How to Create a Music App Like Spotify (Experts’ Tips Included)

Can you guess how many songs are added to music streaming services per day? I played this guessing game by myself, and my answer was 10,000. I was wrong.

There are actually 120,000 new music tracks still being published every day in the first quarter of 2023. So, don’t be surprised if you come across some vibing ambient music or electronica when you pop your earphones and play your Spotify app or YouTube music. There are always some fresh tracks to discover.

Source: Canva Magic Maker AI

With popular music streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music leading the market, creating a music app has become an enticing opportunity.

But is it worth the price (and process)?

If creating a music app like Spotify is a dream project you want to pursue, and you see the growth and potential of the whole music streaming apps industry, then you’re in for a treat in this article.

I’ll unpack the basics of building an audio streaming app from concept to launch and offer out-of-the-box strategies for expediting the music app launch—what if your music app could be ready in less than four months?

How to create music app: app development process overview

1. Hit the right note: Research and identify if it’s product-market fit
2. Compose your MVP symphony: List the must-have features
3. Set the Rhythm: Define the core traits that keep your app in tune
4. Choose your stage: Pick the platform that’ll showcase your app
5. Design your masterpiece: Bring your app to life with an eye-catching design
6. Orchestrate development: Develop your app for perfect harmony
7. Premiere and promote: Launch your app, amplify your reach, and keep improving

1. Hit the right note: Research and identify if it’s product-market fit

Before you can see your music app in its glory, you must validate your app idea and identify its product-market fit within the global music streaming applications market.

You might think this process is supposedly done in a business setup. And you’re right. Your music streaming application is your business, too. It deserves the best data and information before it goes public and to compete in the global music streaming market.

This step is important because, without research and validation, you could invest your resources—money, time, and energy—in a new music or app idea that nobody will use or that is already out there.

Questions to consider:

• 💡 Who is your target audience? (e.g., music lovers, podcast fans, independent artists)
• 💡 What features do music lovers expect in a music app?
• 💡 Are there gaps in the market that your app can fill?
• 💡 How do competitors in the music industry structure their apps?

Answering these questions beforehand can help you tailor your music app to the right target market and demographics. Here’s an editable Canva template I found that could help you generate some ideas.

Blue and White Modern Market Research Presentation

Once you finally realize that it’s a product-market fit, the direction you want to go as you develop your app idea will become clearer. It will also help you manage the expectations and challenges once you build your music app.

Michael MacRae, our founder, said, “Your competitors are missing key functionality that your users want or aren’t servicing a particular subset of users. They may even be ineffectively marketing their products.”

That’s when you take advantage of the gaps and whatever our competitors are missing out. In this step, find your sweet spot between a music streaming app and what music lovers or potential users will love.

Learn from the mistake of Rdio, once the bright, shiny music app that Spotify devoured. If this is your first time using Rdio, then that’s my point. They initially launched a paid version (up to $9.99 per month on pricing), limiting its user base.​​ Here’s a review of Rdio in 2012 to give you a peek at what it looks like and functions.

Source: YouTube What Hi-Fi

They could have done things differently if they had done their market research and duly studied the market—users weren’t willing to pay a premium at that time, or they could have just monetized their mobile app with ads.

Despite their quick demise, they did pretty well in building what a streaming music app should look and function like, which brings me to my next step.

2. Compose your MVP symphony: List the must-have features

Let me first unpack what an MVP music app is to appreciate this next step.

MVP refers to the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which includes the basic functionalities your music app needs to be ready for use. It also serves as a tool to gather feedback for improvement.

What’s more, having MVP music app features ensures that the core elements give your users a happy experience when they encounter your app. You can always add new features as you discover what users want and how they interact with your app.

Here’s a list of suggested MVP music app features you could consider:

• 🎵 User registration and authentication. Allow users to create accounts and log in securely.
• 🎵 Basic user profile. Enable users to set up and manage their profiles.
• 🎵 Music search. Implement a search function for users to find songs, artists, or albums.
• 🎵 Music player. Include essential playback controls (play, pause, skip, and volume).
• 🎵 Music library. Provide a basic catalog of music tracks for users to access and play.
• 🎵 Playlists. Let users create and manage their own playlists.
• 🎵 Simple navigation. Use an intuitive interface for easy app navigation.
• 🎵 Basic recommendation system. Offer simple music suggestions based on user listening history.
• 🎵 Offline mode. Let users download and play music without an internet connection.
• 🎵 Social sharing. Enable users to share their favorite songs or playlists on social media.
• 🎵 Basic audio quality settings. Provide options for adjusting the streaming quality.

📣 You could deep dive into some of the best MVP app examples to get inspiration.

In one of my interviews with our product managers, Brian Wong shared how important it is to prioritize and think MVP before the bells and whistles. I learned that even if you tick all of the checklist in being passionate, motivated, and energized to take your project to greater heights, you should also watch out for your blind spot of being a perfectionist as an entrepreneur.

This seasoned product manager told me how excited he was about one particular company, but there was a missing piece of the puzzle.

“The founders are really good, passionate, and excited. The app project had a strong market fit. However, I learned that fears and lack of experience in technology delayed the market research. While we can provide guidance and advice, confidence takes time to develop. They’re worried about first impressions, focusing too much on having everything in the app rather than just prioritizing the MVP.” – Brian Wong

I can relate to founders who want to present an app project that’s nearly perfect. While I may not have an app to launch, I also want to start a passion project in all its glory and perfection. But the caveat is that missed opportunities and delays could have been used as the time to test the market, identify what’s working (and not), or gather feedback from real users.

I remember one of one of Steve Jobs quote, which says:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

This suggests that failures and setbacks often make sense only in hindsight and can lead to unexpected positive outcomes. Just like how Spotify did it.

Check out Spotify’s MVP app in 2012 and its evolution from the basics to slick modern design and features.

Spotify Community

Now here’s the 2024 mobile app version.

Source: Apple App Store

🚀 If you want to explore MVP principles more deeply, our guide on how to start lean with MVP app development is a must-read. Check it out!

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3. Set the rhythm: Define the core traits that keep your app in tune.

Baseline traits are the core characteristics that form the foundation of any successful music streaming application. These traits ensure that your music streaming app meets the needs and expectations of your users, providing a seamless and enjoyable experience.

In the context of a custom music app, here are some essential baseline traits to consider:

• 🎵 User interface. A music app should feature an intuitive and visually appealing interface. Users should be able to navigate through playlists, artists, and albums without any hassle. A sleek, minimalist design enhances the listening experience and encourages users to explore the app’s features more.
• 🎵 Functionality. The app must have core functions, such as streaming high-quality audio, creating and managing playlists, and offering personalized recommendations. It should also include options for offline listening to cater to users with limited internet access.
• 🎵 Security. Protecting user data is crucial in any app development project. Your music app should implement strong mobile app security measures to safeguard personal information and prevent unauthorized access to premium content.
• 🎵 Compatibility. To reach the widest possible app users, ensure your app is compatible with various devices and operating systems. This includes iOS and Android smartphones, tablets, and computers like Mac or Windows. You’d also have to consider the compatibility with smartwatches, speakers, and other wearables that support music streaming and syncing.
• 🎵 Performance. Optimize your app for speed and reliability. Fast load times and smooth streaming are critical in preventing user frustration. Minimize downtime and ensure high stability to maintain user trust and app engagement.

📣 Speaking of performance, be sure to read our article on app performance for best practices and other helpful insights.

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4. Choose your stage: Pick the platform to showcase your app

When building a music app, the platform selection is an important step influenced by thorough market research.

The choice between iOS and Android depends heavily on understanding user demographics and specific app features that align with the music streaming industry and the requirements of Apple App Store and Google Play Store submissions.

In general, Android dominates the global smartphone market with a 70.69% share, while iOS has a 28.58% market share. But of course, in some regions like North America, iOS remains the go-to platform of app users.

Statistics will give you a broader perspective of the demand for use on platforms, but at the end of the day, your choice is primarily the result of your market research and app validation.

Here’s a comparison of the pros and cons of each platform for your music app:

Platform	Pros	Cons
iOS	Consistent design and high-quality apps Higher user spending and loyalty	Smaller market share compared to Android
Android	Larger market share Open source for customization and innovation	Less consistency in app quality
Web Apps	No download required Accessible via mobile browsers	Limited speed and access to device features
Hybrid Apps	Cost-effective Easy deployment across platforms	Potential performance issues Limited access to device features

iOS and Android are the leading platforms for mobile app development. Here’s a rundown of each platform:

• iOS is known for its consistent design and high-quality apps. It’s often preferred by users with higher spending power and loyalty, so if your target market is a premium audience willing to spend for exclusive features, you may want to consider this platform.
• Android, on the other hand, commands a larger market share due to its accessibility and open-source nature. This platform is ideal for music apps focused on reaching a broader audience and in regions where Android dominates the market, such as Asia, Africa, and South America.
• Web apps let users listen directly to access music streaming services through their mobile browsers, which appeals to those who prefer not to fill their device storage with multiple apps. However, if you want to develop web apps, you may face challenges with speed and limited access to device-specific features, impacting the overall user experience.
• Hybrid apps offer a middle ground by combining the benefits of both native and web apps. They are cost-effective and can be easily deployed across multiple platforms, making them appealing for music apps that aim to reach diverse user bases without compromising on budget. Despite this, hybrid apps might experience performance issues and restricted access to device features compared to native apps.

Here’s my two cents: Since most music apps are streamed and users often also save tracks offline, a native app is your best bet because it lets users save songs on the device, which is unlikely to have on a web app due to performance limitations.

During my interview with one of our in-house iOS developers, Adonis Dumadapat, I asked him, as an app developer, what he wished he would tell entrepreneurs and founders wanting to build mobile apps. And here’s what he said”

“I always tell them to go native. A lot of startups want to maximize their funding. Many people take the high-speed approach—developing once and compiling it into Android and iOS. Yes, you save some money upfront, but in the end, you’ll encounter problems. I can’t say exactly what those problems will be, but they will happen. So, go native.”

This is just his opinion. It may or may not apply to all hybrid apps because they have their place in the app marketplace.

From a practical standpoint of creating a music app, a native app works best because it allows you to stack up features like push notifications, speed, and integrations with other devices, which are not possible with a web app.

📣 We have a comprehensive article about hybrid vs native apps, so make sure you go through it if you’re considering your platform at this stage.

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5. Design your masterpiece: Bring your app to life with an eye-catching design

Starting your music streaming service app design journey can be undertaken through two main avenues:

• ✅ Doing it yourself (DIY) with your in-house team or
• ✅ Outsourcing the development and design

While DIY might initially seem attractive for the mobile app design process, it often presents challenges, particularly if you lack the necessary expertise to develop a user-friendly and functional music app.

Working with a professional team of music app developers is a strategic choice that brings numerous advantages.

A dedicated music app development agency offers the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to create a high-quality music app that captivates and retains users.

This partnership lets you focus on other core business areas while experts develop your app.

Generally, with your design team assembled, the next step is creating a prototype. This will enable you to test and refine your app before launching it publicly.

The prototyping phase comprises three key elements: sketches, wireframes, and finished designs.

• ✅ Sketches. These basic illustrations map out your music app’s overall layout and design.
• ✅ Wireframes. These provide a more detailed representation, highlighting the structural and functional elements of the app.
• ✅ Finished designs. These polished versions are ready for final testing, incorporating all the features and functionalities.

This phase is highly iterative, relying on constant feedback to ensure the app is functional and user-friendly, aligning with your goal.

One of our product designers, Lukas Hernandez, paints you a picture of what happens initially in the sketch phase.

“During the sketch phase, the designer focuses on the general idea and the main sections of the product. The designer should share a presentation to check that they are aligned with the client.”

But if you want to speed things up, Appetiser Apps does things differently to speed up the process for you. That’s where our proprietary, proven development method, Baseplate ™ comes in.

The Appetiser Baseplate™ offers exceptional scalability and adaptability. Unlike other frameworks, it is designed to seamlessly integrate with bespoke designs, providing the flexibility to match your unique project requirements.

Imagine you and your friends are building a giant LEGO city. Everyone needs to use the same LEGO pieces so the city looks nice and fits together perfectly. This makes it easy to build quickly and keeps everything steady and strong.

Source: Brothers Brick

The Appetiser Baseplate™ is like a special LEGO board that helps you build your city or, in this case, a music app. It’s flexible so that you can add your features and functions to your music app. This board (baseplate) allows everyone to collaborate smoothly, and your LEGO city (your music app) can be built quickly.

The pre-built features are already in the baseplate, thus reducing the app design and development time to four months if the engineering team assigned is already accustomed to using this framework.

📣 You could book a discovery call with our product strategist to take your design and development process to the next level.

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6. Orchestrate development: Develop your app for perfect harmony

With your design beautifully crafted, it’s time to move forward to the heart of creation: the music streaming app development phase.

Open communication is important here. Stay connected with your team to ensure the app resonates with your vision and specifications. This is where your musical app masterpiece begins to take shape.

If you leverage Baseplate ™, you will accelerate your project timeline, perfectly fitting the native app development process. Since Baseplate ™ uses native app programming languages Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android, you’re in for a treat, as engineers and developers will ensure a quality-first approach.

We embrace agile methodology in development, a dynamic and collaborative approach that thrives on adaptability.

Our team works in focused, short sprints, constantly checking in and gathering feedback to keep the development on track.

Agile development offers several perks for music app creators:

• 🎯 Flexibility. Easily adapt to new trends or user feedback without missing a beat. The agile method allows your app to evolve alongside the ever-changing music industry.
• 🎯 Continuous feedback. Regular updates and client feedback loops ensure your app aligns with your vision and user expectations.

The development phase is where you see your vision come to fruition. With the right team and approach, you can create a music app that surpasses your expectations and delights your users.

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7. Premiere and promote: Launch your app, amplify your reach, and keep improving

Congratulations! Your own music streaming app is ready to make its debut. But the journey doesn’t end here. It’s time to launch, promote, and continually enhance your app to captivate your audience.

1. Launch your music app and submit it on the app store

To launch on iOS and Android, secure developer accounts on the Apple Store and Google Play Store to submit the music app.

Ensure your app is polished, user-friendly, and compliant with all guidelines. Apple’s process might be more stringent, so double-check everything before submission.

Source: Apple

Depending on the quality of your app, approvals on the app store may take a week or a few weeks. If it went through rigorous QA, approval may be earlier than expected.

But if you’re working with seasoned pros—app developers, QAs, product designers, project managers, and more—there’s a good chance a first try on the Apple app store will result in a quick approval. We’ve seen this happen to one of our recent clients.

The app was approved and tagged for publishing on the Apple Store without issues—and was able to launch 6 weeks earlier than planned!

Does this sound like something you want for your app? Talk to us, and let’s make it happen.

2. Promote your music app

Once live, focus on app store optimization (ASO) to boost visibility. A compelling title, description, and strategic keywords can greatly enhance your app’s discoverability.

Beyond ASO, explore promotional channels like social media, influencer partnerships, and content marketing.

These strategies can amplify your reach, and if you have an established community, you may also tap the power of user-generated content.

Now that I mentioned ASO, we have an in-depth ASO best practice guide if you want to take your app marketing strategies seriously.

3. Continuously enhance your music app

Post-launch, your users’ feedback becomes your compass. App store reviews and ratings offer invaluable insights into performance and user satisfaction.

Use this feedback to fuel updates and new features, ensuring your app evolves and remains engaging.

By refining your app continuously, you enhance app retention and user satisfaction, ultimately dominating your niche.

Build a music app that will win the listeners’ ears

Creating a music app like Spotify opens doors to an exciting and dynamic industry brimming with potential. By following these seven steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating an app that resonates with your target audience and stands out in a crowded market.

The best way to move forward is to work with a seasoned app development team to support you from inception to launch. There’s no shortcut to app success, but there’s already a framework that has been proven by hundreds of entrepreneurs and founders we have worked with.

If you’re ready to take the first step of your app development journey, start with Appetiser. You will follow a process that has helped build billion-dollar success stories. It includes everything you need to win with app development.

Book a strategic call today and make this your day 1 of building your dream app.

💡 Special thanks to the following Appetiser Apps team members for contributing valuable insights: Michael MacRae (CEO and co-founder), Brian Wong (Product Manager), Lukas Hernandez (Product Designer), and Adonis Dumadapat (iOS app Developer)