Is it possible to get Apple Music on Android?

Apple Music is a music streaming service developed by Apple and launched in 2015. It allows users to stream over 100 million songs from Apple’s catalog, create playlists, get personalized recommendations, and more. The service is available across Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, as well as Android devices.
Apple Music has rapidly grown in popularity since its launch. According to BusinessofApps, Apple Music had approximately 88 million paid subscribers as of June 2022. It is the second most popular music streaming service globally after Spotify. The revenue from Apple Music alone was estimated at $8.3 billion in 2022. The service has become an important part of Apple’s services business.
Why Use Apple Music on Android
One of the main reasons Android users might want access to Apple Music is to be able to stream the full Apple Music library of over 90 million songs, playlists, music videos and more (Apple Music). With an Apple Music subscription, you can listen to any song in the catalog on-demand and download them for offline listening. This gives you access to a huge selection of music beyond what’s available on other services.
Apple Music also makes it easy to sync your listening activity across devices, so you can start a playlist on your Android phone and pick up where you left off on an iPhone or iPad. Your library, recommendations and queues stay in sync across your devices (Use Apple Music with your Android devices). This seamless handoff can be helpful for Android users who also own Apple devices.
Additionally, subscribing to Apple Music allows Android users to share playlists with friends and family who use iOS devices. Since playlists are synced across platforms, you can collaborate with iOS users on playlist creation and enjoy the same playlists even on different devices.
How to Get Apple Music on Android
Getting Apple Music on your Android device is simple. You just need to download the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store, sign up for a subscription, and log in with your Apple ID.
To download the app, go to the Google Play Store and search for “Apple Music.” Tap “Install” to download the free app to your device. You’ll need an Android device running Android 5 or later.
Once installed, open the Apple Music app and tap “Sign In.” If you already have an Apple ID, use that to sign in. Otherwise, tap “Don’t have an Apple ID?” and follow the prompts to create a new Apple ID for free.
After signing in with your Apple ID, you can access Apple Music’s catalog of over 100 million songs, thousands of playlists, music videos, and more. You’ll get added perks like customized daily playlists tailored just for you.
The Apple Music subscription itself costs the same on Android as on iPhone – individual plans start at $9.99/month. But now Android users can enjoy the full Apple Music experience right from their device.
Syncing Your Library
One of the best ways to sync your Apple Music library between your iPhone and Android device is by using iCloud. iCloud will allow you to sync playlists, favorites, history and more between devices.
To enable iCloud syncing, you’ll need to make sure you are signed into the same iCloud account on both your iPhone and Android device. Then in the Apple Music settings on each device, turn on the “Sync Library” option. This will sync your Apple Music library data through iCloud so playlists and favorites will stay up to date across devices (1).
With Sync Library enabled, any playlists or albums you favorite on your iPhone will quickly appear in your Android Apple Music app. You’ll also see the same listening history and recommendations on both devices. This provides a seamless Apple Music experience even when switching between iPhone and Android.
Listening Experience
One of the biggest advantages of using Apple Music on Android is the ability to access Apple’s high-quality audio streaming. Apple Music offers lossless audio streaming up to 24-bit/48 kHz, as well as Hi-Res Lossless streaming up to 24-bit/192 kHz for compatible songs (1). To enable lossless streaming on Android, go to Settings > Audio Quality in the Apple Music app and toggle on Lossless. You’ll need to be on a high-speed WiFi or cellular connection to take advantage of lossless streaming.
In addition to streaming, Apple Music on Android allows you to download music for offline listening. Downloaded music can be accessed in the Library tab of the Apple Music app. The number of downloads is limited to 100,000 songs per registered device. Downloads use up storage space on your device but allow you to listen to music without an internet connection (2).
Sharing Music and Playlists
One of the best features of Apple Music is the ability to share playlists with others. You can easily share a playlist link via messaging apps, email, or social media to let friends and family listen to the same songs.
Apple Music also allows collaborative playlists, where you can invite others to contribute songs to a shared playlist. This is great for situations like road trips, parties, or when multiple people want to build a playlist together. On Apple Music for Android, you can create a shared playlist and invite people using their Apple ID or phone number. Collaborators can add songs without needing to have an Apple Music subscription themselves.
According to Apple’s support page, to share a playlist link from your Android device:
- Open the playlist you want to share
- Tap the More button in the top right
- Tap Share and select the sharing method you prefer
The Apple Music app makes it seamless to share playlists across Android and iOS devices. You can easily build collaborative playlists with friends or share songs you enjoy.
Drawbacks
Unfortunately, Apple Music on Android still lacks some features that are exclusive to iOS users. This includes Spatial Audio with head tracking and Lossless Audio with Dolby Atmos, which provides an immersive listening experience (https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleMusic/comments/s5bro2/apple_music_android_limitation/). Android users are limited to regular stereo audio.
Apple Music also has less tight integration with the Android operating system compared to iOS. For example, you can’t ask Google Assistant to play songs from your Apple Music library, and there is no system-level integration for Android Auto. The synchronization between devices tends to be less seamless compared to iOS and MacOS. Overall, the Apple Music experience feels more bolted-on rather than natively integrated into Android.
These limitations may be dealbreakers for some hardcore Android users who want the fullest Apple Music experience. However, Apple Music on Android still provides access to an extensive music catalog and many core features like customized playlists, so it may be a worthwhile option for users with existing Apple Music libraries or preferences.
Tips for Using Apple Music on Android
One tip for managing storage on your Android device is to download music only over Wi-Fi. Downloading songs and albums on cellular data can quickly eat up your data allowance. You can restrict music downloads to Wi-Fi only in the Apple Music settings. See this Android Police article for details.
Another way to save space is by telling Apple Music to automatically delete downloaded music after you’ve listened to it. You can find this setting under Music Downloads in the Apple Music app. This ensures your device doesn’t get clogged up with songs you’ve already heard.
You can also use Siri shortcuts to control Apple Music on your Android device hands-free. Saying “Hey Google, play my favorites mix on Apple Music” will start playback without needing to open the app. See this Gear Patrol guide for more voice commands.
Alternatives to Apple Music on Android
While Apple Music offers a solid music streaming experience on Android, there are several other excellent options to consider as well. Here are some of the top alternatives for Android users:
Spotify (source) is one of the most popular music streaming services available. Like Apple Music, it provides access to over 90 million songs that can be streamed on-demand. Spotify also has impressive playlist curation powered by advanced algorithms. The free tier has ads, but the paid Premium tier removes ads and unlocks additional features like high quality audio, downloads for offline listening, and unlimited skips. One advantage over Apple Music is that Spotify is available on a wider range of platforms.
YouTube Music (source) offers official songs, albums, playlists, and music videos. It provides customized recommendations based on listening history and subscriptions. The paid YouTube Music Premium removes ads, allows background/offline listening, and unlocks unlimited skips. As part of YouTube, it grants access to an enormous catalog of covers, live performances, remixes, and other content. However, the focus on music videos may not appeal to all users.
Amazon Music (source) is another option, with access to 90 million songs. Paid plans like Amazon Music Unlimited remove ads, enable offline listening, and unlock on-demand access to any song. The service is deeply integrated into Amazon’s Echo smart speakers. However, the mobile app and overall user experience is not as polished as some competitors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Apple Music for Android provides significant benefits for Android users who want access to Apple’s vast music library and streaming services. By installing the Apple Music app, Android users can gain access to over 90 million songs, thousands of curated playlists, radio stations, music videos and more. Syncing an Apple Music subscription provides a seamless listening experience across Apple and Android devices.
Apple Music’s availability on Android helps extend Apple’s music ecosystem beyond just iOS devices. Android users can now enjoy the streaming service’s music recommendation features powered by advanced algorithms and human curation. They can also share music, playlists and connect with friends through the service no matter what device they use. While there may be some drawbacks around managing libraries, overall Apple Music is a great option for Android users who want a premium ad-free music experience backed by Apple’s trademark quality and ease of use.