- Spotify Play Pause Button
- Spotify Pause Glitch
- Spotify Pauses Automatically After Song
- Spotify Pauses Automatically
- Spotify Pauses Itself
Spotify will play for one second then stop. I try again, restart apps/reboot shit, get really frustrated, then things start working when I try again later (after an hour or two at minumum it seems). I've contacted spotify several times and posted in their community but spotify doesn't offer any ideas. Spotify on playstation pauses every 2 seconds. Plz help @spotify Tezhe. Unsubscribe from Tezhe? A suggested video will automatically play next. Up next Playstation life hacks that. Looking at the diagnostic log, everytime the music player pauses by itself is when one of the background processes for 2 apps also seems to be crashing. Looks more than a coincidence. The two apps are: 1. GV Phone by Mo+. GV Phone Plus by Mo+. The two processes in question are: 1. Spotify is a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs.
When browsing through Apple support community, you may see people asking the following questions: 'why is my Apple Music stuck on loading?', 'why is my downloaded songs not playing?', 'why did my Apple Music library disappeared?', etc. If you are also troubled by these Apple Music problems today, you can apply the instructions in this article to get Apple Music working again.
We've rounded up the most common and LATEST Apple Music issues you might come across on iOS devices, Android phone, Mac and iTunes, and we will show you how to troubleshoot each issue STEP BY STEP. You don't have to try out every method we mentioned, but we highly recommend that you check and see if your problem is fixed after taking each step. Read on for more information.
Power Tips: It might take 3-5 minutes to read through the complete article, the quickest way is jump to the specific issues that are similar with yours and use our suggested solutions to resolve the problem. If you tried but without success, feel free to let us know in the comment or contact us anytime!
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10 General Apple Music Troubleshooting Tips
Sometimes it is hard to tell what causes a certain issue with Apple Music, considering the fact that Apple Music service is used by millions of users who are from different countries, using different devices and connecting to different networks. But luckily, some general methods are useful and handy when it comes to fixing common Apple Music glitches and bugs.
The followings are the potential solutions that worth a shot, try them if you haven't done so yet.
Tip #1 Double check these 3 things before problem-solving:
- Ensure that your Apple Music subscription has not expired (how to check?)
- Make sure that you've logged in with the same Apple ID that is linked to your Apple Music subscription
- Make sure that you've enabled iCloud Music Library on your device
Tip #2 Force-quit and relaunch Apple Music app
Assuming you have done everything right with your Apple Music subscription and settings, yet the issue remains, then proceed the next step – force the Apple Music app to close and then restart it. This is usually the first step when it comes to troubleshooting an app that freezes, won't respond or has serious performance issues.
To force-quit Apple Music App on iPhone or iPad:
- On iPhone or iPad with no Home button from the Home screen (iPhone X or later; iPad with iOS 12 or later), swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen.
- On an iOS device with a Home button (iPhone 8 or earlier), double-click the Home button to show the recently used apps.
- Swipe right or left to find the Apple Music app.
- Tap on the Apple Music app and swipe up to close it.
Takeaway: According to Apple's support documentation, you can use this technique to force close an unresponsive or misbehaving app. It will give the app a fresh start by clearing out the poor temporary file and forcing the app to recreate them. But this is not a good habit because force-stopping apps will reduce the battery life of your iOS device.
To force-quit Apple Music App on Android:
- Tap the multitasking button (a small square icon on the bottom of the screen) to show the currently open apps on your device.
- Swipe left and right (or, on some Android, up and down) to find the Apple Music app.
- Drag the Apple Music app off the screen by swiping it up or down (or, on some Android, right or left), then the app will be closed.
Tip #3 Restart your phone (or computer)
Generally spoken, restarting your phone or computer can make it perform better and fix some common issues. It almost always works.
Some occasional Apple Music issues such as crashing, not responding, slow streaming, glitching, etc. happen for various reasons. And one of the possible reasons is your phone has been on for a long time and lots of apps are running in the background at the same time. As a result, these background apps eat up the RAM (Random-access memory) on your phone and there's not enough room for the Apple Music app to load.
After you restart your mobile phone, all of the RAM data is cleared out and the apps and programs are rebooted. This frees up more RAM space on your device to load apps quicker.
To restart iPhone 11, X, SE or earlier:
- iPhone X or 11: Press and hold the side button and the volume button until you see the Slide to Power Off appear on your screen. iPhone SE (2nd), 8, 7, or 6: Press and hold the side button until you see the Slide to Power Off option appear. iPhone SE (1st), 5 or earlier: Press and hold the top button until the power off slider appears on the screen.
- Swipe the Slide to Power Off slider from left to right.
- iPhone 6 to iPhone 11: Press and hold the side button to turn on the device. iPhone SE (1st), 5 or earlier: Press and hold the top button to restart your iPhone.
To restart Android smartphone:
- Press and hold the power button at the right/left side of the device until you see the power menu appear on the screen.
- Tap the Restart option to restart your phone.
Tip #4 Delete & reinstall Apple Music app
Reinstalling the Apple Music app can fix many issues by restoring Apple Music to its default state. Let's look at the few cases where reinstalling Apple Music app makes sense: Apple Music app won't open when you click the app icon, or error messages pop up constantly.
To reinstall Apple Music on iPhone:
- Press the Apple Music app icon until it starts wiggling
- Click on the 'X' in the upper left corner of the app icon
- Tap 'Delete' to remove the app from the screen
- Open 'App Store' and search for Apple Music
- Tap the download icon the reinstall
To reinstall Apple Music on Android:
- Open 'Settings' menu on your device
- Open Apps or Application manager, find Apple Music app
- Tap on 'UNINSTALL' button to remove it from your Android phone
- Go to Play Store, and search for Apple Music app
- Tap 'INSTALL' to add it to your device, then open it once it is installed
Tip #5 Turn off iCloud Music Library and turn it back on
If existing songs are disappeared from Apple Music library or newly added songs and playlists are not showing up in the Library, the solution is to turn 'Sync Library' off and then turn it back on. Just to remind you that iCloud Music Library toggle is now called 'Sync Library' after the iOS 13 update.
On iPhone or iPad: Go to 'Settings' > 'Music' menu > Toggle the 'Sync Library' switch to OFF > Tap 'Turn off'. Wait for a minute or two, then turn the 'Sync Library' back on.
Note: The 'Sync Library' option is only available for those who have the Apple Music subscription or iTunes Match subscription.
Tip #6 Reset all network settings on device
What to do if your Apple Music says 'You are offline' when you are connecting to Wi-Fi or have a strong Cellular connection? The best solution is to reset network setting.Resetting all network settings can also fix other problems, for example, Apple Music not working on Wi-Fi, Apple Music won't load library and Apple Music won't play.
To reset network on iPhone/iPad:
- Open 'Settings' on your device, tap 'General' tab.
- Scroll down to the end of the page and tap 'Reset'.
- Tap 'Reset Network Settings', then your network settings should be restored to the default state.
To reset network on Android:
- Navigate to 'Settings' app on Android.
- Scroll down and tap 'System'.
- Tap 'Advanced' > 'Reset options' > 'Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth'.
- Then you will see the conformation screen, tap 'Reset settings' to confirm.
- Input your screen unlock code (PIN, Pattern, Password) to continue.
- Tap the 'Reset' button to proceed.
Note: Resetting your network settings won't delete your personal data, but it will wipe out your saved Wi-Fi passwords, and other connection information.
Tip #7 Update Your Phone and iTunes
If you haven't updated your iPhone, Android or iTunes to the latest version, do it now. This is probably the reason why your Apple Music app become unresponsive or crashes.
Tip #8 Reset your phone to factory default
Try to reset your phone to its factory settings if the problem continues. I know you might not want to do this, but it works sometimes.
As you may notice, lots of iOS 13.5.1 users are reporting a massive battery drain issue caused by Apple Music bug. The most reliable solution to fix the problem is to do a complete reset of your device settings, while a minority of users fix the issue by deleting Music app entirely and reinstalling it.
To factory-reset your iPhone:
- Create an iPhone backup first: Go to 'Settings' > Your Apple account (your name) > iCloud > iCloud Backup > turn on 'iCloud Backup' > tap 'Back Up Now'. (Note: Make sure that you've connected to Wi-Fi before you start back up.)
- Go back to 'Settings' > 'General' > 'Reset' > 'Erase All Settings'. (You may have to re-enter your passcode to confirm your decision. Tap the Erase iPhone option to reset all settings.
To factory-reset your Android:
- Open 'Settings' > 'System' > 'Advanced' > Reset options' > 'Erase all data'.
- You might need to enter your PIN to proceed.
- Tap 'Erase all data' to continue resetting.
Tip #9 Free up storage space on your phone
If Apple Music won't let you download songs or albums to your phone when clicking on the download cloud icon, you might not have enough storage space on your phone to save new music. You can try to fix this issue by freeing up the storage space on your phone.
There're multiple ways that can help you clear space on your device:
- Delete unused gaming apps.
- Delete old podcasts, unwanted photos and videos.
- Offload or delete apps you don't use
Tip #10 Check If Apple Music is Down
You can go to Downdetector site to check the current status of Apple Music. It allows you to check the status of Apple Music in 7 different countries including Russia, the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, Netherlands and Germany. https://newalien128.weebly.com/install-spotify-terminal-mac.html.
When you open the Downdetector webpage, you will see a live report which shows you the status of Apple Music server. When the number of reported issues is above the red baseline, it means there's a problem detected.
If you are having a problem with Apple Music but cannot fix it somehow, go to this site and share your situation in the comments. If lucky, you'll probably get a valuable reply from other users who had the same issue before. They might be willing to share their experience and solution to help you fix the issue.
15 Most Reported Apple Music Issues & Solutions
Now you might have a general idea of the what the popular troubleshooting tips are. But like I said before, you don't have to tried all solutions given in this article to fix a specific issue. The wiser way is to take closer look at your current problem, trying to understand why it happen and use more a suitable solution to fix it.
#1 Apple Music Activity Draining iPhone Battery?
Situation 1: 'My iPhone was fully charged on 100% before I went to bed last night, and overnight, the phone drained to 25% when not in use.'
Situation 2: 'I've updated my iPhone to iOS 13.5.1 and after that, my battery started draining much quicker than before, and my phone is getting hot sometimes.'
The latest reported battery drain issue on some iPhones running iOS 13.5.1 or iOS 13.6 could be caused by Apple Music app's background activity. Because some users find that Apple Music is still eating up the device's battery even when you are not using it.
Here is how to check if you've been affected by Apple Music battery bug on your iPhone: Open Settings > Battery, then see if the Music app is consuming a massive percentage of battery usage when running in the background. If it shows tens of hours of battery consumption, then the issue exists.
If you have updated to iOS 13.5.1 or iOS 13.6 and experienced the same situation here, the follow solutions should help you fix the overheating and battery drain issues.
6 Possible Fixes:
1. Turn on Low Power Mode
2. Force close the Apple Music app
3. Close the unused app
4. Force-quit your device and restart it
5. Factory rest your iPhone settings (Go to 'Settings' > 'General' > 'Reset' > 'Reset All Settings')
6. Disable Background App Refresh for unused apps to save battery life. (Go to'Settings' > 'General' > 'Background App Refresh' > Find the unused apps > Toggle the switch to OFF position)
#2 Apple Music Not Loading Library?
Reported by some users, Apple Music is stuck on loading library after an iOS upgrade, and a few said that Apple Music is not loading songs when they restore a backup in the new phone.
In fact, it requires internet connection to view some of the sections in the Apple Music library. For example, if you are using iPhone, you need to connect to WLAN or Cellular Data (Settings > Music > Cellular Data > Wireless Data > WLAN & Cellular Data) to access sections like 'For You', 'Browse' and 'Radio'. If you don't have access to internet, it will show “You’re Offline” in 'For You' - 'Browse' - 'Radio' tabs.
When Apple Music fails to load songs or library when you are connecting to internet, you can try out the following methods.
8 Possible Fixes:
1. Check your phone's 2/3/4G network signal. If you have a weak or unstable mobile network, change your location and try again.
2. Turn on and off the airplane mode.
3. Connect to a strong Wi-Fi network.
4. Re-authorize your computer in iTunes with the same Apple ID that links to your Apple Music subscription.
5. Reset network settings on your device.
6. Log out of your Apple ID account and log back in. Make sure the Apple ID is the one that you use to sign into Apple Music.
7. Force close the app and restart it.
8. Another solution suggested by users is to shut down your iPhone and restart it.
#3 Apple Music Won't Play on Android?
Ever since the Apple Music for Android app was released, it has received mixed reviews from the Android users. Some users give a low rating for this app because the experience with Apple Music on Android is always so buggy and frustrating. The most reported issue is Apple Music songs not playing on Android phones like Samsung Galaxy S9+, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S6, LG, Honor phone, etc.
Common Apple Music Problems on Android
• Apple Music library not loading on Android (can't load library or song)
• Downloaded playlist won't play (can't play offline)
• Apple Music keeps stopping after a track
• Apple Music app crashes for no reason.
• Songs stops playing randomly in the middle or beginning of the track.
• Apple Music won't play the next songs and glitches out.
• Error message saying: 'This action is not available when your library is updating.'
7 Possible Fixes:
1. Upgrade the Android system of your Android phones. Make sure your Android phone, such as Samsung, LG, or Huawei Android phone is running Android 4.3 or above. Those old Android phone models running Android 4.2 or lower are not compatible with the Apple Music for Android app.
2. Make sure that you are using the latest version of Apple Music for Android app. If not, update it first.
3. Login/out of the app with your Apple ID, or delete and reinstall the Apple Music app.
4. Clear out the cache: If your Apple Music app is not behaving as expected on your Android device, you can clear out the app cache to resolve the issue and improve the app performance: Launch Settings > Apps & notification > Apple Music > Storage > Clear cache.
Heads Up: Clearing the cache won't delete the offline songs, preferences, account info, etc. that your Apple Music app has saved.
5. One simple fix is to turn on/off Airplane mode. Go to Settings to turn on the Airplane Mode. Wait a few seconds and turn off the Airplan Mode.
6. Try closing other apps running on your device and only use Apple Music app and see how it goes.
7. If the above methods are not working, you can try rebooting the phone.
#4 Apple Music Not Playing Songs on iPhone?
Quite a few users found that the Apple Music songs won't play on iPhone after an iOS 11/12 update. If you've got the same experience, try the following solutions to fix it.
7 Possible Fixes:
1. Restart Apple Music app on your iPhone.
2. Delete and reinstall Apple Music app on your device.
3. Force quit Apple Music app, and then restart your iPhone.
4. Turn on Airplane mode on your iPhone and turn it off after 1-2 minutes.
5. Reset network settings on your iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Reset > Rest Network Settings.
6. Check if you have enough storage space on your iPhone for running Apple Music and saving new Apple Music tracks.
7. Reset your iPhone to its default settings if none of the above methods help.
#5 Apple Music Song Is Not Available?
'Apple Music item not available', 'This item can't be played' and 'Apple Music songs greyed out' are the common issues reported by most Apple Music users. There are various reasons that might cause this issue, for example, you're not connected to iCloud Music Library, the song is not available in your current country or region, changes have been made to an artist's album or playlist, etc.
5 Possible Fixes:
1. Turn iCloud Music Library OFF and then turn ON again.
If you are using iOS device, go to 'Settings' > 'Music' > Sync Library, and turn the option to OFF.
Wait for a few minutes and then turn iCloud Music Library to ON. After that, you need to redownload the music to your library.
2. Sign out Apple ID and sigh back in again.
• iOS user: Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > tap your Apple ID > tap Sigh Out > wait for 1-2 minutes and then sigh back in.
• iTunes user: Go to Account > Sign Out, and wait for a few minutes and then sign back in with your Apple ID.
3. Deauthorize and re-authorized Your computer.
4. Change the country to the original one where you purchased the music.
As we mentioned above, some songs are only available in specific countries. If you found your Apple Music items not available after changing the country or region, you need to change the country back to the original one.
Step 1. Go to 'Settings' > 'iTunes & App Store' > tap your Apple ID > choose view Apple ID.
Step 2. Choose 'Country/Region' > select Change Country or Region, and then choose your original country.
5. Remove the items which you can't play and re-download the songs from Apple Music catalog. This solution works for both iOS user and iTunes user.
#6 Apple Music Songs Won't Play Offline?
Another issue that drives user crazy is 'Download Apple Music songs won't play offline'. You've downloaded some songs from Apple Music, and they play well when the Internet is available. But if you turn off Wi-Fi or cellular data, these songs won't play at all. Sounds familiar to you? If that so, try the potential solutions here.
3 Possible Solutions:
1. Sign out of Apple Music and sign back in.
This is the most frequently used solution to fix downloaded songs not playing offline issue. But you need to redownload the music you have already downloaded for offline playback when you sign back in Apple Music.
2. Clear out the app data or reset all settings on your phone.
3. Try a different Apple Music Downloader.
If the downloaded Apple Music songs won't play not matter what you do, you can use another tool - TuneFab Apple Music Converter to re-download songs for offline listening. TuneFab Apple Music Converter can download and convert Apple Music tracks to high quality MP3/AAC/M4A. After conversion, you can put all the downloaded songs to any device you like for offline playback.
#7 Apple Music Songs Won't Download?
When Apple Music won't download songs and albums on your device, you should first double-check these related factors:
* Storage space: Make sure you have enough storage space left on your iPhone/iPad/Android
* Internet connection: It's best to download music over Wi-Fi if you don't want to waste your cellular data.
I have a large storage space and a fast Wi-Fi, why can’t I download some certain songs from Apple Music, such as 'All Of Me' by John Legend? If you are having the exact same problem, here are a few solutions that are provided by users from Apple Communities and Reddit.
5 Possible Solutions:
1. Sign out of your Apple ID account from iTunes and then sign in again (Account > Sign Out/In).
2. Navigate to 'Settings' > 'Music' > turn off iCloud Music Library (or Sync Library) > Restart the device and turn on iCloud Music Library again.
3. Delete the tracks that have download issue from library. Search for the removed items on Apple Music library and then add them back to your playlist. Then, try downloading them again.
4. Turn the phone off and on again.
5. More solutions to fix Apple Music downloading issue. https://newalien128.weebly.com/blog/spotify-app-only-plays-snippets.
#8 Apple Music Library Disappeared?
First, let's make it clear that Apple Music songs will 'disappear' under some specific situations:
• When Music app is removed from your iPhone.
• When iCloud Music Library is disabled.
• When 'Show Apple Music' is disabled.
3 Possible Solutions:
1. Redownload Apple Music songs manually
When you delete Music app from iPhone, all downloaded songs will be removed as well. That's why when you re-install the Music app, the previously downloaded songs won't show up any more. You need to re-download the songs manually.
2. Go to 'Settings' > 'Music', and make sure that 'Show Apple Music' is turned on.
3. Make sure that you have turned on iCloud Music Library.
#9 Apple Music Keeps Skipping Songs?
A few users have been experiencing the same problem that Apple Music randomly skips songs during playback. It plays less than half of the track and jump to the next song.
3 Possible Solutions:
1. Make sure the skipped songs are available or playable in your library. If the song is greyed out, that means the song is not accessible so you can't play it.
2. Check your network restriction.
If you are playing streaming Apple Music songs instead of downloaded ones, you need to make sure that the app has access to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Internet connection is required for playing streaming songs.
Here's how to do: Go to 'Settings' > 'Music' > 'Cellular Data' > select 'WLAN & Cellular Data'.
3. Disable iCloud Music Library and re-enable it. After that, re-download your Apple Music songs manually.
#10 Apple Music Keeps Freezing or Crashing?
If an app freezing or crashing all the time, some simple tricks should be able to fix this issue.
4 Possible Solutions:
1. Restart Apple Music app.
2. Log out and Re-login Apple Music app.
3. Restart your device.
4. Update Apple Music app to the latest version.
#11. Apple Music Randomly Stops Playing Songs?
Situation: It looks like this issue happened since the last iOS update, now my music randomly stops playing, which is very annoying. It continues to play if I press the play button, but it pauses again at the end of the song. I have to manually move on to the next song. – From Apple Community
4 Possible Solutions:
1. If you are streaming songs via internet connection, try download the songs and play them offline.
2. Force-quit Music app and restart it.
3. Delete the certain songs that stops playing unexpectedly, then add it back again by searching in Apple Music library.
4. Reset your phone to factory default and restore it from a backup.
#12. Apple Music Keeps Deleting Downloaded Songs?
It's annoying to find that some songs are missing or being deleted by Apple at times. However, for iOS users, if you have 'Optimize Storage' enabled in the Music app settings, then the downloaded songs which you haven't played in a while will be removed from your iPhone automatically to free up music storage. You can stop Apple from doing that again with the following tricks.
Possible Solution:
• For PC User:
https://newalien128.weebly.com/spotify-free-with-downloading-playlist.html. 1. Deauthorized your computer and re-authorized it, and then download these songs again.
2. In iTunes, go to 'File' > 'Library' > 'Update iCloud Music Library'.
• For iOS User:
Spotify Play Pause Button
Go to 'Settings' > 'Music' > 'Optimize Storage', turn off the optimize storage feature by switching the button to 'OFF'.
#13. Apple Music Library Not Syncing?
Possible Solutions: How to Fix Apple Music Playlist Not Syncing Issue
#14. Song or Playlist Can't be Added to Your iCloud Music Library?
When you subscribe to Apple Music, you can upload your local music files or playlists to iCloud Music Library and listen to them across all your authorized devices. But you could be getting errors if there're some certain songs in a playlist that won't fit the format of iCloud Music Library. Here are some examples of the prompting errors.
Error 1. This item was not added to your iCloud Music Library because an error occurred.
If you try to play a song that has an exclamation mark next to it (how to identify cloud status icons?), you will receive this error. It means the original file cannot be located (it may have been deleted or moved). You can fix this issue by re-adding the original song to the local folder or just remove it from library and then re-add the item back to library.
Error 2:This playlist can’t be uploaded because it includes other media kinds of songs that are not eligible.
There're rules to follow when you are trying to add songs to iCloud Music Library. You are not allowed to upload a song that was purchased using a different Apple ID, or the song file is larger than 200 Mb, is longer than 2 hours or was in low-quality (under at 96 Kbps or less).
Possible Solution:
Go check if there's any song that is not qualified to be uploaded to iCloud Music Library, if all songs are fine, then try these steps: create a new playlist > copy all songs from that bad playlist over the new playlist > delete the old playlist > rename the new playlist to the old name.
Spotify Pause Glitch
#15. Apple Music Errors Roundup
Here's the Apple Music error message roundup:
• Apple Music Error 12893
• Apple Music Error 42587
• Apple Music 503 iCloud Connection Errors
• Apple Music Error 'Looks like you are listening on another device'
• Error message: 'This media format is not supported'
6 Possible Solutions:
1. Make sure that you are using the latest version of Apple Music app.
2. Force quit Apple Music app and restart it.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Clear the app cache or app data.
5. Turn off your phone for 1 minute and turn it back on.
6. Sign out your Apple ID and sign in again.
More Apple Music Issues & Fixes :
Have the above solutions solved the problem that you're experiencing? I hope you will find this article helpful. By the way, if you have a better solution on fixing the Apple Music issues, feel free to tell us in the comment.
Want to know how to DJ with Spotify so that you can have a million tracks to play with? You’re not the only one! I get this question a lot so I decided to put together the best Spotify DJ hardware, software, top tips, and a few words on those dreaded legal implications.
So if you’ve ever wondered “How can I DJ with Spotify music?” This is the article you need to read. Let’s get started.
Table of contents
Last updated: May 21, 2020
Firstly I’ll go through all of your DJing with Spotify options just so you know whats really available to you.
One of the easiest ways to DJ with Spotify is to use the onboard DJ mode that’s accessible in the standard Spotify app, but there are a couple of caveats to that. If you use the standard mode then you’ll need to be online throughout your set.
There will also be pauses to your track list whilst the ads play. Clearly you don’t want this to happen! So you’ll have to get Spotify Premium. There you can skip the ads, and download tracks so they’re available offline. This is a obviously a must but something worth pointing out. You can get Spotify Premium here.
A much MUCH better solution is to play tracks from Spotify via third party software.
Algoriddim’s Djay 2 (Until July 2020)
The Djay app is a good example as it allows you to mix every track on Spotify with the help of virtual mixing decks.
It also comes with a function called “Automix AI” that might be useful if you’re looking to just forego the duties of DJing and just want a crude DJ mix for a party.
It predicts and recommends tracks that will enhance your set, based on what you’ve already downloaded. It’s never going to be perfect, but it comes in handy for the rookie DJ looking to level up. You can find out more about djay 2 here.
UPDATE from Algoriddim
Algoriddim announced in March of 2020 that Spotify is pulling support for its popular Djay software as of 1st July 2020. While this is bad news for users of the software they are busy working on offering replacement streaming services that should offer a more robust long term solution to DJ-ing with streaming services.
It currently supports both Tidal and SoundCloud streaming services so its worth checking those out. DJay has always been one of the best DJ apps for streaming services, being one of the first to offer Spotify integration, so you’ll no doubt see some of the best DJ streaming options in their software.
Virtual DJ – (Currently suspended)
Virtual DJ is another app that you’ll see a lot written about, but at time of writing the integration with Spotify has been suspended. We’ll keep you up to speed with how that goes, but for the time being you’ll be better off with a few of the other entries on this list. If its your preferred DJ app then its worth keeping an eye on their website to see if they bring this feature back.
JQBX
Another popular choice is JQBX. It’s not the catchiest name, but it does allow you to create ad-free mixes when you signup for a Spotify Premium account.
The queuing function for your songs is a bit limited, and it doesn’t include everything from Spotify.
For example, you can’t synch recently played songs between the two apps. But it kind of redeems itself by having a built-in chatroom where you can swap tips with other aspiring DJs.
Pacemaker
Pacemaker is also worth a look when you want to auto mix with Spotify. It’s designed so that you can display a virtual turntable on your iPad, and a track list on your iPhone at the same time. Whilst some of the other apps on this list are specifically for parties, Pacemaker is also great when you’re practicing.
It allows you to quickly and easily send your mixes to your mates over the built-in messenger. That way you can get feedback and tips on how to get better before your next set.The best version is for iPad.
Can I use Spotify with Traktor?
Unfortunately at this time its not possible to play Spotify songs with Tracktor. There’s a number of reasons here. The Digital Rights Management of Spotify makes songs inaccessible to DJ software like Traktor unless the makers of Traktor (Native Instruments) set up a licensing deal with Spotify.
At the moment they haven’t done this but they are aware its a feature many users would like to see integrated in the future.
Can I use Spotify with Serato Pro?
Again at this time its not possible but unlike Traktor there are some work-arounds that some users have claimed work. Its not easy and possibly unreliable, prone to being stopped quite easily with a Spotify update. Its always best to work with offline, fully legit music sources for your DJing. If you really want to try it then watch this video.
As well as compatible DJ app you’re also going to need plenty of hardware when you want to DJ with Spotify. Algoriddim is one of the best manufacturers to take a look at, not least because they make the djay 2 app. That means you can browse the specs without having to get stressed out by those annoying compatibility issues Spotify.
So here’s a few Spotify compatible hardware options
Reloop MIXTOUR
The Reloop MIXTOUR is a compact 2-channel controller that you can use just about anywhere. It’s not advertised as an entry level piece of kit, but the affordable price and slimline design make it an ideal first purchase for the novice DJ.
It comes with a built-in audio interface which is great, and has all of the basic mixing controls you need as a beginner. A good option if you want to give DJing with Spotify a try without spending too much.
Think of this as your basic Spotify DJ hardware to get you going. It should have more than enough features for you at least at this price point. For the latest price take a look on Amazon here.
Beatpad 2
Then there’s the Beatpad 2 if you’re looking for more advanced hardware. Again, it’s from Reloop, and it comes with the seamless integration with Spotify that you would expect from one of the top DJ brands.
Free online spotify playlist promotion. It’s got a sampler, slicer, looper, and a dynamic multi-effect control all in one slimline package that looks great in your room, and in the club.
We’re a big fan of the touch-sensitive pads as they offer plenty of control and touch, and feel very solid and reliable when you’re working on your set.
Then there’s the eye-catching tricolour illumination. It’s not all for show; it actually helps you know exactly what your music is doing at a glance. It will take a little getting used to, but is well worth the investment. Because you can control every aspect of your mix from the Beatpad 2, you get a lot of flexibility for your money. A definite one to check out here for the latest prices.
MIXON 4
The MIXON 4 is also worth a closer look if you’re in the market for an upgrade. It’s the world’s first 4-channel DJ controller that you can use with the full suite of djay apps, as well as Spotify.
You can easily connect it to any iOS device to get the music across, and because it accepts a lightning connector you won’t have any issues with WiFi or Bluetooth dropping out in the middle of your set. Something you’re going to really love is that it’s also a docking station for the brand new iPad Pro.
With a 12.9” screen showing you even more controls, you’ll be able to have unprecedented control of your mixes without the need for a laptop. I can see a lot of pros moving over to the latest iPad as it has the power and connectivity a DJ needs. This is one of my favourite controllers at the moment. For the best price at the moment take a look here.
Pioneer DDJ-WeGO4
Let’s put the Reloop hardware to one side for the time being, and take a look at the DDJ-WeGO4 from Pioneer DJ. Not the catchiest name, but the control it offers will have you glad you gave it a second look.
It’s a compact budget level piece of kit, but that shouldn’t put you off. The tactile control is a really important feature, because it gives you the same kind of responsive feedback.
The great thing about it is that you can actually start scratching with the jog wheels — something that you can’t say about all that many budget controllers.
There’s an onboard sampler, and it’s even taken Hot Cues and Pad FX from far more advanced hardware. Here’s Amazon’s latest prices for this impressive piece of DJ gear.
Numark iDJ Pro
Last but not least, we have the iDJ Pro from the musical maestros at Numark. It’s a piece of kit that looks just like DJ equipment used to, and yet it’s compatible with all the latest streaming platforms.
The smartest thing about it is that you can dock your iPad in it backside down, and add a screen right where you want it.
This allows you to have it in your eye line whilst you’re mixing, rather than having to glance up at it every time you want a snapshot of your mix.
Spotify Pauses Automatically After Song
The physical controls are a nice compliment to the touchscreen interface, and show that when it comes to DJing, there’s no substitute for developing that all-important touch and feel.Visit the Numark website here for the latest details.
So this is where it all gets a little bit tricky. You know that there’s a Spotify Premium that you’re paying extra for, and you know there’s a whole host of hardware that’s compatible with it. So…is it actually legal to DJ with Spotify? Here goes…
If you take a look at the rights Spotify grant you under section 4 of their Terms & Conditions of Use, they have the following to say:
“The Spotify Service and the Content are the property of Spotify or Spotify’s licensors. We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable licence to make personal, non-commercial, entertainment use of the Content. You promise and agree that you are using the Content for your own personal, non-commercial, entertainment use”
Sounds very much like lawyer speak, and it’s not that clear to all too many DJs precisely what they can and can’t do. After all, you just want to play some tunes.
What is explicitly clear however, is that you can use Spotify within DJing software and apps like Pacemaker and djay (until July 2020) that we talked about a little earlier.
So, how about the massive grey area in the middle? The definition of a DJ is someone who plays music for public entertainment, which you would think means that you can’t DJ at a party with Spotify. Clearly you can use it in your own home when you’re practicing, but what about if you want to play that same mix at a party?Well, first make sure that you’re playing at a venue that has a license for you to play and perform music to the public. Every good DJ will know to do this, but we’re trying to shed some light on this grey area.
Spotify Pauses Automatically
Next, you need to decide whether what you’re doing is akin to ripping a CD and changing platforms, or playing a mix you legally prepared at home.
If you can argue that what you’re doing is the latter, then all our research shows you should be fine.
There are no cases of fines or prosecutions to my knowledge that have resulted from DJs using Spotify Premium with some authorised third party hardware to entertain a crowd in a public place. As long as you’re happy with what you’ve read above, and the venue you’re playing at is happy, go for it. Just make sure they know you’ll be using Spotify, because honest is always the best policy.
UPDATE: Spotify change of terms and conditions
Spotify recently updated their terms to include the following which makes things a little clearer for all types of DJ, whether professional or ameteur.
“You may not, and you may not permit any device or system used in connection with the Spotify Service to, segue, mix, re-mix, or overlap any Spotify Content with any other audio content (including other Spotify Content)”
Pretty concise right? If you’re transitioning one song over another and using their service, they wont be happy.
Whether this is enforceable is another matter. Software developers love to find loopholes and ways around licensing issues in order to make money.
Just to throw another legal implication of using Spotify with DJ equipment….
In order to DJ commercially with digital music you will most likely need a license such as the ProDub licence from PRS. The issue is that this licence and others like it are allowing you to pay royalties on the songs you play and those you digitally copy or transfer from one medium or location to another.
This doesn’t however currently apply to streaming music services. Where you’re not downloading a track but streaming it destroying the data as its consumed. DJing with Spotify really throws up a serious grey area here. So if you’re looking to DJ commercially and legitimately you’ll need to consider this rather dubious sticking point. Its unclear at this time whether a service like Spotify would cause more legal headaches than any of the convenience it may offer.
Another issue you are going to need to consider is just how reliable Spotify actually is. There are a number of potential issues that could result from using a streaming service to get your music for a live set.
Internet speed and reliability
Firstly, you want to check the quality of the WiFi at the venue you intend to play at. If it starts to lag and dropout, then it’s going to be a nightmare of an evening up on stage.
You should also factor in the hundreds of revellers who could be using the same internet connection to FaceTime and Facebook Live the evening.
If possible, you might want to ask the venue manager if they can lock people off the WiFi so that you can make full use of the bandwidth. Not an ideal situation. So don’t stream music, only ever play downloaded offline songs.
Download the music before the event
If you’re worried about streaming speed, then you’re going to want to download your setlist, plus a few dozens favourites, onto your mobile device.
This is another bonus of upgrading to Spotify Premium, and it will give you the peace of mind that you still have access to your setlist. The days when DJs used to carry everything around in vinyl certainly have a lot still going for them!
Also make sure that you have a backup somewhere of your download. There’s nothing worse than getting there and for one reason or another your device just dies on you.
If you have a spare then you have a chance to get up and running without having to spend 10 minutes on stage whilst the atmosphere petters out. Check out my useful DJ checklist to make sure you’re fully prepared for your DJ gig.
Spotify will also upgrade itself automatically over time, as all online services do. It’s really important they do this as it fixes bugs, and patches up network security so they don’t drop out for weeks on end.
Spotify Pauses Itself
One potential issue this may cause is incompatibility with a previously fine piece of hardware. If you one day find that your controller just won’t connect, then it’s possible that it’s not supported by the latest version of Spotify. You can either try and return Spotify to an earlier legacy version, or do a full shutdown of the device that’s running it.
Either way its not an ideal situation although its not exclusive to DJing with Spotify. All DJ software is upgraded over time and compatibility is always something to watch out for.
The short answer is no. While there are some options out there its currently an unreliable way to build a music collection and the issues around internet access and software support make it a risky strategy.
The legal grey areas also make it a potential issue, depending on the venue’s licences and permits
Spotify is likely to be regularly updating, meaning that one day everything works fine, the next day it doesn’t work at all. Which can cause you major headaches, not a very professional way to DJ.
There’s a reason why the world’s leading DJ software and hardware makers generally don’t support streaming music services.
My advice
Purchase your music legally, download your tracks and keep them in your iTunes library or outside of any music software. Make sure they are backed up to multiple devices. Purchase from only retailers like Beatport and Juno Download.
If you really want to use Spotify then make sure your tracks are downloaded, avoid updating your software by disabling any auto update features. Have a backup set downloaded from another source or sources in case Spotify’s music becomes inaccessible.
More DJing tips for you
Now that you know all about DJing with Spotify here’s some more useful articles worth checking out.