Early on in college, becoming a music journalist was my ultimate goal. So, finding new music wasn’t just a hobby, it was a way of deconstructing and analyzing the music industry. This may or may not have led me on a journey of attending 100 concerts in various countries in 2010. Fast forward to present life, my music-heavy days have taken a back seat to the hustle & bustle of internships and jobs. Although I like to think I still have a palate for good music, I can outright say my days of sourcing the internet for new bands and going to shows seeking new sounds are long over (peaked early there, didn’t I?) But thanks to SoundTracking, an app by Schematic Labs, the music connoisseur in everyone can be revived.

Soundtracking's new visual timeline

After recently teaming up with Spotify, YouTube, and Rdio, the social based music app helps people discover new music at the tap of a mobile screen. As your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Foursquare play music on the app, SoundTracking’s feed populates with music they’re listening to. The app runs off the idea of broadcasting your life’s soundtrack, making it easier for you to share, tag, and post what you’re jamming out to on social platforms.

In this day and age, we’ve become accustomed to sharing what we’re doing in our lives. SoundTracking finds the value in creating a community based in music and social expression. Sharing isn’t on top of everyone’s list, especially when music is often a very personal experience, but the beauty of it lies in opening that door to others and creating connections through music.

Here’s the catch: the songs only play for a short period of time. Although it hinders the discovery aspect behind the app, it also adds an element of excitement to determine if the artist’s sound is right for you or not. If not, the next artist is a quick scroll down. If you are captivated by the sound, the app connects you to streaming platforms and the rest is music history.

Since its initial launch in 2011, the app has recently gone through several updates upping the game in how it interacts on social platforms. Among many interactive tools, users are able to view music videos directly on the app and it’s sound recognizing software gives you the name of a song playing near you. With its capability for users to send songs and dedicated messages to each other, it’s taking a modern approach to the classic mixtape.

(Photo credit: FastCompany)