Music Streaming App Development like Spotify

Technology Stack

Java
Angular
Jsoup
MySQL
API
AWS

The Client

A US-based entrepreneurship business was looking to roll out a music streaming app that helps budding artists/musicians upload songs and connect with fans. They also wanted this app to serve as a go-to option that lets listeners stream music for free.

The Challenge

To create this app, the US-based firm wanted development support from an experienced team that would perfectly cater to their goals with prompt solutions, without exceeding the budget. So, they turned to Capital Numbers’ expertise to execute this project.

The music streaming app sector is a highly competitive one. So, our biggest challenge was to make sure that the app looks unique and not like another app clone.

Also, we had to handle all the stages of development, right from product ideation to completion.

It had to be a robust app platform that yields good revenues for the client and delivers lossless audio streaming.

The Solution

We began this project by engaging in a kick-off meeting with the client to clearly define a roadmap. We studied the market well and set goals.

Then, we picked the following technologies to create this subscription-based iOS app:

For backend development, we picked Laravel. This framework comes with a lot of pre-built functions that help with faster time-to-market. Moreover, it offers built-in support for user-authentication and prevents malware activities. Besides, it has a unified API that speeds up time-consuming tasks and handles web traffic with efficiency.

Secondly, we used Swift as the programming language because of its code readability and maintenance. Moreover, Swift code has an extra layer of quality control that results in fewer crashes. Plus, Swift offers massive speed advantages during iOS app development.

Next, we chose MySQL for managing the database. Not only does it have solid data security layers, but it promises 24x7 uptime as well, thereby ensuring great app performance with no downtime issues.

For the payment solution, we used Braintree. It provides dedicated merchant accounts with substantial customization options. Moreover, it supports 130 currencies and helps merchants meet PCI standards. This apart, Braintree accepts all major credit and debit cards, PayPal, popular digital wallets, and even Bitcoins, thereby offering enormous flexibility.

We used Amazon S3 to host the music streaming app. It’s the most reliable, scalable, and inexpensive infrastructure to run feature-rich apps. This low-latency storage solution helps manage and retrieve data whenever required. Plus, it offers 99.99% availability that protects data against network issues, power problems, and hardware failures.

Results

Our well-defined processes and implementation of the above tech stack helped us create the online music streaming platform - Sounds Like, well within the stipulated timeline.

We submitted this iOS app in the Apple Store for users to download and stream music.

Our contributions included:

A Stellar Admin Panel

We added a powerful admin panel that helps the client easily manage:

Music Creators/Artists
Listeners
Playlists
Settings
Payments/Subscriptions
Music Uploads

The admin panel has a clean design layout that makes in-app navigation a breeze.

Quick Registration

We kept the registration process simple for musicians and listeners by:

Allowing login via emails instead of usernames
Facilitating password resetting

After all, the sign-up process, when done right, can trigger massive user retention.

Easy Uploads

New and emerging musicians can easily upload their songs in the app and stream them just as they would with songs from their online catalogs.

Custom Music Player

We custom-built the music player screen that displays the song cover at the top and describes the song at the bottom. This offers a personalized user experience.

Curated Playlists

Users can curate and build their playlists (based on genres like Jazz, Rock, Hip-hop, etc.) to satisfy different moods in a day - that is, times when they work out, cook, party, travel, etc.

Advanced Search

The search feature lets users explore new genres of music, find rising talents, connect with music creators, and discover new tracks on-the-go. We added this to put the users in full control of their music.

Valued Feedback

We incorporated a TextView in the app to help users share their valued feedback about specific songs, albums, or artists.

Clean and Modern UI/UX

We wanted to keep the app interface clean and clutter-free. So, our designers used a soft black background with clear white fonts. We used minimal icons. We also added a grid-like layout that offers a modern and organized look to the UI.

Flexible Cloud Storage

We used AWS S3 as the storage solution because it helps:

Process and stream massive audio files
Create space for growing music collection
Balance loads caused by high-quality music uploads

Smart Monetization Strategies

We monetized the app using a subscription-based model wherein every new artist who wishes to upload their music in the app must pay a certain fee to the client for each upload.

We added this model to help the client earn good revenues from musicians willing to put out great content for their fans worldwide.

End-to-end Solutions

We offered end-to-end solutions for this project, starting from analysis, design, development, testing, integration, hosting, and releasing it to the app store.
Music makers can use this app to market their music (by paying a fee) and grow their fanbase. Listeners can download this app to stream hi-fidelity music for free.

Full-scale Product Development

By including core features, Capital Numbers turned a simple app idea into a full-scale product, Sounds Like, that looks distinct and has the potential to drive significant in-app revenues.

We’re proud of our dev team that created this robust app from the ground up to help the client gain an edge in the music streaming space.