There has been in an explosion in the number of brilliant music apps on the market in the past year or so and there are now lots of alternatives to Spotify or Last FM when it comes to discovering new music.
Indeed, it’s difficult to know where to start sometimes, so to help you out, we’ve got a run down of the best new music apps out there.
Of course, if you’re going to be listening to a lot of music you’’re going to need a reliable, super-fast broadband connection to avoid having to sit around for ages while your downloads complete.
If you don’t already have a speedy broadband connection, or are looking to swap providers, Virgin Media’s power of the network will deliver enough oomph to power your PC and smartphone and tablet all at the same time, without slowing you down.
Tune In Radio
Every radio station in the world is on TuneIn, along with two million podcasts. Every day you can listen to a new station from another country which we think is a pretty great way of discovering new music.
Garageband
The app version of Apple’s hugely successful programme allows you to turn your phone into a recording studio. This app is probably most useful for listening back to rehearsals or playing with songs but if you get creative, there’s a lot you can do with it – one band, The Ultramods, has in fact managed to use the app to record an entire album.
Songkick
A dream app for lovers of live music, Songkick creates a calendar of gigs based on your personal music library, meaning you’ll never miss that dream gig again.
Downcast
Download and listen to your favourite podcasts without having to sync them up with your computer. You can also create playlists, allowing you to organise your library a little more easily.
Twitter #music
An app which shows you relevant tweets to each track your so you can leap into any conversation about them as you listen. Perfect for those who can’t live without tweeting their every move.
Musyc
A game where you can create a symphony by moving coloured shapes around the screen. A relaxing game which will absorb musicians and geeks alike.
Soundhound
The ultimate music search engine, Soundhound allows you to find tunes by singing, humming or playing back the track as well as the usual typing. And once the track has been recognised, you’ll get lyrics, as well as a video and a link to download the track from.
Figure
The perfect app for would-be producers who want to play with new sounds. Experiment with drums, bass and synths to create a unique sound.
Panamp
A music player to stretch the limitations of the iPhone’s music app, Panamp allows you to make dynamic playlists of your favourite tracks on the go, find related information about your tracks and browse your library.
Discovr Music
Follow your favourite bands and discover similar new music through a clever mind map feature.
So there you have it- some of the best new apps to make music even better for you. Download them now to re-discover old favourites and unearth some new gems too.