Music is universal, and music streaming services adopt cutting-edge technology to distribute music to a global audience. When you decide to create your own music streaming app, the app’s functionalities and performance will depend on so many factors, from the legalese to frontend, backend, licensing, UI/UX, pricing, and sharing formula between yourself and artistes/label. Let’s explore how to create music app on a small budget.
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5 Steps to Create Your Own Music Streaming App on a Budget
Understand the Features of a Music App
First, you need a database storage system for all the music that artists/producers will upload to your app. You need to consider registration, music discovery options, social sharing options, library, customization options for users, payment plans, subscription options for users, push notifications, search options, and many more features. To get an idea of what you will need, check top music streaming apps.
Licensing
A music streaming app is a tricky business. The legalese that goes around receiving uploads of music and instrumentals can be immensely tricky. Do not attempt to start an app without legal support. A legal support team will help you define the licensing agreement you need and come up with NDAs, cookie laws, international compliance, disclaimers, and other legal assistance that you may need. Lawsuits are time and energy-drenching, not to mention the monetary loss that comes with them. Be smart!
Get a Music App Developer
This step is a no-brainer. When you want to build a music app, you need developers dedicated to building music apps, and your concerns include UI/UX interface, backend, prototype, quality assurance, security tests, storage, and even cloud network.
Components of a Music App
Music Organizing
Your music app feature should allow an effortless organization, primarily through the use of playlists. Playlists include recent plays, recent downloads, love songs, and more. Your app feature should allow users to create and delete playlists as they like, and they should be able to add and remove songs from playlists.
Sign Up / Registration
Registration / Sign up options must be seamless, and users should be able to connect their social media accounts, including email accounts, to the app. Users should also be able to share music from other apps to your music app in a few clicks.
Music Discovery
The best music apps provide personalized content to increase user engagement and user retention. When a user listens to a specific type of music, your app should be able to discover other music within the line of the user’s choice. For example, a user that constantly listens to Kendrick Lamar’s album may find solace in Baby Keem’s album. A user that loves 2Pac and Notorious BIG will be grateful if your app suggests songs by Snoop Dogg, Nas, and Andre 3000. The same principle is applied to R&B music. Spotify, the largest music streaming and download the app, use AI to spot and connect users’ music. The algorithm’s power and deep learning ability check through song lyrics, beat types, and melodies and find similarities between music, helping users find artists easily.
Library
A music app should have a library where users can upload songs. A library can be personal, and a user can also upload a song for public use. With a library, you push the functionality and competitiveness of your app.
Ads
When you think about how to make a music app or build a music app, you should consider your primary source of revenue. Of course, the subscription model remains the biggest revenue source for most music apps; however, many artists now request a more significant royalty stake for their songs from app owners. If you are new, you should consider a competitive royalty option, incentivizing artists and labels to work with you.
Building a Music App within Budget
The significant expenditure for your app is your developers. To cut the budget, you should have an idea of what you need to achieve from the get-go. Follow these tips to develop a music streaming Android app:
- To create a music app for Android or iOS, determine the essential features of the map. Draw a roadmap from conception to launch.
- Hire an offshore developer from Eastern Europe: This option presents the highest expenditure costs. Music developers in the United States will charge anywhere from $65 to $250 per hour, and you can get an experienced Ukrainian music developer at $35 to $45 per hour.
- Prototyping: Before you start the production process, build a prototype. Prototypes allow you to measure the viability of a project and are excellent for investor pitches. With a prototype, you can show what your app can do if you have the funds.
- Equity: While many developers won’t accept an equity deal, there are still many more that will do free or subsidized jobs for a percentage of the company if the company goes mainstream.
Conclusion
When you want to create your own music streaming app, you must understand the nuances. While the market is vast, the competition is stiff, and if your app does not offer a feature never seen in the old apps, your investment might not yield any positive ROI.
