Quick Links
Key Takeaways
- Top Picks section offers curated playlists & stations based on artists you listen to & similar artists. Check it out on the Home tab.
- Artist Stations allow you to listen to music by your favorite artist and similar artists. Be patient and use the skip button when needed.
- New Release Playlists keep you updated on new music in different genres. Click on Browse to explore playlists like R&B Now and A-List Pop.
I’ve been a dedicated Apple Music user my entire life. While I typically listen to the same nostalgic music, I’ve recently been exploring new artists thanks to these great Apple Music features.
1 Top Picks
The first option to discover new music on Apple Music is to go to the Top Picks section. This section has a bunch of curated playlists and stations that will show you music from artists you have already listened to, as well as new artists who are similar to your favorites. You can get to the Top Picks section by clicking Home and scrolling through the Top Picks options. My options include a Taylor Swift station with similar artists, the new Poppy single, and even an interview with Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil.
I like to scroll through this section and listen to new music when I’m on a road trip or have a long day of chores ahead. It’s a great option when I’m sitting there without a clear idea of what music I want to be the soundtrack of my day.
2 Artist Stations
Artist Stations are one of my favorite features of Apple Music. You can search for your favorite artist and listen to a station that will play their music and music by similar artists. For example, Chappell Roan has a very short discography at the moment, so I listened to her radio to find similar music. From there, I discovered one of my new favorite bands, The Last Dinner Party, solely from listening to an artist station.
Not all the songs are perfect matches, though, so I use the skip button pretty regularly.
3 New Release Playlists
Apple Music offers a host of playlists, as well. There is a New Music Mix playlist that updates regularly with new music that might pique your interest based on your listening history.
Some playlists are specific to certain genres, too. These playlists also get updated regularly with new releases. For example, if you click on Browse at the bottom of the app, you can scroll through playlists including R&B Now, Today’s Country, and A-List Pop. These genre-based playlists are a great option for when I’m too lazy to put together my own playlist, but still want to keep up with current music in the pop sphere.
If you’re not on Apple Music yet, in addition to great music recommendations, Apple Music also lets users hear music better than ever.
4 Personal and Discovery Stations
Another personalized listening experience offered by Apple Music includes personal and discovery stations. You can access these by clicking on Home on the Apple Music app and scrolling down to the Stations for You section. The playlist with your name will play songs you’ve listened to and loved, along with a mix of fresh tracks from new artists. A Discovery Station also features all-new artists and music you might enjoy based on your listening history. This is one of my favorite features, too, because I find that Apple Music is pretty good at recommending new artists that I’ll actually enjoy. From there, I can like specific songs and check out artists’ discographies.
Here’s a more in-depth look at how to discover new songs using Apple Music playlists and stations.
Finally, Apple Music auto-plays related music after a chosen album or song ends. If I’m listening to The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan and don’t queue up another album or song medley afterward, Apple Music will play similar music by similar artists.
Now, I don’t find this particular feature helpful for a few reasons. I don’t think the music it autoplays is related to the music I chose to listen to. For example, I don’t think Style by Taylor Swift is a good follow-up to Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan. Also, I find that the auto-played music tends to repeat across different days. I frequently get I’m Not Mad by Halsey on autoplay regardless of what genre or artist I’m listening to that day.
Overall, Apple Music has many great features for discovering new music by up-and-coming artists. Whether you want to explore by genre or artist or have Apple curate a special playlist based on your tastes, your options are endless. Happy listening!
