SoundHound
Discover the magic of music recognition with SoundHound Review – where seamless song identification meets powerful AI, revolutionizing the way you experience music in the digital age.
SoundHound Review: Better Than Shazam? We Test It!
With music practically being the center of our lives, the availability of music apps and audio players has increased exponentially. Presently, there are hundreds of music streaming apps available, which allow users to create their own playlists of top artists and emerging performers and even sing along karaoke-style with LiveLyrics. But many of these apps miss some or the other feature. And so, we’ve picked up the one with minimal cons and reviewed it in detail.
SoundHound is a famous music player app and comes packed with a lot of features that cater to music playing and music-identification services. Whether you speak, sing, hymn, or type out a song, this app can get you the one you are looking for. Its music identification function is complemented with a built-in virtual assistant called Hound, that makes song identification and playing a smooth sailing.
Pros and Cons of SoundHound
Pros
- Accurate Music Recognition – Instantly identifies songs, even with background noise.
- Voice Control – Allows hands-free music search, making it convenient for on-the-go users.
- Fast Search Speed – Results appear in seconds, offering quick answers for music lovers.
- Integration with Streaming Services – Easily links to Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
- Playlist Creation – Users can create custom playlists based on their music preferences.
- Lyric Display – Displays lyrics in real-time while songs play, enhancing the listening experience.
Cons
- Limited Free Features – Many advanced features are locked behind a subscription.
- Occasional Accuracy Issues – May struggle with some obscure or rare tracks.
- UI Can Be Overwhelming – The interface can be cluttered, especially for new users.
- Limited Song Previews – Short previews for some tracks, which can be frustrating for users.
- Ads in Free Version – Free users encounter ads, which can disrupt the listening experience.
- Battery Consumption – The app can drain battery faster with continuous use, especially on older devices.
Notable Features of the SoundHound App
- Immediately identifies the song;
- Supports hands-free use;
- Offline assistance;
- Built-in virtual assistant;
- Integration with Spotify and Pandora;
- LiveLyrics feature for finding out the lyrics;
What’s So Special About SoundHound?
It's not that the audio player app has over 300 million downloads, but also, it has some excellent features and functionalities that make it a top pick. The free music discovery app gives you full-length songs and videos with real-time song lyrics.
This music and lyrics app app keeps track of the emerging artists across the globe, popular charts, new songs of the week, and most importantly, it all can be done while the music continues playing in the background.
You can also check the artists’ photos and biographies, album release dates, and band info.
If you wish to go hands-free, as you do with Google Assistant or Siri, say, “OK Hound… what’s that song?”, and your query will be resolved. Once searched, the music player app creates an easy playback data for the user.
For navigational ease, the free music player has carried the classic tap, swipe, and type modes. If you want the app to identify any song, tap on the orange button and it will come up with live lyrics, video playback, share, stream, or buy option. Its Music Map feature allows you to find what’s being played near you and around the world. This way, you won’t be missing on new tracks and updates of the music industry.
Why Is SoundHound’s Integration With Apple Music Exciting for Music Lovers?
SoundHound was integrated with Apple Music with its update to version 7.5. Earlier, it was the third-party app that worked with Apple's music streaming service.
It enables the user to play tracks from Apple Music hands-free in the app itself. SoundHound LiveLyrics feature helps in jumping to different points in a song by double-tapping a section of the lyrics.
While there are other top lyrics apps that people usually feel comfortable using, SoundHound, the lyrics music player app can also be connected to the Apple Music account and this way, the app can create a more related playlist for the user. The automatic Apple Music playlist creation is based on SoundHound history.
For offline support, the music app can be given access to the iPhone or iPad's music library and play songs. If the song is not available in the playlist, the user can purchase them from iTunes as well.
The audio player app can even connect to the playlist of your personal favorite online music streaming partner Spotify and Pandora.
SoundHound Subscription Plans
SoundHound is available for free, but its paid version is dubbed as SoundHound Infinity. It makes the app ad-free and adds some extra features to it.
Users can always switch to the SoundHound Premium version for $6.99.
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MobileAppDaily’s Verdict on SoundHound
At MobileAppDaily, we took SoundHound for a spin, testing its music recognition and voice-control features across different devices. We were impressed by how quickly and accurately the app could identify songs, even in noisy environments. Its seamless integration with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music was another standout feature, making it easy to switch between platforms without missing a beat.
The voice search feature added a fun layer of convenience, allowing us to ask, "What song is this?" and get an instant answer. The lyric display also enhanced the experience, making it easy to sing along to our favorite tracks. However, we found the free version a bit limited with frequent ads popping up, and the premium features locked behind a subscription may deter casual users.
While the interface is functional, it could be simplified for smoother navigation, especially for first-time users. Some of the rare tracks weren't as accurately recognized, which left us wishing for better performance in all situations. Battery drain also became noticeable after prolonged use, especially on older devices.
SoundHound is a solid app for music lovers, offering impressive features like instant song identification and voice control. However, its premium pricing, occasional accuracy issues, and UI complexities could be a barrier for some. Still, if you're serious about discovering music, it's definitely worth a try.
FEATURE
Fast and accurate song recognition, with voice control and lyric display.
PRICING
Free version is limited; premium offers more features but at a cost.
PERFORMANCE
Generally responsive, but occasionally misses some rare tracks.
UI/UX
Functional, but could be simplified for easier navigation.
Final Verdict!
SoundHound stands out in the crowded field of music recognition apps by offering quick and accurate song identification paired with impressive voice-controlled search features. Whether you’re trying to name a track playing in the background or want to dive deep into lyrics, SoundHound delivers with style.
However, while the app excels in functionality, the frequent ads in the free version and the limitations of premium features may be off-putting to casual users. There’s also room for improvement in its interface and rare track accuracy.
Despite these minor setbacks, SoundHound remains a top choice for music enthusiasts who value ease of use and speed. If you're passionate about discovering new music on the fly, it’s certainly worth a download.
What is SoundHound used for?
Our reviewers primarily use SoundHound in the following areas:
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