Smule

Group singing is the point of Smule: its mobile apps let people sing karaoke, record performances, and join songs with other users, including through virtual duets. The format makes a phone both the backing track and the recording booth, with a large catalogue and social sharing built around it. By our assessment, that combination gives Smule a clearer identity than a plain karaoke player and makes casual collaboration part of the appeal. The trade-off is that singing into a phone is not the same as using dedicated audio equipment, and the social features matter less to someone who only wants a private practice track. Recording, effects, and shared performances are the parts that define the app.