The best free music apps 2019
The best free music apps 2019
The best free music apps for Android
Your Android device probably came with a couple of music
apps preinstalled, including Google's own offering and one from the
manufacturer. Don't let that limit you, though – the Google Play Store is full
of dozens of other apps for streaming music, and many of the best are available
completely free. Here is some best free music apps for Android .
1. Google Play Music
Upload and stream your whole music collection to any device
If you're an Android user, chances are you already rely on
many of the company's other apps to tackle everyday tasks. If so, Google Play
Music is well worth a shot. It works seamlessly with Google Home, and although
its interface isn't to everyone's tastes, the underlying app is excellent.
One of its best features is the ability to upload your own
music collection and use the app to stream it on demand from any device. This
isn't just tracks purchased from Google Play – you can add any music you own,
so it's great if you've got an extensive CD collection waiting to be ripped.
The free version of Google Play Music only offers free radio
stations based on artists and genres to users in the US (everyone else will
have to pay for the privilege) but there's a 30-day free trial available so you
can see whether it's worth the outlay.
If you decide to subscribe (for US$10/£10/AU$12 per per
month – the same as virtually all streaming services) you get ad-free access to
35 million songs, playable on demand. You can also download tracks to your
device for offline listening, but bear in mind that if your subscription ends,
they'll vanish along with it.
If you're in the US, a Google Play Music subscription also
gives you access to YouTube Red – and there are rumors that the two might be
integrated into a single product in the future.
2. Amazon Music
Just as Google Play Music is the logical choice if you're a
Google fan, Amazon Music's free app is best if you’re already embedded in its
creator’s ecosystem. It's designed to work with Alexa, and gives you instant
access to all digital music you've bought from Amazon. If it's been your music
store of choice for a while, that makes it the logical choice, though if you
prefer iTunes or Google Play then it has more limited appeal.
You can download these tracks or add them to playlists
though, this being Amazon, there are always 'helpful' little suggestions
directing you towards the store and its inviting virtual shelves.
A subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited unlocks millions of
songs, available to stream with no ads. It took a long time for Amazon to sign
a deal with Universal, allowing customers to stream the record label's songs,
but the two have now worked out a deal, making Amazon's streaming service a
real contender. You can play radio stations without a subscriptions, but
individual tracks are only available on demand with a subscription.
There's a significant discount for Amazon Prime users, as
well as anyone who owns an Amazon smart speaker.
3. Spotify: Free Music Streaming
Discover an amazing collection of music by all your favorite
artists
There are several variations of Spotify for Android, but –
as the name suggests – this is the one you need to enjoy music without opening
your wallet.
The free version of Spotify is an excellent choice if you're
interested in radio stations based around particular artists, and its music
archive is incredible. If you’re a fan of a particular artist, their radio
station will probably turn up lots of interesting remixes and B-sides you
haven’t heard before.
There’s no way to skip tracks in the free version of the
app, but you can mark certain ones you don’t want to hear again, but you’ll
still have to listen through to the end before the station will move on to the
next song. It might sound limiting, but it's a good way to try new tracks you
might otherwise miss.
Adding songs to your favorites will enable you to build your
own playlist, which you can then shuffle and play on demand.
You’ll get ads in between tracks as a free user, but they're
not too long and are a pretty small price to pay for access to such a vast
collection of tracks.
4. TuneIn Radio
Listen to thousands of live radio stations from around the
world
If you're more interested in listening to commercial radio
stations than building your own, TuneIn Radio is a great choice. It dials you
in to hundreds of thousands of stations from around the world, and you ever
find that the sound quality isn't quite as crisp as it could be, the app lets
you pick a different stream that might give a clearer signal.
A subscription to TuneIn Premium gives you access to
thousands of audiobooks – great for occasions like flights when you can't get
online – plus live commentary from MLB and NFL games. Not much of a draw if
you're outside the US, but for American sports fans it's a real boon.
It's worth noting that although TuneIn Radio offers a Car
Mode with simplified controls, looking at a phone at all while driving is a dangerous
distraction. The app's optional voice controls (for example, 'play BBC Radio
One') are a better idea and let you keep your eyes firmly on the road.
5. SoundCloud
A fantastic free music app if you're open to hearing
something new
SoundCloud offers ways to enjoy artists and music you
already like, but its real focus is on discovery. SoundCloud works directly
with creators who aren't signed to record labels, helping them launch their
careers.
The free music app particularly good if you're looking for
new artists, who use the platform as a way to get their tracks into more ears,
and some even make their music available to download free as a way to attract
more listeners.
Instead of searching for old favorites (though that's
perfectly possible), SoundCloud encourages you to try something new,
highlighting tracks that have been uploaded in the last few days. The more you
use it, the more familiar it will become with your tastes and the more accurate
its recommendations will become.
SoundCloud has millions of tracks on its books, but if your
interests lie exclusively with more mainstream music (and that's by no means a
bad thing) then one of the other free music apps might serve you better.
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