Best iPad Apps For Music Fans

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 is a must-try radio app.

Most die-hard music fans probably have a subscription to satellite radio. If you happen to be one of those die-hard music fans, SiriusXM Radio offers an official app made just for the iPad. It features SiriusXM On Demand which allows you to listen to what you want, when you want it. Store select content for a limited time so that you can play it offline anywhere. Not only does this app include a vast array of music, but you also have access to hundreds of radio shows.

While most radio apps simply list their station offerings, Radio Alarm takes the look, feel, and function of an old-school radio alarm clock. It also throws in charming little touches, such as the mock station tuner that pops up when loading your station. This app is powered by SHOUTcast radio, which gives it access to more than 45,000 radio stations, including some fantastic international stations. It has a few issues, but is a solid choice for someone looking to simulate a true radio experience on their iPad.

One of the best music streaming apps out on the market right now is Spotify. With Spotify you have the option of being a free user or upgrading to premium. As a free user, you can listen to the radio and save songs you enjoy. Premium users are granted many more features like instant access to any song in their database, the ability to stream online, plus offline music access!

TuneIn Radio Pro is not a sexy app, but it does what it does well. With over 50,000 stations and 120,000 shows to select from, this universal app is an essential one for those looking for radio on their iOS. There is also a free version of the app, but the paid version offers the killer feature of being able to record the station you're listening to, in addition to pausing or rewinding it (which are available in the free version). The app also offers a built-in alarm clock, the ability to view station schedules, and a number of other simple features that one would expect from a top radio application.

The best way to describe this app is "feature rich." It has a lot of things that users will appreciate in a radio app. Recording? Check. Song Lyrics? Yes. Link to related YouTube videos? You guessed it. Perhaps the best feature of the app is its "Radio RooLette," which lets the listener get a bird's eye view of what songs are playing at any given time; it's a great way to find something you want to listen to without looking very hard. Because the app crams in so many features, its user interface can sometimes feel a bit clunky and complicated. However, its many positives outweigh its negatives, making ooTunes Radio a recommended radio app.

Slacker Radio is similar to Pandora in that it allows users to generate personal playlists, based on an artist, song, or album. Like Pandora, it also offers genre-based stations. What sets Slacker apart is its personal touch. Instead of relying on a computer algorithm, it hires respected DJs to program its radio stations. It also offers more than just music with customizable news, sports, and comedy stations. With a paid subscription, it also offers on-demand music streaming.

Speaking of Pandora, it is a great app for music discovery, but it's not unique in what it does. As mentioned, other services, such as iHeartRadio and Slacker provide a similar service and more. Fans of Pandora will likely stick with Pandora, and there's no real shame in that. In this writer's opinion, there are better ones available. But Pandora's still a good app and worth a look.

Live365 is one of the most diverse online radio networks out there. While the interface isn't very pretty, it does deliver with over 250 genres of music alone. This app does contain an insane amount of ads, but then again, it is free. If the ads are a deal-breaker, you can always upgrade to ad-free for a small price.

Not everyone listens to the radio for music. Stitcher is great for news and talk radio. You can also listen to some of your favorite podcasts. In addition, Stitcher allows you to "stitch" together your programs into personal customized stations. Most importantly, Stitcher is free and offers on-demand streaming without forcing you to sync your shows in advance.

In terms of on-demand music subscription services, Rdio currently is a favorite for a native iPad app. Rdio's interface is visually pleasing and it has a number of good features. Most importantly though, it will do the job you pay a monthly fee for, which is give you instant access to a massive music library.

Whether you're in the mood to relax or work out, Songza has a playlist for you. These playlists are created by music experts and there are no shortage of them here. The app doesn't include audio ads, nor does it put a limitation on the amount you stream. Save your favorite playlists and share them with friends via Facebook, Twitter, or email.

No music fan can leave the house without access to their iTunes library. True music fans are probably going to have over 64GB of music and will need to find a streaming solution for their iTunes library. StreamToMe is the answer. The app allows you to stream your entire iTunes library over 3G or Wi-Fi. Music fans with huge collections will need this app.

What music fan doesn’t like to discover new indie artists? Indie artists often are doing what they do because they absolutely love it. This can sadly become less and less true the more money artists make. You’ll find some truly passionate artists in the indie landscape. The Aweditorium app helps you discover some of the great indie artists that you may have overlooked before. The unique interface of the app makes discovering these artists a fun thing. True music fans should add this app to their music app collection.

SoundHound is a must for music fans on multiple levels. Have you ever been walking through a mall and heard a song, but didn’t know the name of it? SoundHound solves this by listening to a song and identifying it based on a short clip. The technology works great and is an indispensable tool for any music fan. Another great tool in this app is the built-in lyric identifier feature. You’ll be able to listen to music synced to your device and see lyrics playing right along with the music. SoundHound is a great app that every music fan should have.

If you're a fan of the old time radio shows then Yesterday USA - Old Time Radio is for you. It's got a very simple interface. In fact, it doesn't have a need to be fancy at all. What makes this app stand out from the rest mentioned in this list is the fact that it plays radio shows from the 1920s to the 1950s. These radio shows are normally mysteries and comedies. This station is on air 24 hours a day all year long. This would be an ideal app to listen to while you are unwinding at night, are a retro fanatic, or just want something different!