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Twitter will allow users to play podcasts, music and other audio clips direct from their timelines for the first time.

The firm unveiled a new 'audio card'.

It hopes the move will convince artists to debut new songs on the platform. 

The new feature allows users to listen to music directly from the twitter stream on mobile devices

'With a single tap, the Twitter Audio Card lets you discover and listen to audio directly in your timeline on both iOS and Android devices,' the firm said.

'Throughout your listening experience, you can dock the Audio Card and keep listening as you continue to browse inside the Twitter app.' 

The new feature was designed in partnership with Berlin-based audio-streaming service SoundCloud. 

For starters, Twitter has promised audio from SoundCloud's partners, which include such diverse sources as NASA, the Washington Post, CNN, David Guetta, Coldplay and Warner Music.

But it's trying to snag more content partners in future, Twitter said in a blogpost on Thursday.

'We're just beginning to test the Audio Card and plan to make it available to more partners and creators in the future so that many more musical artists and creators will be able to share exclusive, in-the-moment audio to millions of listeners on Twitter. '

Twitter has promised audio from SoundCloud's partners, which include such diverse sources as NASA, the Washington Post, CNN, David Guetta (pictured), Coldplay and Warner Music.

Twitter didn't say how Audio Card might evolve, except to stress that it offers musicians a chance to post exclusive clips.

'Many more musical artists and creators will be able to share exclusive, in-the-moment audio to millions of listeners on Twitter,' the company added.

Twitter's new feature comes after rivals from Apple to Google  have jumped into the business of music-streaming, considered the fastest-growing segment of a music market dominated by iTunes.

Twitter had reportedly been in discussions to acquire audio-sharing website SoundCloud, which has been called the Youtube of music, as far back as June.