Expert's Rating
Pros
- Connect to SoundCloud users
- build playlists with drag and drop
- buy tracks online
Cons
- No upload button
Our Verdict
Still, we stick by our guns. Without the formal hoops Spotify and iTunes make you jump through to distribute your own material, this open and easy-to-use platform is the future of music and audio.
Spotify gets all the attention, but SoundCloud is the audio service that’s most worth watching. Like YouTube for sound, this slick and streamlined service enables you to upload audio for public consumption, for free. Social media features make it easy to follow other SoundCloud users.
When we discovered that there was a desktop version of SoundCloud, we rushed to download it. We’re already big fans of the iOS and web versions, so this OS X incarnation had a lot to live up to.
The desktop SoundCloud program is all about organising incoming tracks and listening to other users. With simple tools for accessing all tracks or just selected tunes, podcasts and audio from friends you’re following, the iTunes look and feel is difficult to deny. You can arrange tracks into playlists using drag and drop, for example.
You can search SoundCloud for other users and follow them from within the application.
SoundCloud Desktop turns the service into a cool, iTunes style music player
Unfortunately, though you can record and instantly share content, there’s no way to upload files from your hard drive. The user interface process for listing all tracks by another user is a bit counter-intuitive too. You have to find a track, then click on a link in their profile. There’s no list of your friends.
Karl Hodge