Do you long for the days when you were able to hang out while listening to all your favorite music? Maybe you’ve tried doing so remotely, doing your best to hit play on a song at the exact same time. It isn’t easy to get the timing right! Thankfully, there are a number of software and apps available to help you listen to music with your friends online – you just have to find the best one. That’s why we are here to give you a rundown of the top 7 music sync apps available – their pros, cons, costs, and features – so you can choose which one is best for you. Read on!
Spotify Group Session
As a music lover, you’re probably already familiar with Spotify. In 2020, they expanded their Group Session feature to be more lock-down and social-distancing friendly. Now you and your friends can listen to the same music in real-time, and each person can control and add to the collaborative playlist. While it is free to use, you and your friends must be subscribed to Spotify Premium to access this feature, though. But for the approximately 155 million Premium members worldwide, that won’t be a problem. To start a Group Session on your PC, phone, or tablet app: However, it’s safe to say that it’s a good start for Spotify, as there are many third-party apps that have offered this service to Spotify users. Hopefully, as the company continues to work with its features, there will be more unique options available.
Rave
While the app itself is free for iOS and Android, unfortunately, there are ads. If you’d like to enjoy an ad-free experience, a paid subscription is necessary. It won’t set you back by too much, though, because it is available for as little as $13.20 for the whole year.
JQBX
JQBX is your chance to be a DJ like you’ve always wanted. You can start public or private rooms where you can listen to music together with friends, or meet new people who have similar interests. It integrates with your Spotify account, and is a free app for both iOS and Android. You’ll be able to vote on the music you’re listening to and keep up with new and trending music in a bunch of different genres. As a music fan, it’s a great way to expand your tastes and music knowledge!
AmpMe
Originally designed as a way to sync multiple devices to play music louder, AmpMe has evolved and expanded to do much more than just that. In 2020, the app announced significant updates to their OS, allowing up to 8 users to share music while video chatting. If you’ve ever tried to play music during a Zoom party, you know why this app is needed! It is free to use for both iOS and Android, but the video chat feature requires a subscription only for whoever is the host/DJ of the party. This subscription costs $5/week, or $10/month for the host, while guests can join for free. Because only one person needs to be the host for the party, they are the only person who has control of the music. As the DJ, you can share music from your personal downloads, YouTube, SoundCloud, or Spotify (but you’ll need a Spotify Premium account.)
Vertigo
If being limited to Spotify seems restrictive, then Vertigo is an excellent alternative to JQBX. It’s free to use, and you can sync with either Spotify or Apple Music to get started and join the party! You can join in on public lounges to hear what music others are listening to, or become your own DJ and share your tunes with others. Plus, when you stream content on Vertigo, the artists are getting royalties with each listener.
Jukebox
Jukebox is a simple and free web-based app to sync YouTube videos in real-time. If that’s all you need to do, then this is the perfect web app for you! You can join a public room and listen in, collaborate by adding songs to the playlist, or start your own. If you want to start a private room for you and your friends, that works too – plus, you can use global controls to pause, play, and skip songs on everyone’s devices. But, if you are just looking for an easy and free way to sync YouTube videos with your friends, Jukebox is a great option.
Synaptop
Offering more than just music streaming, Synaptop is a web-based desktop that you can use to collaborate with friends. You can share video and audio content, documents and other files, and even share video calls with friends! Because this is an entire desktop platform rather than simply a music sharing app, the possibilities are endless. It’s an all-in-one option for working together, playing games, listening to music, watching movies, and more. Synatop is free to use, but you need to make an account and are limited to the apps available on the platform. As it’s completely web-based, none of the apps or content are downloaded onto your device, and you’ll find a library of movies available on the platform.
Which App Should You Use to Listen to Music Together Online?
There are a lot of different apps available today allowing us to stay connected with our friends, no matter where we live. Many have specific features, and the one that is right for your needs won’t necessarily be the right choice for someone else. If you’re already a Spotify Premium member looking to listen and share music with friends or learn new music from others, then JQBX is a good option. Not only do you have the option of a private or public room, you also aren’t limited to only 5 friends. If you don’t want to be limited to Spotify, AmpMe is a great alternative. You can share music from your personal library or popular platforms like YouTube and Soundcloud, while also giving you the option of using a video chat with your friends too. For a truly all-around sharing experience, the ad-free Rave subscription is definitely worth the cost. Not only can you stream music online, but you can also listen and watch YouTube, Netflix, or many other streaming services.
Conclusion
Even if you’re social distancing, or simply live far away from your friends, you can stay connected! With these apps, you can share your favorite tunes with others, meet new friends, and discover fresh tracks, no matter where you are. Did you see your favorite shared music app? Or did we miss one? Let us know how you’re staying connected with your friends in the comments below!
