I've long dreamed of gathering friends, firing up a Bluetooth speaker, and letting everyone add songs from their phones to a shared queue—no more Bluetooth battles. That's exactly what OutLoud delivers, and as a music enthusiast who's tested countless apps, it far exceeded my expectations.
OutLoud is a free iOS app that lets nearby friends join your custom social playlist. Link your Spotify Premium or SoundCloud accounts for vast music libraries, and contributors add tracks that queue up automatically. Packed with features like upvoting and filters, here's how to get started.
Launch OutLoud and tap Host a Playlist to begin, then select Create New Playlist.
Enter a playlist title and your name for easy identification when friends search.
Optional but essential: Link Spotify Premium or SoundCloud for broader song access. Without it, you're limited to locally stored iOS music.
Customize your playlist URL with a memorable 3-6 character code, then tap Verify. OutLoud shows your location and range to keep joins local.
Before creating, tap Customizations for more options.
Enable Add songs so guests can contribute. Voting is on by default; add downvoting to demote tracks.
Turn on messaging for in-app chat. Toggle explicit content (SoundCloud links auto-enable it).
Require guest logins to prevent duplicates, and auto-shuffle unvoted songs. The developers have covered every angle.
Share your URL, and once friends join, search the top bar—it pulls from linked services. Tap songs to queue them. Web users get a similar interface.
View the queue, upvote to prioritize, and enjoy the party vibes!
ALSO SEE: How to Use SoundCloud Groups to Promote Your Music
