How to Use Siri with Apple Music

Learn how to use Siri with Apple Music to play your favorite songs, playlists, artists, and radio stations. Also, discover new music by using simple voice commands.

How to Use Siri with Apple Music
Apple Music screenshot

Using Siri with Apple Music allows you to explore music in an entirely new way. You can play what you want, listen to what you want, wherever you want, and do it all using your voice.

If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can Ask Siri to search the entire music catalog and your library. You can also find songs by their lyrics and add new music to your library.

Even if you don't have an Apple Music subscription, you can still use Siri to search your existing music library. This lets you quickly locate and play songs you've previously purchased or synced to your device.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll show you Siri voice commands for playing, pausing, skipping tracks, and searching for your favorite songs, albums, and artists.

We've also curated an extensive list of the most commonly used Apple Music voice commands. This handy reference will help you quickly learn how to ask Siri to play specific playlists, add songs to your library, get recommendations, and more.

The commands we cover in this guide will work on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod, and Apple TV.

How to activate Siri

To begin, activate Siri on your device by saying “Siri” or “Hey Siri” or pressing and holding the Home or Side button on an iPhone.

How to play Apple Music with Siri

You can ask Siri to play a specific track or album by name.

Hey Siri, play Take Care.

You can be more specific and say the artist’s name, too.

Siri, play Take Care by Drake.

Ask Siri to play only music from a specific artist, playlist, or genre.

Siri, play music from my classical playlist.

You can also play music by referencing release dates, or discography.

Siri, play Adele’s first album.
Siri, play Taylor Swift’s last album.

Ask Siri to play chart-topping songs from a given year, and it will serve up a selection of tracks from the date you specify.

Siri, play the top songs from 1995.
⚠️
This feature isn’t supported in all countries.

Ask Siri to play music by mood or activity

If you want to listen to music that fits your mood, such as something relaxing or uplifting, you can say things like:

Siri, play music for meditation.
Siri, play party songs.
Siri, play music for working out.

Or combine both!

Siri, play energetic music for working out.

How to use Siri to control music

There are Siri commands for controlling the music you’re listening to.

Siri, turn on repeat.
Siri, shuffle this playlist.
Siri, turn the volume to 40%
Siri, turn the volume down.

Likewise, you can skip over a song if you wish.

Siri, skip this track.

You can move backward and forward through an album or playlist.

Siri, previous song.
Siri, next song.

How to ask Siri to add music to your library

If you like a song, add it to your library and specify a playlist.

Siri, add this song to my library.
Siri, add this song to my running playlist.

How to use Siri to search for songs by saying lyrics

Occasionally, we can hear a song we like and don’t catch the title, but the memorable lyrics have stuck with us. To search for a song based on a phrase you remember, say:

Siri, play a song with the lyrics….

…followed by the words you remember.

Search Apple Music using lyrics
Search Apple Music using lyrics

How to search for information on songs and singers in Apple Music

Are you searching for information on your favorite songs and singers? Siri can tell you about the song that's playing, who sings it, and even offer up some fun facts about the artist.

Siri, who sings this?
Siri, when did this song come out?
Siri, how many songs are on this album?

How to use Siri to like or dislike music

Siri will learn about your musical tastes from your “likes” and listening habits. A handy way to discover new music is to say:

Siri, play some music I like.
Siri, play more songs like this.

If you enjoy a song, you can “like” it. This will add the song and similar tracks to the “For You” section of Apple Music.

Siri, like this song.

By disliking a song, you can teach Siri what music you would rather not listen to.

Siri, don’t play this song again.
Siri, I don’t like this song.

How to listen to the radio with Siri

Apple Music has an ever-increasing number of live radio stations. To play a radio station, just say its name:

Siri, play Apple Music 1.
Siri, play Elton John’s Rocket Hour radio.
Ask Siri to play radio stations
Ask Siri to play radio stations

How to ask Siri to play Apple Music on HomePod speakers

Apple introduced new Apple Music voice commands in iOS 12, designed specifically for use with the HomePod. These commands allow you to specify the room or rooms where you want the music to play, and even ask what music is playing where.

You can ask Siri to play your favorite music in any room with a HomePod or even move what’s playing from one HomePod to another.

Siri, play this in the lounge too.
Siri, play Adele upstairs.
Siri, what music is playing in the bedroom?

To play the same music across all your HomePods for a unified listening experience throughout your home, say:

Siri, play this music everywhere.

How to use Siri and Shazam to identify songs

In 2018, Apple bought Shazam, an app that recognizes music, TV shows, movies, and more based on a snippet of sound. While Shazam is still available as a separate app, Apple has integrated it into Apple Music.

When you can hear music playing and want to know what it is, say:

Siri, what song is this?
Siri, Shazam this song.
Siri, what’s the name of this track?

Siri replies, “Let me listen,” and begins analyzing the music it can hear playing. It usually takes a few seconds for the song to be recognized.

Once it does, Siri will respond by saying something like, “I can name that tune.” Siri will speak both the title and artist, show the song cover, and show a “buy” or “add” link to Apple Music.

How to ask Siri to play music on third-party apps

You can listen to music from other music services by specifying the app name when you request it. For example, if you want to play some music on Spotify, say:

Siri, play rock music on Spotify.

Siri Apple Music voice commands

Here is a list of voice commands to use when using Siri to control Apple Music.

Playback commands

Control playback of your music. Play, pause, and rewind songs. Adjust the volume and skip music.

Name Category
Next song Playback
Pause this song Playback
Play some music Playback
Play this song from the beginning Playback
Previous song Playback
Repeat this song Playback
Skip this song Playback
Increase the volume Playback
Set volume to fifty percent Playback
Play this song in the lounge (HomePod) Playback

Specific requests

Use Siri to ask for a particular song, album, or artist, as well as edit playlists and make more general requests, like years, genres, moods, and activities.

Name Category
Add this to my [name] playlist Requests
Listen to [artist] Requests
Play a live version of this song Requests
Play something [mood - such as happy] Requests
Play some [activity - such as workout] music Requests
Play something new Requests
Play the [film] soundtrack Requests
Play the newest song by [artist] Requests
Play the number one song right now Requests
Play [title] by [artist] Requests
Play top 10 songs from [artist] Requests
Play top 10 songs from [year] Requests
Shuffle my [name] playlist Requests
Sing me a song Requests
What is the newest album by [artist]? Requests

Questions

Ask for further details on a song playing, such as who sings it, when it was released, and what the song is called.

Name Category
What was the top song in [year]? Questions
What was the top song on [date]? Questions
What's this song? Questions
When was this recorded? Questions
When was this song released? Questions
Who's the drummer in this? Questions
Who sings this? Questions
What song is playing in the kitchen? (HomePod) Questions

Give your opinions

You can tell Siri which songs you like and which ones you never want to hear again! As well as rate music you enjoy, so you can play back your highest-rated tracks another time.

Name Category
Like this song Opinions
Never play this song again Opinions
Rate this song five stars Opinions
`