Although iOS comes with a native Apple Music app, developers have been using the MusicKit API to create new experiences for those who subscribe to Apple’s streaming service. If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and want to find out how to make the most of your music library with unique features, I’ve selected some of the best iOS apps that integrate with Apple Music.
Next
Next was the first application I analyzed here at 9to5Mac. Instead of acting as an alternative player to Apple Music, the app has features that will help you rediscover your current music library. Next uses algorithms to generate smart playlists and also something called Magic DJs – which contains a mix of songs from your favorite artists and genres.
Although it is always good to discover new music, sometimes we have great songs in our library that end up being forgotten over time. That’s why one of my favorite Next features is the forgotten music playlist, which does exactly what the name suggests. It brings together all your favorite songs from the past in one place.
You’ll also find other smart playlists with the most played songs by specific artists and genres, not to mention the playlist with songs you added to the library but never played back. Playlists are automatically generated based on Apple Music data and updated whenever you open the app.
Next is available on the App Store for $ 4.99 as a one-time purchase.
Marvis
You may be an Apple Music subscriber, but you don’t like the official music app. The Marvis app is a great alternative to the official Apple Music app, as it brings all the features you expect to explore your music library by albums, playlists, genres, and more.
The app’s home screen can be customized with just the sections you need and the way you want. For example, you can choose from recently played songs, most played songs, favorite songs, most popular charts, new releases, radio stations and more to make your home experience unique in the app.
Another interesting feature of the Marvis app is a side menu that can be accessed with gestures, which is great for when you need to use the phone with just one hand. You will also find an excellent and intuitive interface that works in both portrait and landscape mode.
Marvis is available on the App Store for $ 5.99 as a one-time purchase – and offers an additional integration with Last.fm that can be unlocked with a $ 3.99 in-app purchase.
Soor
Like Marvis, Soor is another alternative to the official Apple Music app for iOS – and it also brings interesting features to users who are not satisfied with the standard iPhone music app. The Soor interface is highly customizable with options to change the initial sections, define a light or dark theme, rearrange playlists and much more.
In addition to sections in your local music library, such as albums and playlists, you can also add For You, New Songs, Hot Tracks, and other sections directly from Apple Music. With a feature called Magic Mix, you can create Genius-style playlists with filters for artists, albums, genres, composer, play count and more.
The app also comes with several widgets for the iOS home screen, which is great for personalizing your iPhone, while making it easy to access your favorite music. This includes the Now Playing, Magic Mix and Music Collection widgets. There’s even Cover Flow.
Soor is available on the App Store for $ 4.99 as a one-time purchase. Don’t forget to read Soor’s full review here at 9to5Mac.
MusicHarbor
Apple Music does not provide a way to follow your favorite artists to track their latest and future albums and music, but MusicHarbor does just that. Rather than offering suggestions or acting as an alternative player to Apple Music, MusicHarbor is designed for users who know exactly who they want to follow.
Just open the app, search for artists and start following them – and MusicHarbor does the rest. The application brings a list of all the albums released by each artist and also shows the next content such as singles and video clips. You can also enable push notifications to be notified whenever one of the artists you follow releases a new song.
In addition, MusicHarbor has a button that redirects you to a web page with the latest news about the artist and a dedicated guide to show the upcoming shows. There are also widgets, iCloud data sync and theme options available to users.
You can try MusicHarbor for free on the App Store, but some features require in-app purchases to be unlocked.
Longplay
Longplay is also an interesting application that was launched this year to allow users to rediscover their music library. Unlike all the other apps on this list, Longplay focuses on exploring entire albums and playlists you own – excluding those to which you’ve added just a few of your songs to the Apple Music library.
After opening the app, it shows only the art from your albums and playlists. You can rearrange the view of the main application by selecting only albums, playlists or using one of the smart options “Sort by”. There are no extra options or anything to make you think where to start. All you have to do is access an album or playlist and start listening to it.
By holding down albums, Longplay offers options to play them in random mode or to use AirPlay. It’s a fun app and Apple Music users should try it out.
Longplay is available on the App Store for $ 2.99 as a one-time purchase.
Wrap up
With these apps, you can definitely have a whole new experience with Apple Music. You can replace the official music app or rediscover songs you don’t even remember now.
It’s important to mention that while these apps work best with an Apple Music subscription, they also work with music purchased from the iTunes Store or synced from a computer to the Music app.
What do you think of this list? Have you tried any of these apps? Are there any apps that you like that I didn’t mention? Let me know in the comments below.
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