Best Music Apps for Music Lovers

A Better Music Player

Of course, being the music junkie that you are means that you don't go anywhere without a library of music loaded right on your iPhone. iOS' built-in Music app is a decent music player with the elegant, minimalist design you’ve come to expect from Apple. But if you're a power user, you might want to check out something with the features you need to really make your beat drop.

Let your tunes take on the acoustics of any live venue you can imagine

LiveTunes - Concert FX Player

For people who prefer the sound of a live venue over a studio recording

This app integrates with your iTunes Music Library to give you an impressive area of acoustic modifications to those boring old studio tracks. You can simulate the sound of a sold-out arena, with the crowd shouting and cheering, or the quaint and cozy feel of a coffee shop. LiveTunes uses a proprietary and ground-breaking HD reverb technology from iZotope® to simulate acoustic spaces for a variety of live venues including stadiums, arenas, theaters, concert halls, clubs, bars and more. This technology allows LiveTunes to literally make any track sound bigger and better than ever before. It’s like you’re really there.

Why we love it

LiveTunes lets you really get a feel for how a song might sound in a live venue. You can get the sense that you're actually in the stadium, listening to the band perform live, without ever leaving your living room. The soundscapes generated by the reverb technology bring new life to your tracks, letting you hear your music as if it were being performed live just for you.

$0.99 More info

For an amazing surround sound effect, this music player rocks.

Boom: Bass Booster & Equalizer

For those who are looking for a quality, surround sound music player.

Boom: Music Player with Magical Surround Sound is not only super easy to use but provides excellent, quality sound. You can spot the difference immediately by enabling the Effects. The sound is crystal clear, the Equalizer options give you the perfect effect, and the app provides a truly immersive experience with any type of headphones or even without.

Why we love it

If you often use headphones to listen to music on your iPhone or iPad, how good is the sound? Could it be better? If you are ready to experience your tunes the way they were meant to be heard, then check out Boom: Music Player with Magical Surround Sound. With amazing clarity and great features, immerse yourself in a 3-D sound experience.

FREE More info

Customize your music listening experience

Cs Music Pro

For anyone who wants just a little more than ordinary in their music player.

Have you ever wanted the old look and feel of Apple's very own music player? Well you've found it. As a fan of Apple music and a music enthusiast myself, finding your local library without the bloating Apple music app it quickly becomes quite the task. With Cesium you have the freedom of having all of your music in one quick, easy and highly customizable app. It has everything the Apple music it was and more. It even comes pre-loaded with a few features that other music players lack, like the night mode. Yes. Its a small. But extremely useful.

Why we love it

$2.99 More info

Sing Your Heart Out

Not every music lover loves to sing, but a great karaoke app can give you a new relationship with your personal soundtrack. These apps will help you express your love for your favorites either alone or in front of an audience.

Learn the Lyrics

You may not know it, but you’ve probably thought up or blurted out a mondegreen on more than one occasion. A mondegreen, by the way, is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase (usually a song lyric). If you want to stop perpetuating them and be adequately informed about the lines to your favorite tunes, just use these helpers while singing along.

Behind the Song

Genius: Song Lyrics Finder

For those looking for more about a song.

Want to know more about a song? Hold your phone up to the music, tap the soundwave button (powered by Gracenote), and lo, the annotated lyrics appear. You can also easily navigate the lyrics for all the songs in your iTunes library.

Why we love it

Lyrics are an important part of songs. With Genius, you now have a simple way to uncover the words from your favorite songs.

FREE More info

Make sure you sing the right song lyrics with this awesome app.

Musixmatch Lyrics Finder

For those who like to quote lyrics or sing along.

Musixmatch Lyrics Finder is a simple app that lets you find the exact lyrics to your favorite song. Just search for the song name, or even browse through artist. Once you find the song, view it and you'll get all of the lyrics for when you want to learn the song or quote it to your friends and family.

Why we love it

It's a simple and streamlined app that lets you find the lyrics to your favorite songs without much hassle.

FREE More info

Find Your New Favorite Song

If your friends are big music fans, then they're very likely full of songs that you, like, totally have to listen to right now, man. But technology has evolved to the point that you no longer need others to go on a journey of music discovery. These apps will help you find new favorites so that you can hound your pals about what they should be listening to for a change.

Discover new music through this slick app

Hype Machine

For those who like to discover new music that is being hyped up by music blogs

If you love to find out about new music, then Hype Machine is for you. The app lets you check out what all of the music blogs are talking about lately, so you know that it's worth checking out. You may love it or hate it, but the hype is there and you crave to find out for yourself.

Why we love it

The app looks gorgeous and is streamlined and organized, so you can find out what all the music blogs are saying in a simple glance. It's a great way to discover new artists and get excited for new things.

FREE More info

Find your music

8tracks - Best Playlist Radio

For those who wish to find new music to enjoy.

Want a music player to help you listen to a playlist for a study, workout, yoga, or dating session? Looking for free music to stream like radio? 8tracks is the top music app to discover independent hip hop, EDM, indie rock, dubstep and more.

Why we love it

This is an impressive app for anyone who wants to experience new music in a fresh new way.

FREE More info

Learn New Things About Your Favorite Tunes

Music is a little more fun when you can put it in context. What's the story behind a song, or why does it sound a certain way? Answering these questions can help you find new music to listen to, as well as give you interesting tidbits for dinner conversations.

WhoSampled

WhoSampled dives into your music and reveals more some nice information behind it all.

more info

CHI Encyclopedia of Music

Good Spider, LLC

Explore the all the world's musical instruments in thousands of hours of articles and pictures covering everything from the Accordion to the Xylophone. Our Encyclopedia of Music contains beautiful HD photos, great organization and user interface and the most comprehensive information about music you may want to know.

Our Encyclopedia of Music can be used by anyone. It can be a kid's encyclopedia to help them learn about music and musical instruments, or it can be an informative tool for anyone that is interested in music.

We have worked diligently to select the best photos and create content that is engaging, easy to understand and relevant. CHI Encyclopedia of
Music looks stunning on both iPhone and iPad. We have also thought of a way to motivate you to read more. Collect badges for reading different articles or collections of articles. We also made the encyclopedia to be available entirely offline so you can read it on the go without WiFi connection (in the car or on a plane).

CHI Encyclopedia of Music – All Musical Instruments
— Music topics are included from A-Z
— Neat organization and beautiful HD photos
— Relevant information about music and musical instruments that is nicely written
— Great for all ages
— Available offline, read it on the go

Simple, intuitive and elegant. With CHI Encyclopedia of Music you can learn everything about music and musical instruments!

more info

TCP: Resounding Earth

Joseph Genden

Discover the incredible sounds and history of a variety of different types of bells in thes"Resounding Earth" app from Grammy-winning quartet Third Coast Percussion.

In 2012, internationally renowned composer Augusta Read Thomas wrote a new piece of music entitled "Resounding Earth" for the Chicago-based ensemble Third Coast Percussion, featuring over 125 bells from all over the world. With this app, you can play many of the bells used in the piece and learn a bit about their origins and cultural significance.

Grammy-award winner Augusta Read Thomas was Mead Composer-in-Residence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1997-2006. Thomas was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2009, she has been on the American Music Center Board since 2000, was a finalist for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize, and she is the 16th ever University Professor at the University of Chicago. Her 4-movement work "Resounding Earth" was the result of a long collaborative process with Third Coast Percussion. Together, they built a unique collection of bells and created a truly unique sonic palette. Third Coast Percussion's recording of "Resounding Earth" is available on CD and DVD from New Focus Recordings, and the quartet can be seen performing this work on concert series around the country. Third Coast Percussion premiered a new concerto for these bells with orchestra entitled "Sonorous Earth" in 2017.

more info

Sound Museum

Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Learn about the various instrument sounds included with your Kawai digital piano, listen to inspirational song demos, select Dual and Split playing modes, and store favourite sounds - all from a beautiful touch interface.

Sound Museum is musical instrument learning app developed especially for Kawai digital pianos, providing an opportunity for players of all levels to explore the various instrument voices available in their piano. Using the attractive touch interface, players can easily select sounds, read about each instrument's tonal characteristics and suitable musical genre, and listen to professionally recorded demonstration pieces.

It's also possible to use Sound Museum to select sound combinations for Dual and Split playing modes, adjusting the volume balance and split point as desired. Popular sounds or sound combinations can even be stored to one of eight Favourite memories for convenient recall at a later date.

Sound Museum is compatible with a broad range of Kawai digital pianos, and fully supports the Quicco Sound mi.1 Bluetooth MIDI interface for cable-free wireless connectivity.

Feature Summary
===============
- Learn about the musical instrument sounds available in Kawai digital pianos.
- Listen to built-in demonstration songs and new musical performances.
- Select Dual and Split playing modes and adjust relevant settings.
- Store popular sounds to Favourite memories for convenient recall.
- Connect wirelessly using the Quicco Sound mi.1 Bluetooth MIDI interface.

Compatible models:
Kawai CN39/CN29/CN37/CN27/CN17/CN35/CN25/CN14/KDP110/KDP90/KDP70, CS11/CS8, ES8/ES100/ES110, CA58/CA48/CA28/CA97/CA67/CA17/CA33

\* The 'Lightning to USB Camera Adapter', 'Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter', or 'Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit' accessory is required in order to connect an iOS device to the Kawai digital piano using a USB cable. It is also possible to connect the iOS device wirelessly using the Quicco Sound 'mi.1' Bluetooth MIDI interface.

\* When connecting via Bluetooth MIDI using an iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, the CN37, CN27, ES110, and QuiccoSound mi.1 may need to be updated to the latest BLE MIDI firmware in order to function correctly.

more info

MusicTools Music Dictionary

OnStage Technologies, LLC

MusicTools is a set of tools designed for music students, amateur, and professional musicians. This initial release contains a comprehensive music dictionary and a set of useful quick reference charts. MusicTools contains thousands of definitions, abbreviations and performance notations used in music from the 18th century through the present day. Future versions will contain additional tools to assist all levels of musicians with rehearsal and performance.

This version features an extremely fast, easy-to-use dictionary search engine and an intuitive set of charts allows for quick use during lessons, practice sessions, and rehearsals. English, German, Latin, Italian and French variations of words and pronunciations are also provided. Musicians who play from older manuscripts will find MusicTools especially helpful in identifying older notations and abbreviations no longer listed in modern dictionaries.

Features in this edition:
* Comprehensive Music Dictionary based on Elson's original classic Pocket Music Dictionary
* Abbreviations Chart
* Accelerations Chart
* Circle of Fifths Chart
* Retardations Chart
* Tempo Markings Chart
* Musical Symbols Chart

MusicTools is produced by musicians for musicians and is designed to help you be the best musician you can be!

more info

Name That Tune

We’ve all been there (hearing a song we like) and done that (trying to figure out what it’s called and who performs it to no avail). Fortunately, now we don’t have to ask around or scrape the tip of our tongues to find the title of and the artist behind a tune.

For song recognition, new artists, music news, television, and more.

Shazam: Find Music & Concerts

For people who love music and want to know what's playing.

You are riding in the car, dancing at the club, or dining at a restaurant and hear a cool tune. Just pop open your Shazam app and hit that Shazam button. Maybe you love the song and want to buy it or maybe you just want to see who sings it or what the title is. Either way, once you tag a song it is saved in your Shazams for later.

Why we love it

Shazam is a must-have app for music lovers. Discover new tunes, purchase songs you love, check out music news, and explore the charts.

FREE More info

What's that song playing?

SoundHound - Music Discovery

Music discovery made simple.

SoundHound is a free music identification service that has been around a long time. It includes the ability to identify the song you are playing now and also help you find new tracks to experience.

Why we love it

When it comes to finding the title of the song that is now playing, nothing compares to SoundHound.

FREE More info

For song recognition, new artists, music news, television, and more.

Shazam Encore

For people who always want to know "What's that song?"

You are riding in the car, dancing at the club, or dining at a restaurant and hear a cool tune. Just pop open your Shazam Encore app and hit that Shazam button. Maybe you love the song and want to buy it or maybe you just want to see who sings it or what the title is. Either way, once you tag a song it is saved in your Shazams for later.

Why we love it

Shazam Encore is a must-have app for music lovers. Discover new tunes, purchase songs you love, check out music news, and explore the charts.

FREE More info

See a Show Without Buying a Ticket

You don't have to actually attend concerts to enjoy them. If you don’t mind watching recordings of live performances on a screen instead of experiencing them in person, these impressive apps can hook you up.

ManilowTV

LA Phil

Los Angeles Philharmonic Association

Guerilla Cross

Marc Smith

CMA Connect

Country Music Association

Archivist Live Music

Supercritical Flow

Old-School Radio, Modernized

Even with the myriad music tracks residing in your library, you might still want to listen to what’s riding the airwaves. Don’t have a conventional radio? No problem: Your phone can do a lot of amazing things, and replicating quaint technology is in its skill set.

Listen to radio stations and much more from all over the world.

TuneIn Radio: Music & Sports

For those who still prefer to listen to the radio.

TuneIn Radio gives users hundreds of options for streaming radio stations. This is great for those who still prefer old-time radio over music streaming, or if they don't want to miss out on their favortie talk shows on the air. There are a ton of streams to pick from, so your favorites are bound to be here. The free version will have some advertisements, but the Pro version gets you the ability to even record broadcasts if you want to listen to them later.

Why we love it

While streaming services are all the rage, sometimes listening to a old-fashioned radio station is just what the doctor ordered. And with the add-on premuium service, which costs an additional $7.99 per month, you can listen to a number of professional sports including the NFL, MLB, NBA, Barclays Premier League, and Bundesliga matches.

FREE More info

The best live radio stations and podcasts from the United States and beyond

iHeart: Radio, Podcasts, Music

For people who love live radio

Owned by Clear Channel Communications, iHeartRadio features more than 800 live broadcast and digital-only radio stations. While this number may seem small compared to the thousands of stations offered by other apps, the stations offered here are among the country's best and most popular. In addition to its catalog of live radio stations, iHeartRadio also allows the listener to create custom radio stations, based on a song or artist. Aside from audio considerations, the app is also well designed, in that it's organized and easy to navigate. Because of its selection, program quality, and combination of both live and custom radio, iHeartRadio earns an essential spot in this AppList.

Why we love it

The iHeartRadio app is exceptionally well designed, and provides great-sounding audio. You can tune into radio stations from anywhere in the United States, with more than 800 to choose from. Finding the country's best, most popular radio broadcast stations is simple with iHeartRadio.

FREE More info

Experience Live Music

If you consider yourself a music junkie (which you likely do, or you wouldn't be reading this), you probably enjoy going to concerts. And now more than ever, keeping up to date with and buying tickets to your favorite artists’ live shows is trouble-free with your iOS device. These apps will show you who's playing and where, and they'll even let you skip the ticket counter and get straight to rocking out with your fellow fans.