Chrome extensions can be excellent companions for any music lovers out there. These are 12 of the best you should try if music is a big part of your life.
1. Audio Channel
Audio Channel is a super-handy tool to have if you’re often listening to music in your browser, as it offers a way to easily customize audio output. The tool includes an audio compressor equalizer, volume booster, stereo, and reverb among other features. Once enabled, Audio Channel will show up in a separate floating window. As soon as you’re done customizing your sound, it can be swiftly removed from view.
2. Undrtone
Undrtone is a cross-platform music discovery site. Users can easily connect with other services such as SoundCloud, Deezer or Spotify to get their fix of music and enable Undrtone to learn about their preferences. The service can then suggest music based on your preferences as well as your friends’ taste in music. You can also browse hashtags, trending tracks, or people in order to find new things to listen to every day. You can access Undrtone by clicking on the Apps icon in your browser, located in the upper-left corner.
3. Nook – Animal Crossing Music Extension
Fans of the Animal Crossing franchise, may want to get Nook for Chrome. The extension plays Animal Crossing hourly themes and is perfect for those who love to listen to Animal Crossing music throughout the day. Inspired by the original Animal Crossing Music extension, which is no longer available, Nook allows users to listen to the various musical themes from the Animal Crossing universe. The extension boasts a clean UI with options shown in a small, non-intrusive pop-up window. Users can also add rain sound effects to their music.
4. Hotkeys for YouTube Music
Hotkeys is an extension that lets users easily control YouTube Music in Chrome. You can set a variety of shortcuts by accessing the extension’s options, which include Next track, Play/Pause, Volume up and more. Once these shortcuts are set, users can go ahead and take advantage of them even while working in different Chrome tabs.
5. Audio Converter
Audio Converter is a handy Chrome app that allows you to convert audio files from one format to another. The process is super easy, and you have plenty of options to choose from, including mp3, wav, FLAC and more. Just upload your file (or import it from Google Drive or Dropbox), select the format you want it converted to and set the quality. Next, press “Convert” and let the app do the work.
6. Soundtrap
If you’re a music creator, then you should give the Soundtrap app a try. The service allows creatives to make music online on their own or to team up with other people from all over the world. It’s possible to create projects from scratch, but if you’re just starting out, you can learn the ways of Soundtrap by fiddling with the available demos. A library of tutorials is also offered to help you learn the basics. What’s more, you can use the service for podcast creation as well. Soundtrap is only free for a month on a trial basis, after which you’ll have to pay a subscription fee (starting at $9.45) to keep using the service.
7. Web Scrobbler
If you’re constantly listening to music in your browser, then this is another extension you need for Chrome. With Web Scrobbler, you can log in with your Last.fm (or Libre.fm/ListenBrainz/Maloja) account so you can keep track of your playback history. Whenever you play a song on YouTube or Spotify in Chrome, Web Scrobbler will pick it up and quickly add it to your profile.
8. TuneYou Radio
Fans of good old radio, should definitely get the TuneYou Radio extension, as it offers access to thousands of radio stations from across the world. Users can browse through musical genres so they can listen to their favorite music. It’s also possible to search radio stations by country, state and city.
9. Spotify & Spotify Player
Spotify needs no introduction, but you should know that the service can be accessed via a dedicated Chrome app. Get it and log in with your account to start browsing the service’s huge library of music. Of course, you can go ahead and create playlists or add one that has already been created to your collection. Spotify Radio is another feature you can enjoy where you can either listen to a particular song or have Spotify suggest one for you. Additionally, you can have your pick at the different podcast options, all from Chrome. Once installed, the Spotify webplayer will be accessible through a shortcut that shows up as a mini tab in the upper-left corner of your browser. Spotify Player is an additional extension which allows you to control your music without having to revert to the webplayer. Simply pin it, then click on the Player icon in the upper-right corner of your browser to play/pause/like/repeat tracks whenever you need to.
10. SoundCloud
Soundcloud is an online audio distribution platform where you can record, upload and share your original creations, as well as listen to music. It’s also available as an app in the Chrome Web Store. Creators can combine SoundCloud with Facebook/Google or Apple accounts so they can easily reach their audience. If you’re an amateur creator or simply want to listen to experimental beats, you’ll be fine with a free account, but if you need more advanced features, you’ll need a Premium account.
11. Smart Mute
Smart Mute is an extension that allows you to easily control all your audio playing tabs in Chrome. It comes with a handy Silent mode which mutes all sound in your browser with a simple click. Just keep in mind that the extension merely mutes the sound and does not pause the media. Smart Mute also has a blacklist where you can add all the annoying sites that use autoplay for their videos for a more relaxed browsing experience.
12. Bandcamp New Tab
For those who love to discover new music, this extension is a must have. Every time you open a new tab in Chrome, Bandcamp New Tab will populate it with a random album from Bandcamp. Simply press the play button at the bottom to start listening to the song. but know that once you type in a URL and press enter, Bandcamp will disappear. Fortunately, you can always open up another tab for your browsing activities. If you really love music, then you should also check out our list of seven useful web radio stations for music listening. Alternatively, you may also want to learn about the best Spotify alternatives.
