs.
Reader Comments (3)
In the future please don't waste people's time with an article written on a music blog that's managed by a music industry insider blog and write about the 5 most COMMON music apps used in the free world...and probably elsewhere, too. Pandora?! Spotify?! Soundcloud?! SoundHound?! Beats?! I actually thought I was going to read something educational!
The equivalent would be ESPN.com posted an article listing the top 5 sports in the United States.
Soundhound??? ...Over SHAZAM? Someone's got some greasy palms.
Most definitely check out Qello Concerts (http://qello.com)! The app is free and will get you access to the worlds' largest music database!