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Top 10 apps: Music

 

SoundCloud
Android /iOS, / Firefox / OS
Free

Not a traditional music service, SoundCloud is instead happy to allow artists to upload their own original music to the service and allow regular folks like you and me to stream it. Anyone can use SoundCloud for free, and musicians can upload a total of three hours of music and share it across various other social media platforms. Several paid-for subscription options exist that give artists even more space for their tunes, including an unlimited plan for around R2000 a year. SoundCloud is a fantastic way for fledgling musicians to give their music wider exposure, and an even way better for music fans to discover and appreciate new music.

Internet Radio
Android /iOS
Free

If you don’t mind adverts up the wazoo, Internet Radio offers a comprehensive selection of internet-hosted radio stations to listen to, covering just about every genre of music you can imagine. Tuning in is as simple as firing up the app, ignoring all of the ads, choosing your preferred genre and a radio station that caters to it, and you’re done. It uses data to stream music to your phone, and the streams are of high quality. The app responds quickly, too – there’s no sense that you’re waiting for your tunes to cache. If it’s easy access to a wide selection of genres you want, Internet Radio is a good option.

Apple Music
Android /iOS
Free

Apple entered into the music business a very long time ago with iTunes, but Apple Music is the company’s first outing as a music streaming service. Buying a subscription based on your preference, the service allows you to stream some of the latest music, as and when it is being made available. The service has proven to hugely popular, with major recording artists opting to launch albums on the service before mainstream stores. If you enjoy Apple’s services and have been looking for a streaming model associated with the company, Music is going to be your key.

Listen
Android /iOS
Free

If you want to listen to music on your phone while driving, you are going to need an app that will make that a seamless experience, and that is exactly what Listen will give you. The app has been built with easy navigation in mind, as it knowns that keeping your eyes on the roads is hugely important. The app also groups albums together (with its album art), and you can quickly sort through it. For navigation, it uses touch gestures, so you won’t have to worry about pressing a button on-screen.

Google Play Music
Android
Free to download, R59,99 per month thereafter

Google Play Music gives music lovers access to a library of over 35 million songs from local and international artists. When you sign up, you get a free 60 day trial to test out whether or not it's to your liking. Thereafter, it will cost you R59.99 a month to subscribe. You can buy a single track or whole albums from your favourite artists. The app allows you to store up to 50 000 songs and then stream them across Android, iOS and the desktop. There’s also an offline play option, which helps you save on mobile data.

Deezer
Android /iOS
Free to download, R59.99 subscription

Deezer free to download and free to use as it there are no charges attached to streaming millions of songs listed on the music platform. The app’s algorithm picks up on your streaming pattern to curate a personalised playlist featuring artists and songs that are to your liking. If you’re listening to a song and don't know the lyrics, you can download them from within the app. You can try Deezer out for free for 30 days and sign up for a premium account which will cost R59.99 a month once it’s over.

Fantom
iOS

Free

UK trip-hop legends Massive Attack have offered fans a revolutionary new way to interact with their music with Fantom. This app is a “sensory music player” that fans can use to remix pieces of the band’s music using their location, local time and even their heartbeat, provided they have an Apple Watch. By moving their device around, fans can tinker with three of the band’s brand new tracks – Dead Editors, Voodoo In My Blood, Ritual Spirit and Take It There – by using their device’s camera at different times of the day. If they like what they hear, they can download the original tracks too.

Tidal
Android /iOS
Free (with IAPs)

The music streaming app aimed at hardcore musos, Tidal boasts HD quality audio and over 75,000 HD music videos. On top of that the app offers something called ‘Curated Editorial’, which is essentially a ton of articles, interviews and playlists written and compiled by music journalists. Procured by Jay Z a couple of years ago, Tidal also claims to offer a bigger percentage of royalties to artists and songwriters than its competitors. The catch is that Tidal demands a subscription fee – IAPs start at R139.99 – but it offers a limited free trial so you can check out whether you think your music addictions need to be fed to that extent.

Pocket Skip Track
Android
Free

This is the very definition of an “install and forget” app. Pocket Skip Track allows you to navigate the music on your phone when it’s locked, without you ever needing to touch the screen. Using the volume rockers, you can either click or double-click to navigate. Volume up is next track and volume down is previous, it’s that simple. There’s also support for a pause music function and long presses if your phone is rooted. If, like the name suggests, you’re listening with your phone in your pocket or your car, it’s just so convenient.

Shazam
Amazon Fire OS / Android / iOS / Windows Phone
Free

What a simple idea Shazam is: hold out your phone when a song comes on and you’ll instantly learn the artist and title. While that simple, powerful functionality is what it’s known for, take some time to explore the other functions baked into Shazam. Instead of hoping to hear a great song on the radio or over an intercom you can use the charts section of the app to see what’s trending with other users. There’s also a share function and like function and the ability to see what everyone else has just Shazamed.

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