The genius of some iPhone apps never ceases to amaze me, and iPhone music apps are no exception. Among the best music apps are radio stations, apps for musicians, games, trivia and even instruments that you can play on your iPhone. No doubt, for only a couple of bucks, any music lover can have a ton of fun with the iPhone.
Here are the best of the iPhone music apps, and those that are must-have additions for any music lover:
Pandora. Easily one of the best apps for the iPhone, Pandora allows you to customize your own radio station by picking out a band or song and letting Pandora find similar music. Pandora is powered by the Music Genome Project, which means it isn't simply using popular opinion to find similar music, it is actually analyzing the music itself to find similar tunes. Price: Free
Slacker Radio. Another great app for those who want to replace their radio with the iPhone, Slacker Radio gives you access to a number of different radio stations in a wide range of categories. You can ban songs or artists and can even get the lyrics to the song. Price: Free
Anthem. Anthem is like Pandora for music videos. Using the Last.FM engine, Anthem lets you input in a band name and then pulls up similar music and videos from YouTube. This makes it a great little time killer when you want to put some video to the music. Price: Free
Shazam. Ever hear a song on the radio and the artist or song name is on the tip of your tongue and you just can't quite get it out? Or you are just curious as to who does the song so you can rush over to iTunes and buy it? Shazam is one of the best iPhone music apps because it'll not only tell you what song is playing, it'll do so without charging you an arm and a leg like some other music recognition apps. Price: Free
Music Challenge. Have you ever wanted to play a music trivia game that actually used your own music to form some of the trivia? That's what you'll get when you play Music Challenge. As a trivia game, it is pretty solid with categories drawing from the 60s and 70s all the way up to the 00s. There's also one hit wonders, female performers and other great categories, including "My Music" which draws from your own iPhone collection. Read the Full Review. Price: $1.99
Rock Band. If you are in to music games, Rock Band for the iPhone should be on your must-have apps list. One of the better adaptations of a console game for a mobile phone, Rock Band gives you a similar experience, letting you rock out to different songs and even lets you buy additional songs from the music store. Price: $6.99
Tap Tap Metallica Revenge. One of the best music games from Tapulous, Tap Tap Metallica Revenge is a no-brainer for Metallica fans. And even if you aren't a big fan of the music, it's a great all around game that goes a beyond simply simulating being a member of the band. Price: $4.99
GigBabyFree. Have you ever wanted your own recording studio? If you have an iPhone, you have a portable studio. There are plenty of great apps out there for musicians, but what makes GigBabyFree stand apart is that (1) it has a free version and (2) the free version is actually quite useful. While the paid version adds more features, the free version will give you access to a metronome and a quite capable 4-track, so you can really try this app out before buying the professional version (which is only $.99). Price: Free
Drum Kit Lite. Easily amused? Drum Kit Lite provides you with a virtual drum set that allows you to tap some percussion or just pound out some frustration while waiting on the bus. While the screen is a little crunched trying to get all of the drums and symbols on it, the sound quality is actually quite nice. Price: Free
MiniPiano. Drums aren't your thing? They aren't the only free instrument on the iPhone app store. While you can pay a few bucks and play just about anything, MiniPiano will give you access to a small keyboard for absolutely nothing. Yes, it's the price that makes this one of the best iPhone music apps, but the sound quality is similar to what you'll find in a paid app like Band, though MiniPiano only gives you access to one octave of keys. Price: Free
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