Calling all stans!
Now that it’s easier to listen to music on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, many fans aren’t buying physical albums, making streaming a huge factor when it comes to charting high on the Billboard charts. Fans of BTS, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé all have super-engaged fans who strive to stream their music as much as possible to help their fave chart. If you’re wondering how they do it, they use these five apps for streaming parties, which allow them to gather fans together so they can listen to music at the same time.
When tours got canceled in 2020 amid the carona outbreak, it prevents fans from seeing each other in person. Thankfully, they had apps like Vertigo and Rave to help them connect virtually. Although nothing can replace singing your favorite songs with thousands of strangers in a stadium, streaming apps allow for a different type of music experience right from the comfort of your own home.
Depending on the app, you can listen to music with your closest friends or with anyone in the world. You can also recommend songs to each other, find new artists to listen to, and support your favorite artists in the process. If you’re ready to start connecting with other fans, try these five apps for streaming parties.
01Spotify
In May 2020, Spotify launched Group Session that allows up to five friends with premium accounts to enjoy music together no matter where they are in the world. Everyone in a session has the ability to pause, play, skip, and select music, as well as add songs to a playlist. What’s especially cool is that any changes made to a queue will be reflected on all the participants’ devices in real-time.
To start a session of your own, just open up Spotify, play a song, and tap the speaker icon on the bottom left of the screen. Click on “Start a Group Session” and share the link with friends through text or social media to add them.
02Stationhead
Stationhead is an app where users can join or host their own live radio stations. They can have co-hosts and bring listeners on-air in order to connect with others on the platform. The app also automatically connects to people’s paid Spotify and Apple Music accounts so their streams will count toward the Billboard charts.
A lot of fandoms use Stationhead for big streaming parties. For example, on May 25, the BTS fan account @btschartsdata organized an impromptu streaming party to celebrate the release of the group’s single “Butter.” Even though it wasn’t planned at all, over 400,000 fans attended. According to Billboard, ARMYs streamed “Butter” 5.4 million times during the session, proving the power of fandom.
Afterward, fans of Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga also held streaming parties to help boost the streams of their faves.
03Renaissance
Renaissance is unique because it lets users track their streams so they can check their listening history. Every month, they’ll also get a summary of their top artists. Having the ability to track streams will help listeners see if they met their streaming goals. Renaissance is especially loved by fans because it gives them rewards just for listening. There’s also a leaderboard to see which fans have listened to a certain artist the most. To help you remember when streaming parties happen, Renaissance promotes events on its social media channels.
04Vertigo
Unlike Spotify, which is best for small groups, Vertigo allows users to create both public and private channels, meaning you can listen with friends or strangers. It’s a great app to use when wanting to connect with others in the same fandom. For example, in November 2020, Vertigo held a listening party with BTS fans to celebrate the release of the group’s BE album.
To create a channel on your own, just download the app and sync it with either your Spotify or Apple Music account. The best part about Vertigo is people in a channel don’t have to use the same streaming platform to listen. Your fave artists will also get royalties with each stream, so you’ll be supporting them directly!
05Rave
If you’re looking to have a streaming party on YouTube, Rave is the way to go. The app encourages people to watch a variety of content together online while being able to message each other or voice chat simultaneously. You can connect with friends or join public “raves” to see what others are watching.
Happy streaming!