Music

Shazam is often the go-to iOS app when it comes to identifying and tagging music. The free service keeps adding on new ways to share, learn about, and listen to music of all stripes. Since the iOS 7 overhaul, Shazam has receive several updates on iTunes, bringing the current version to 7.2.0.

Rdio fans will notice the latest update has a built-in function to play tagged Shazam tracks as a Rdio playlist. For those who aren't familiar, Rdio blends streaming music with social media, making it possible to learn about new music from friends and followers. Rdio functionality joins other services already on the list in Shazam, including Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, lyrics display and more.

Lady Gaga has announced the official release date for her new app-album. The album entitled ARTPOP, will be released as an iPad, iPhone and computer application on November 11. Gaga describes it as "a musical and visual engineering system that combines art, fashion, and technology with a new interactive worldwide community."

This is the first major app/album release since Bjork's Biophilia was released for iOS devices in 2011. The app was designed by Gaga's development team TechHaus, and aims to bring back the album experience by blending fashion and art with music. The launch of the album will be preceded by an "artRAVE", with collaborations from a number of famous artists including Robert Wilson, conceptual sculptor Jeff Koons and performance artist Marina Abramovic. Gaga will also release a new single from the album on August 19.

Looking for a free, legal and advertisement-free way to stream your favorite music on the iPhone or iPod touch? HypedMusic version 1.0 provides just that, with a simple interface that can be synced using a Facebook account (or not). The app makes it possible to create playlists of your favorite tracks.

You will have to know exactly what you're looking for, since there's no way to browse for artists or songs. Search results are sourced from all over the web, and although sometimes a music server might not work well, available songs play just fine for the most part. Like other music apps, HypedMusic will play your tunes while running in the background.

Spotify has announced that free radio play is coming to the U.S. in a few days. The update was supposed to roll out starting today, but Spotify decided it wasn't quite ready for public consumption. iPhone and iPad users will have access to an unlimited amount of music once the new radio feature is integrated into the iOS app.

The update offers limitless streaming radio stations and the ability to like your favorite songs so you can easily find them later. Free users will have to deal with advertisements, while Premium users will continue to enjoy an ad-free experience. Spotify is available to download for free in the App Store. It's compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, and requires iOS 5.0 or later. A Spotify Premium account is $9.99. Read on for a complete list of upcoming changes.