MusicSmart 1.0 was launched almost two years ago as an iPhone/iPad app for finding liner notes and credits. Since then, the app has undergone numerous updates and improvements which added features, expanded its availability to the Mac and Apple TV, and increased the number of credits and details available.

With the release of MusicSmart 2.0, users can expect the biggest update yet. This latest version comes packed with a host of new features and improvements, including my personal favorites - Smart Sections and Roles and Instruments Insights. Read on to learn more about then and all the other exciting changes on MusicSmart 2.0.

Smart Sections

MusicSmart 2.0 introduces a new and improved way of organizing credits. It automatically groups them by their category in the song creation process, including categories such as Songwriting and Composition, Performance and Recording, Instruments, and more. Smart Sections also ensures that these categories follow a logical order, so Marketing and Distribution never comes before Songwriting and Composition, for example.

This is especially good for songs that involve a large number of professionals, because it's much easier to read and understand who contributed to each aspect of the song:

It also enables a new feature called Customizable Sections, which is the ability to customize the sections you want to see. So if you're only interested in the core creative process of making and recording a song, you can now easily disable categories such as marketing, distribution, or other business-related content. This enables users to tailor the app to their specific needs and preferences, providing a more personalized user experience.

Roles and Instruments Insights

Whenever I read credits for a song, I always feel like something is missing. I can see who did what, but that doesn't tells me much about the significance and responsibilities of each role in the music creation process. That's why I'm so excited about Roles and Instruments Insights. It provides comprehensive insights into each role and instrument used in a song, helping users gain a deeper understanding and learn more about the whole process.

Smart Sections and Roles and Instruments Insights were generated with ChatGPT's assistance.

Continuous Mode

The Now Playing screen has been upgraded to detect when music changes, automatically displaying liner notes and credits for the current song. This means that you can play an album in the Music app and switch back to MusicSmart to follow along, without having to ask for liner notes everytime it goes to the next song. This is especially nice on the iPad, with Split Screen:

Support for MusicBrainz

MusicSmart can now find liner notes and credits for an even larger selection of songs, thanks to its integration with the extensive MusicBrainz database. MusicSmart already used MusicBrainz, but only for artist details. Now it is incorporated into the chain of third-party services for liner notes and credits. As a result, users can expect to find a wealth of new credits for songs that previously had limited information available.

Trending Songs and Popular Albums

In previous versions, one of the first things MusicSmart asked users to do was to connect their Apple Music or Spotify account. But it works without one, so version 2.0 addresses this issue by opening directly into the Home view.

The Home view offers an easy access to a variety of features, including Now Playing, Shazam, and Unified Search which allows users to search for songs, albums, or artists. It also gives access to trending songs, top albums, and albums recently added to your music library. With these features readily available, users can quickly find the music they are looking for.

Significant UI Improvements

In MusicSmart 2.0, every screen has been revisited and redesigned to provide a more informative, consistent, and user-friendly experience. Loading states have been updated to be more subtle and integrated. The album view now incorporates metadata, tracks, and editorial notes in a single view. Long description fields now start in a compressed state, with the option to expand for more details, and links are correctly rendered. And buttons now finally use the app's default tint color, creating a more cohesive experience.

And of course, the redesigned UI also works great on the iPad:

Additional Features and Improvements

MusicSmart 2.0 also includes these additional features and improvements:

macOS

The Mac version has also received a substantial upgrade, with Smart Sections, Customizable Sections, support for MusicBrainz, and more. The liner notes and credits UI has also been updated to have a more Mac-like appearance, while more effectively taking advantage of the available screen space:

Here's a glimpse of what the previous version looked like:

Price and Availability

MusicSmart 2.0 will be available as a free update on May 9, 2023. For new users, it will cost a one-time purchase of $3.99 for all platforms.