How to Create a Music Streaming App in 2024: Detailed Guide
Every smartphone today has a music streaming app. We can now access to millions of songs through music streaming app. But while we didn’t always have to possess an album or song, twenty years ago we could only purchase it if we wanted to listen to it. Discovering new genres is now simpler than ever with the advent of streaming services, which have drastically altered how we listen to music.
Let’s take a closer look at the music industry and how to create a music streaming.
Table of Contents
What is a Music Streaming App?
A music streaming app lets users listen to their favorite songs from anywhere in the world using an internet-connected device. It also allows users to download music for offline listening and create their own custom playlists. This platform lets users search for and discover their favorite artists, and subscribers can also listen to songs from live events. Creating a music streaming app like Spotify offers a great business growth opportunity for entrepreneurs.
- Users can sign up for a free account to enjoy the music streaming app without interruptions.
- It lets people listen to music from anywhere in the world live over the internet.
- A music streaming app offers a large selection of music from different parts of the world.
- This platform allows users to share songs from their favorite artists on social media.
Music Streaming App Market
The global music streaming market keeps growing, with 524 million users in 2021, which is 26.4% more than the previous year. On average, people spend 18.4 hours a week on music streaming, which is quite a lot and even compares to the time spent on social media.
Music streaming application have become popular because they are easy to use. Here are some interesting statistics about how people use these apps.
- Spotify, a music streaming app, has over 210 million subscribers worldwide.
- The global music streaming market is predicted to go over $40.44 billion by 2025.
- About 80% of people use audio streaming platforms.
- The average revenue for each user is about EUR 4.27.
Music Streaming App Features and Development Time
An app for streaming music is a complex service with lots of unique features. We’ll go over the key components you should consider while developing a music streaming application. Though they are prevalent in practically every mobile app project, keep in mind that this list does not include fundamental features like sharing music, signing in, or connecting to social networks.
1. Music player
A music player’s design is usually intuitive. It has controls for playing, pausing, and returning to the previous song in alongside the audio track and volume control for that particular song. The album cover is also shown on the interface. Some apps that stream audio display music videos in place of the album cover. Although this adds interest to the player, it’s important to make sure the user’s internet connection isn’t misused.
2. Audio Streaming
Streaming is a technology that lets you quickly find and continuously play audio or video over the Internet. This means you can listen to songs you’ve bought from the service whenever you want, without needing to buy them again.
3. Searching Music
Your users will be able find any music or podcast using the search function. Providing a range of searchable tags, including the name of the artist, song title, album, label, or genre, is useful.
4. AI Recommendations
The development of an audio streaming application heavily relies on AI . Many users are open to recommendations for music to listen to based on their listening history and personal likes since they love discovering new musicians, genres, and musical styles. In order help AI understand users’ tastes, users may also identify which songs they like or dislike.
5. Lyrics Display
Many music streaming apps have a feature that shows song lyrics, but some can sync the lyrics with the music. For example, Apple Music lets you find and listen to a specific line of a song, making it very convenient.
6. Playlist
Using this function, users may make playlists for various moods or activities, such as “workout” or “study,” and keep their favorite songs in a music streaming app.
7. Podcast and Radio
The most popular music streaming apps also have their own radio stations, podcasts, and even audiobooks.
8. Offline Downloading
One really helpful feature is that you may download your favorite songs to a music streaming app and listen to them when running in the forest, where there may not be a strong Internet connection.
Let us go over the features with the help of the development hours table for the music streaming application. This will clarify the complexity and effort for each feature, helping you prioritize and develop a balanced app.
Development time for music streaming app features
Feature | Backend development (hours) | Android development (hours) | ios development (hours) |
1. Playlists and favorites | 150 hours | 100 hours | 150 hours |
2. Social sharing | 200 hours | 150 hours | 200 hours |
3. Music search and Library | 300 hours | 200 hours | 250 hours |
4. Audio streaming | 100 hours | 50 hours | 50 hours |
5. Notifications and updates | 100 hours | 100 hours | 100 hours |
Are you someone who wants to develop music app? Please get in touch with our team if you would like a app idea estimate. Our team will assess your needs as a business and as a product before presenting an elaborate cost estimate.
Steps to Build a Music Streaming App
Developing a music streaming software that makes it simple for users to look up songs by name or artist is a wise investment for every business owner. To make such an app, follow these basic steps:
1. Market Research and Ideation
Doing thorough research on the wants and needs of your audience is the first stage. This data will provide you with valuable insights that will help you differentiate your music streaming app from the competition and help you avoid pitfalls when developing one.
You’ll find it easier to meet the wants of your audience if you’ve done some research on your target market. Make a thorough plan for your app and follow the development checklist. Investigate any prospective difficulties as well so you can solve them when developing.
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”– Steve Jobs
2. Obtain Required License
The next stage is to obtain your music app’s streaming rights so that users may access content that is compliant with law since music contains intellectual property. A license for the right of public performance can also be purchased. There are sound recording and musical composition permits for services such as Spotify. Depending on your app type, get legal assistance.
3. Design an Intuitive UI/UX
A successful music streaming application relies on intuitive UI/UX design. Focus on a user-friendly interface with clear navigation, intuitive search, and a proper layout for an enjoyable user experience. Prioritizing design is essential for an immersive user experience.
4. Choosing the Right Tech Stack
Spotify uses server-side PHP operations and back-end Java architecture using developer tools. It uses PostgreSQL and Cassandra to cache music files. You may incorporate Spotify players into your app to control music playback and streaming using the Spotify Player SDK.
Speak with a music streaming app development business before creating a music app. In accordance with the features, objectives, and budget of your app, they will suggest the finest technologies and do the appropriate actions.
5. Music App Development Process
The mobile app development company’s front and back ends operate concurrently. While back-end developers take care of things like user authentication, streaming, and integrating the app with various devices, front-end developers design the user experience.
6. Develop an MVP
A minimum viable product (MVP) is a smart way to check if your chosen path is correct before investing a lot of money. An MVP helps you save money, gather feedback from real users, and, ideally, even start making a return on your investment.
If you want to know more about MVP Click Here.
7.Launch Your App and Regular Updates
Once testing is complete, go to the Apple Store or Google Play Store and open your app, such as Spotify. Make sure to focus on obtaining ratings and efficiently promote your app if you want the maximum number of downloads. After your online music streaming software has been released successfully, don’t forget to get customer comments and recommendations so you can update and add new features.
Cost to Build an Music Streaming App
A basic music streaming application such as Spotify may be developed for $50,000 to $150,000. Cost variations are caused by things like new technology and upgraded functionalities. Updates, maintenance, security precautions, and licensing are extra costs.
It costs a lot to create, design, license, and sell an app that is similar to Spotify. Costs might rise significantly when core functions are added to the requirements for a solid backend and a flawless user experience.
Challenges in Music Streaming App Development
Let’s take a look at some challenges that might come up when developing a music streaming service, and we’ll offer a solution for each one:
1. Hiring Proficient Music App Developers
Finding skilled developers that are versed in both music streaming and app development is difficult. But it’s important to have employees capable of developing an intuitive music streaming service.
SOLUTION
Make extensive use of references, freelance websites, and professional networks when conducting research. Hire professionals with an impressive portfolio and a solid track record of developing music applications like YeasiTech.
2. Music Licensing
It might take a lot of time and money to navigate the complex copyright regulations and communicate with record labels in order to obtain the proper licenses for streaming music.
SOLUTION
Hire competent legal professionals to ensure that license arrangements are handled properly and that a trouble-free music streaming business is created. Form alliances with content producers and record companies to improve the process.
3. Balance Between Compression and Audio Quality
It’s a technical problem to transmit high-quality audio while using less bandwidth. Selecting the best option for your music streaming service that maintains reliable performance and excellent sound quality requires time and effort.
SOLUTION
To maintain excellent sound quality while using less data, use cloud-based music streaming services and latest audio compression techniques. Offer the option to listen to music offline or use adaptive streaming to modify the audio quality based on the available bandwidth.
4. Cross-platform Compatibility
The compatibility of your music streaming software across many platforms and devices is important. Regardless of the platform—iOS, Android, mobile, or desktop—it need to function flawlessly.
SOLUTION
Making apps for many platforms may be made easier by using cross-platform development frameworks. Make sure your music streaming software is free of bugs by giving it a thorough run across a range of hardware and Software versions.
Read our blog about Cross-Platform App Development Click Here
5. Data Storage and Scalability Management
Dependable storage solutions are necessary to manage huge music libraries and user information. Systems that can expand to accommodate more users and playlists while preserving the app’s quality are important.
SOLUTION
Distribution of material and reduced server load can be achieved by using CDNs or scalable cloud storage. For optimal storage, use data segmentation and effective indexing.
6. User Data Privacy
Strong security and privacy features are important for preserving customers’ confidence because apps for music frequently collect user preferences and personal information.
SOLUTION
Use strong encryption to protect user information on your music streaming service. Adhere CCPA and GDPR. To find and fix vulnerabilities, do routine security audits.
How to Monetize a Music Streaming App
Offering popular material is important for drawing in more users to your music streaming service. Also, you need to consider other sources of income. Let’s highlight a few of the most popular ways you may make money from your application:
1. Subscription
Many music streaming services, such as Apple Music, provide monthly subscriptions for limitless music access. Businesses may generate consistent revenue using this strategy. Due to the frequent licensing payments required by the music industry, this is the most popular option for music streaming applications.
2. Freemium
You can offer certain fundamental elements, such music playback with advertisements, for free under this business model. Users must purchase a premium membership, nevertheless, in order to access advanced features. You may listen without ads, enjoy higher audio quality, and skip songs as often as you like with this membership. Famed music streaming company Spotify efficiently uses the Freemium business model to generate revenue from both free and premium subscribers.
3. In-app purchases
Certain music streaming services, such as Amazon Music, cater to those who have particular musical tastes by allowing users to purchase individual tracks or albums without requiring a membership. Think about including this option in your music app development to draw in a varied user base. For devoted followers, you may also provide unique goods or virtual goods.
Imagine an audio streaming platform where enthusiasts can get unique event tickets or artist goods straight from the application.
4. Advertisements
Like with YouTube Music, you may place advertisements before a song starts. However, Spotify approaches it in a unique way. They offer Spotify Ad Studios, a more extensive platform for advertising available to a variety of companies. The goal of this service is to use audio advertisements and podcasts to reach your audience.
5. Partnerships and Sponsored Content
Create exclusive playlists or sponsor certain app sections by collaborating with musicians or businesses that are relevant. Incorporating advertising with helpful material for users may be entertaining. To produce exclusive playlists for particular exercise regimens or TV program themes, Spotify, for example, has collaborated with companies like Nike and Hulu.
Wrapping Up
With a brilliant idea, you can still turn a healthy profit from on-demand music streaming, which is a highly popular business right now. But your concept must be flawlessly converted into an app if you want to draw in a large user base and surpass the competition.
At YeasiTech our staff is here to support you in developing a profitable music app. With our competent team, we have created remarkable and innovative apps for several clients in a variety of sectors.
Get a free price estimate and discuss the requirements for your project when you get in touch with us at any time.
FAQ’s
1. What licenses are needed to start a music streaming app?
The three main music licenses for streaming services are master rights, publishing rights, and public performance licenses. Compliance with copyright laws and international agreements is essential. Consult legal experts to navigate licensing requirements and prevent copyright infringement.
2. How much does it cost to build a music streaming app like Spotify?
Building a music streaming app like Spotify costs approximately $70,000, covering UI/UX design, iOS and Android development, and QA testing.