Good music can be an effective productivity enhancer. It can calm your mind and put it in focus or simply make you feel less stressed and more relaxed, making your workday more efficient.
Nine out of 10 workers perform better when listening to music. According to one study, 88% of participants scored better and 81% completed their fastest work when music was playing. I know that for me, music is my workplace companion. As I sort through our small business CRM, looking for interested prospects and leads, having some tunes to accompany me makes me work faster and concentrate better.
But, naturally, it depends on what type of music you listen to. If you’re in favor of music in the workplace, here’s a selection of free music apps to help you find the best music for your office.
Spotify
We’ve all heard of Spotify. The app (which has an easy-to-use free version alongside the premium one) offers over 30 million songs from various legendary and upcoming artists.
You can create a playlist, follow other people or choose a playlist based on your mood (e.g. focus, easy listening, etc.) The free version is ad-supported, so you’ll hear a short ad every couple of songs.
Pandora
Another one that we’ve probably all heard of. Pandora is comparable to Spotify’s radio feature, and the two are the biggest competitors in the market. It’s a free music streaming app that allows you to choose stations based on your favorite artists and discover new music. They curate the music for you (unlike Spotify’s playlist offerings). Pandora also has a free and premium version. The free version has short ads and also limits the number of times you can skip songs.
Q
Q is a music sharing app from our office neighbors over at Tunespeak. The app allows you to set up your “Q” of music (from Spotify and Youtube) that you can collaborate on with friends and co-workers. Q is a great way to let everyone weigh in on the office music choices to mix things up a bit.
Google Play
The best thing about Google Play is that it allows you to upload your own music ad-free (similar to iTunes). You can upload up to 50,000 of your own songs alongside their music offerings.
So if you already have your own tracks and want to listen to them in addition to a streaming music app, Google Play is a perfect option.
Amazon Music
Another Goliath that offers a music app is Amazon. Like Google and Apple, they have access to scale so you’re likely to find always the most recent albums, artists, etc.
You can upload up to 250 of your own songs and have them synced across devices. It’s easy to use, has a nice interface and works on a range of devices.
The Future FM
Here’s something different. The Future FM is a free music platform streaming DJ mixes, live sets, from nightclubs, concerts, festivals.
The original idea is to publish a long-form DJ content from the world’s best DJs. Unlike the above apps, it stands out from the pack by giving you a different music experience. It might not be right for every office, but it’s sure to keep things interesting
Slacker Radio
Slacker is a free music app that allows you to pick a genre you like and listen to pre-programmed streaming radio stations.
It also allows you to create new playlists and stations and keep track of your favorite songs, recently played songs, and so on.
TuneIn
With TuneIn, you can find and listen to local radio stations and save them which is a fantastic feature for those looking for something quickly.
You can also enter an artist, song or a genre and get a list of all the radio stations that artist, song or a genre.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a slightly different concept. It’s something like a social network for music, except it really is a music app.
Users and DJs can upload their own original music, tracks and podcasts, you can follow them and listen to their playlists, favorite tracks or create your own.
Musi
Musi is a simple app where you can create your own playlists from YouTube videos and SoundCloud tracks.
You can search through music and genres, find popular and trending songs and change the quality settings. The number of lists you can create is unlimited, but it’s ad-supported.
8tracks
8tracks is a free radio app that lets you listen to ad-free mixes that each contain 8 tracks.
You can find popular and trending mixes, staff picks, and so on. You can also search by artist, song, genre or mood.
Next time your team is hitting a mid-day slump, fire up one of these apps and mix things up a bit. You never know what a few Bob Marley tunes will do for your team’s productivity.
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