The music industry moves fast, and so do the tools available to musicians. According to a new report from MusicRadar, more music is released in a single day in 2024 than in the entire year of 1989. It's hard to stay productive and competitive in such an environment where not just humans breathe down your neck but tech does too, with tools like Udio churning out nearly a million songs daily. A report from Luminate notes that streaming services add around 120,000 tracks each day and it's expected that there will be 198.2 million music creators by the end of the decade.
In this piece, we're taking a look at multiple music apps across different categories, so whether you’re making beats in your bedroom, planning a release strategy, or building a fan community, you'll find something to your liking. One of the primary criteria for selecting the apps in the list was their relative novelty, focusing on those that aren't mainstream or widely used by everyone, in order to show you something new, something you might've never tried.
This is the first part of this article series, and in this one, we'll cover apps for music production and music promotion. Our next pieces will feature software for live performance & DJing, music distribution and monetisation, AI music and experimental tools, music notation and composition, songwriting, field recording and sound design as well as fanbase growth, collaboration and networking, music discovery and curation. So yeah, there's a lot to come.
Best Music Production Apps to Try in 2025
Gone are the days when music production was limited to expensive studios. Mobile DAWs, AI-assisted tools, and innovative sampling apps now let you create professional-quality music on the go. Which ones?
#1. Koala Sampler — A Handy Sampler in Your Phone
This app turns your phone into a powerful sampler, letting you record any sound and transform it into an instrument. It’s widely used by beatmakers and live performers who love manipulating samples on the fly. Koala Sampler is available on both iOS and Android for $4.99. It has gained popularity for its simple, intuitive interface and streamlined workflow among aspiring music producers, mobile beatmakers, producers looking for a portable tool for sampling and beatmaking, and musicians who want an affordable alternative to hardware samplers.
Read also: Beat Maker vs. Producer: What’s the Difference?
What it does:
- Koala Sampler allows users to record or import up to 64 samples. You can record sounds using your device's microphone or import samples from your file library or cloud storage.
- It provides tools for editing samples, including trimming, adjusting volume, pitch, and panning.
- You can create beats using the high-resolution sequencer, with options to quantise and add swing. The app offers a keyboard mode for playing samples chromatically or in scales.
- Koala Sampler includes built-in effects to transform sounds. There are performance effects for live manipulation and separate effects that can be applied to an input source.
- The "Split Stems" feature uses AI to break a track into four parts: drums, bass, vocals, and other elements. This allows you to isolate or remove specific elements from a sample.
- The app allows resampling through effects, similar to hardware samplers like the Roland SP-404.
- You can export loops or entire tracks as professional-quality WAV files. It also supports direct export to Ableton Live Set (but only on iOS).
Use сases:
- Creating beats and tracks on mobile devices.
- Sampling and manipulating sounds.
- Performing live with effects.
- Chopping samples.
- Songwriting
💡Read also: Audialab Deep Sampler 2 Review
#2. Zenbeats 3.0 (2024 Update) — A Tiny But Powerful DAW
Roland’s Zenbeats is a powerful mobile DAW that offers multi-track recording, MIDI sequencing, and built-in effects. With the 2024 update, it added AI-powered composition tools. It allows you to drop a beat, sketch synth ideas, record audio tracks, and mix proper musical masterpieces. This handy tool provides curated music creation solutions for all styles and sounds. Available on Chrome OS systems supporting Android apps, Android 8.0+, iOS 11+, macOS 10.11+, and Windows PCs running Windows 8/10, with 2GB of RAM and 2GB of available storage.
What it can do:
- ZR1 Drum Sampler offers sampling and importing directly into drum pads, slice editing, and mixer integration. It includes classic drum tones from the TR-808, TR-909, and more. You can also use your own sounds to build custom kits5. The step sequencer allows creation of complex rhythms with accents and per-step automation.
- Enhanced UI/UX includes browsing and discovery enhancements with an intuitive browser, album art, and a favourites feature to tag and filter sounds.
- Combines audio, instrument, or drum tracks for sub-mixing.
- The Zenbeats Store is loaded with sounds, loops, and creative tools with new sounds added weekly.
- Drag-and-drop MIDI to audio conversion, a dynamic and collapsible interface, updated Home Screen functionality, and enhanced touch navigation.
Use cases:
- Creating beats.
- Sketching synth ideas.
- Recording audio tracks.
- Mixing musical masterpieces.
- Sampling.
- Live performances.
#3. LALAL.AI — Versatile & Cross-Platform Stem Splitter
This AI-powered stem separation tool allows musicians and producers to extract vocals, drums, and other elements from songs, which makes the app useful for remixing, karaoke, sound production, dubbing, audio editing, and making mashups. With this tool, available as a web solution, desktop app, and a mobile app for iOS and Android, you can separate vocals and instruments from audio files with high accuracy, create instrumental or karaoke versions of songs, isolate specific instruments for focused learning and practice, reduce noise and enhance audio clarity, remove echo and reverb and even integrate LALAL.AI to other applications via API for automated workflow.
Good to know: What's the Difference Between a Remix, a Mashup and an Edit?
What it does:
- Splits audio and video into stems, including vocal, backtrack, bass, piano, synthesizer, drums, acoustic and electric guitar, strings, and wind instruments.
- Extracts lead and backing vocals from audio tracks.
- Isolates instruments from audio tracks for mixing and remixing.
- Eliminates unwanted background noise.
- Supports multiple audio and video formats, including MP3, OGG, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, AVI, MP4, and MKV.
- Removes echo and reverb.
- Its new Voice Changer tool can alter any voice to an AI-made one.
Who it's for:
- Musicians (seasoned and aspiring).
- Sound designers.
- Producers.
- DJs.
- Composers.
- Singers.
- Students and educators.
- Content creators.
Use cases:
- Creating karaoke tracks.
- Practicing instruments.
- Remixing and remastering.
- Post-production editing.
- Podcast production.
- Content creation for social media.
- Removing noise in recordings of live performances.
- Learning cover songs.
- Noise reduction and audio cleanup.
- Creating mashups.
#4. Soundtrap — Best for Real-Time Collaboration
Soundtrap is a cloud-based, online Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that allows users to create music and podcasts collaboratively in real time. It's designed to be accessible on various devices, so you can start a project on one device (like your phone) and continue on another (like a computer).
With Soundtrap, you can create music with software instruments and loops, record vocals and instruments, edit vocals with features like Auto-Tune, adjust reverb, pan, and volume, add various audio effects, automate volume and other parameters. In addition to importing of existing audio files, you can also save projects in the cloud and access them from any device, share recordings via email, WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud. Some more perks of the software is that you can edit MIDI sequences using the Piano Roll feature, and adjust voice recordings to improve pitch or modify tone.
What it does:
- Soundtrap allows users to record music and podcasts.
- It enables real-time, remote collaboration with others.
- Users can record audio and MIDI directly into the platform.
- Provides a wide range of virtual instruments and loops.
- Provides an extensive suite of editing tools.
- Real-time monitoring allows for applying effects to your voice as you record.
Who it's for:
- Musicians and bands working together.
- Beginner sound designers.
- Educational institutions.
- Those interested in podcasting.
- Casual creators.
Use cases:
- Creating music and podcasts.
- Collaborating on music projects remotely.
- Recording and editing audio.
- Experimenting with virtual instruments and loops.
- Learning about music production.
- Creating content for social media.
Best Music Promotion Apps to Try: Get Your Music Heard
Creating music is one thing; getting it noticed is another. These apps help independent artists pitch to playlists, run marketing campaigns, create smart links, pre-save campaigns, and track audience engagement.
#1. Groover — A Small Music PR in Your Pocket
If you’re struggling to get playlist placements, Groover connects artists with curators, bloggers, and industry professionals who actually listen to submissions. This is a platform designed to connect independent artists with music industry professionals, such as media outlets, labels, playlist curators, and radio stations. It allows artists to submit their music directly to these professionals, and claims it guarantees feedback and potential coverage.
What it does:
- Groover facilitates direct contact between independent musicians and industry pros, guaranteeing artists will receive feedback from industry professionals.
- Provides networking opportunities with key players in the music industry and potential opportunities for reviews, playlist adds, and more.
- Allows artists to target specific types of curators and pros based on their musical style.
- Automates repetitive tasks by setting up "if this, then that" actions.
Use cases:
- Releasing a single
- Seeking feedback
- Gaining coverage
- Building a network
- Testing export markets
Read also: Thinking of New Ways to Collaborate On & Promote Your Music? Don't Overlook Discord
#2. Linkfire — All-in-One Tool for Link-in-Bios
A must-have for artists promoting new releases, Linkfire is a marketing platform that provides smart links for artists, labels, and other members of the music industry. But let's see how exactly it can be helpful.
What it does:
- Linkfire helps users create smart links for music, podcasts, tickets, and other content. These links then direct fans to their preferred streaming service or online destination. The platform generates various types of smart links, including bio links, pre-release, podcast, release, ticket, reward, playlist, and content links. Linkfire API allows for at scale link creation.
- It aggregates all content into a single, scrollable microsite and allows you to track performance and gain insights for any URL you promote.
- Helps optimise marketing efforts, drive streams, and increase ticket sales. It measures real-time user engagement, including anonymised visits and click-through rates.
- Linkfire provides audience insights to help users understand their fans and listeners.
- It offers specialised tools for podcast marketing and provides access to Apple Podcast streaming analytics.
- Offer contests, coupon codes, and access to exclusive content.
- Integrates with Bandsintown and Ticketmaster for tour promotion.
- Captures emails to build first-party audiences.
Who it's for:
- Major labels and independent artists.
- Music marketers.
- Podcast creators.
- Marketing agencies.
- Anyone promoting audio content.
Use cases:
- Marketing music releases.
- Promoting podcasts.
- Selling tickets for concerts and events.
- Engaging fans with contests and exclusive content.
- Tracking the performance of online content.
- Powering artist services with the Linkfire API.
- Building first-party audiences by adding email capture to smart links.
- Testing export markets.
#3. ToneDen — Like Google Ads But For Creators
A social media marketing tool designed for creators, ToneDen automates ad campaigns and helps artists reach new listeners. ToneDen is designed to simplify the process of creating and managing ads for promoting music on various platforms, with a special focus on Facebook and Instagram. It's a fan engagement platform, similar to Feature.fm (which we'll feature below).
What it does:
- It helps content creators and brands create marketing strategies to reach their target audience and track sales.
- Simplifies ad creation for promoting music on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Helps target ideal audiences based on demographics, interests, and music preferences.
- Allows tracking ad performance in one place and optimising campaigns.
- Enables testing different ad variations to see what resonates best with the audience.
- Provides insights into marketing efforts.
- Offers custom templates for creators to conduct automated social marketing campaigns.
- Prompts a call-to-action to fans that benefits both the musician and the fan.
- Allows reaching out to Facebook followers directly to promote releases and shows.
- Provides data, such as the streaming ranking for music platforms and engagement rate for tours.
Use cases:
- Automating social marketing and advertising.
- Growing an audience.
- Creating marketing strategies.
- Promoting gigs or events on Facebook and Eventbrite.
- Increasing reach through multipurpose marketing campaigns.
- Collecting fan data to refine target audience.
- Creating smart links.
- Facilitating social media follows/likes and/or email addresses.
#4. Beatchain — Best for Fan Building
This app offers AI-powered marketing tools, helping artists manage their social media, track analytics, and distribute music.
What it does:
- Beatchain gathers data from various sources, such as online purchases, streams, and social media, to provide a comprehensive view of an artist's digital footprint.
- The platform's key feature is Fan Builder, an ad-buying tool that creates targeted ad campaigns using machine learning.
- Uses data from the artist's social media and streaming profiles to hyper-target ads to audiences already interested in their music
- Allows artists to share their music on major platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon, YouTube, and Google.
- Artists can monitor the rise in music video views or social media presence using Beatchain’s data insights page, tracking ROI in real time through website page views, song streams, merch sales, and email signups.
- Creates smart links, pre-save campaigns, link-in-bios, and allows for poster management.
Who it's for:
- Startup, unsigned, and developing artists.
- Music managers.
- Major and independent record labels.
- Promoters.
Use cases:
- Increasing Facebook or Instagram presence.
- Spreading the word about a new song release.
- Building a fanbase through targeted advertising.
- Tracking the performance of marketing campaigns.
- Managing and monitoring an artist's digital footprint.
#5. Feature.fm — Effortless Fan Engagement
Feature.fm is an artist marketing platform designed to help artists engage fans and build lasting relationships with their audience. Artists promote their music on Feature.fm's network by creating a campaign, uploading a song, specifying their target audience, and sending the campaign for approval. Once approved, the campaign is served to Feature.fm's partner apps and websites. Targeting options include listeners of specific music genres, fans of specific artists, and individuals in specific locations, ages, or genders.
The platform also provides a suite of tools to manage a growing fanbase, convert followers into superfans, drive music careers forward as it allows to cretate pre-save campaigns, embed music players, tracks listener engagement, and more:
What it does:
- Feature.fm helps artists engage fans and build lasting relationships.
- It assists artists in promoting their music across various platforms.
- Allows fans to pre-save music on their favourite platforms and runs pre-save campaigns across Spotify, Apple, Tidal, and Deezer.
- Provides one link to share music across platforms easily.
- Centralizes an entire online presence with a customisable link in bio.
- Rewards fan engagement with exclusive content or contests.
- Keeps fans updated on live performances and makes ticket purchases seamless.
- Lets fans easily subscribe and tune into podcast episodes.
- Helps understand who fans are, gather insights, and connect with them.
- Captures fan emails to send updates and release notifications.
- Tracks the performance of campaigns with detailed analytics.
- Allows advertising to new and existing audiences on social channels and music websites.
- Automatically transitions pre-save campaigns to release pages.
Who it's for:
- Artists.
- Music labels.
- Music promoters.
Use cases:
- Releasing new music and promotion across various platforms.
- Announcing a tour.
- Connecting with fans directly.
- Running pre-save campaigns.
- Driving streams and increasing visibility.
- Growing a fanbase internationally.
- Managing and messaging fans.
- Promoting podcasts.
The list of apps for music production and promotion is, of course, non-exhaustive but we wanted to share those apps that caught our attention this year without making this article endless. In our upcoming stories, we'll cover even more great apps, so stay tuned.
