Every person on this earth loves one thing- MUSIC. Whether one is a small kid or grownup or old listening music is their best buddy in leisure time. The emergence of smart-phones and the digitization o music has greatly increased the interest of masses in listening to music tracks of their choice. On-demand music streaming apps has made it possible for one to listen to his favorite track on his phone at any time and in any place without buying the music player, CDs, and problem of storage.

Music streaming apps are generating great revenue for developers. According to IFPI Global Music Report-2019, the revenue generated by music streaming apps in 2018 was around $8.9 billion up from $6.7 billion a year earlier worldwide.

Types of Music Streaming apps: There are two major types of music streaming app services- radio and on-demand. The best representative of radio apps are Pandora and iHeartRadio and these services are used for listening only a single song and there are no personal preferences. On-demand Music Streaming apps include Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. These all let users play a song of their choice instantly.

Licensing agreements:

To develop an on-demand music streaming app like Pandora one needed to sign licensing agreements with major record labels as well as independent distributors. Every on-demand music streaming app services require must strike legal agreements with following different organizations for payment of royalties.

  1. Major labels such as Sony Music, Universal music, etc.
  2. Independent aggregators
  3. With publishers like Universal Music Group and Sony/ATV.

The agreements deal with the above organizations can be for Per-stream rate, Percentage revenue, upfront payment for future streams and equity.

Main Features of Music Streaming App

The following are the common set of key features that music streaming app should have like Spotify. Here is a list of them.

  1. Large music Library: Every music streaming has a large library of songs for all tastes. Besides this app developer should research on what music they are going to offer in their app, where the music will be stored, how the music is streamed to the music users, and which format is the best for storing the music. A clear understanding of the format for music streaming is necessary for a better quality of sound. iOS and Android support FLAC, ALAC, and AAC format whereas Pandora uses only AAC and Spotify support Vorbis.
  2. Registration: In order to provide a highly personalized music streaming experience is collecting and analyzing data of users preferences for music and the perfect time is the time of registration by users for the app on their phones devices This information about the zip code area, age, user’s region is useful in recommendation of tracks popular in user’s region. Almost all music streaming apps go in for the registration of details of users of the app.
  3. Search: If you are planning to create an on-demand music streaming app you may need to provide your users with an advanced search feature. This lets users search their favorite tracks, playlists, genres, and artists so that can easily locate track of their choice. In addition, you can also let them search for music by mood and activity as the famous streaming music apps like Spotify and Pandora Premium do.
  4. Recommendations: After you, as an app developer acquire a sufficient music database and user base, you can go in for advanced recommendations and discovery systems. For recommendations of songs, albums, artists, and genres app developers employ audio analysis algorithms.
  5. Music Arrangements: This feature lets users categorize music in the browse section and allows users to make their own playlists. Browsing is deeply connected to the search feature. Specific categories can be created depending on a particular purpose mood. For instance, Spotify offers music for traveling, dinner, gaming parties and workout. The music streaming app Pandora has superior arrangements due to the Music Genome Project.

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Other Features

User Account and Profile: To get started with the music app a user needs to create an account. The vast majority of apps are profile oriented. User can create his own profiles, indicating some information about themselves.

Cloud Storage Space: The app should provide a cloud service for the users to store music of their choice and listen online when desired.

Music search feature: The most essential part of the music streaming app is the search feature. Users should be able to search the music of his or her choice by song title, and by the artist.

Library for quick assesses: App should have a library feature where users can collect, store and access their favorite music and albums quickly.

Edit playlists function: This function allows users to create and edit playlist as per their choice.

Recommendation: This feature allows users to have a personalized experience. The recommendation feature should be based on the user’s musical preferences and choice.

Offline availability: As we know that high-speed internet availability is still a difficult proposition in many parts of the world. So this feature enables users to listen to download the music of their choice to enable them to listen offline without the live internet connection.

The capability of integrating with Social media: The app should provide a feature of social sharing of music by users with their friends through all the popular social media platforms.

Notification: Users should get news about the new music releases, activities of their favorite artists and their friend’s activities.

Music Upload facility: An essential feature which each app should have to allow the users of your app to upload their own choice music and songs for others to listen to.

Similar music search: This feature allow the app to become more popular as it allows users to maximize the activity as it proposes tracks that are similar to users’ playlist and choice.

Attractive and stylish design: The design is one of the critical factors which is directly connected to the popularity of the music streaming app. An app developed with unique design and according to the principles of Material Design can be more popular among users. The android platform provides unique and fashionable software for a unique design.

How to Monetize the on-demand music streaming app

 (A) Charging Listeners: Charging listeners is the most profitable way to monetize music streaming app. Following methods are used to charge listeners

  1. Subscriptions: There are two ways to handle subscriptions. First, you can charge the user for the additional functionality. Various music streaming apps charge 4.99 to $9.99 per month for their premium services. The second method is to provide access only to users who pay a subscription. They use paid plans for users like Tidal Premium where the users are charged $9.99 for Tidal Premium.
  2. Through Ads: Here the users are exposed to small banner ads on their screens or audio ads between tracks on the freemium app. Both Pandora and Spotify earn large revenue through advertisements.
  3. Through additional sources: Ticketing services are also used to generate revenue for the app. Last year Pandora earned $76 million from ticketing service Ticketfly.

(B). Charging Artists: Some music streaming apps charge artists for songs and additional services like monetizing songs and their songs promotion.

List of Top five free Android Music Streaming apps

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  1. Spotify: With this stylishly designed music streaming app you can access your favorite music any time, and anywhere in the world. It is among the most popular free music apps ever. It has a generous library, curated stations and playlist, and the ability to create your own stations and playlists if you so choose.
  2. Deezer: It is one of the better free music apps. It also has lyrics fetching, unlimited playlist creation, and mixes based on individual artists. Its premium version gives more features like higher quality audio, offline listening.
  3. Google Play Music/YouTube Music: It is an increasingly popular music app. Its hallmark features are the ability to upload 50,000 of your own songs for personal streaming. It has a free version and paid version but its free version is also up-to mark. The app also provides service of podcasts in its free and paid version.
  4. IHeart Radio: A free music app provides radio where you can listen to a variety of stations based on your individual tastes and it also comes with seasonal radio stations and things like podcasts, talk radio, and comedy shows. It has Android Wear support and Android Auto support.
  5. CA7S: It is a # 1Freemium Music app. It provides Search, Stream and Recognise unlimited music Anytime, Anywhere. It is built with the aim of giving renowned musicians and new talents platform to promote their music and share it with their fans for free. The app is available on Google Play and the Apple AppStore.

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