How to Download MusicKit and Why You Should Use It
If you are a developer who wants to integrate Apple Music into your app or website, you might want to check out MusicKit. MusicKit is a set of tools and frameworks that let you access and play music from Apple Music and the user's local music library. In this article, we will explain what MusicKit is, what it can do, how to download and install it, and how to use its features in your app or website. We will also show you some examples of apps and websites that use MusicKit to provide a rich music experience.
What is MusicKit and What Can It Do?
MusicKit is a collection of technologies that allow you to interact with Apple Music in various ways. It consists of four main components:
musickit download
MusicKit for Apple Platforms
MusicKit for Android
MusicKit for Web
Apple Music API
Let's take a look at each of them in more detail.
MusicKit for Apple Platforms
MusicKit for Apple Platforms is a Swift-based framework that lets you build apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Mac Catalyst, tvOS, and watchOS that integrate Apple Music. You can use it to find content in the Apple Music catalog or in the user's music library, control playback, check the user's subscription status, add songs to the user's library, and more. You can also use it to present music subscription offers to users who may not have an active Apple Music subscription. To learn more about MusicKit for Apple Platforms, visit .
MusicKit for Android
MusicKit for Android is a set of libraries that lets you build native Apple Music features into your Android app. You can use it to let users sign in to their Apple Music account and play music directly from your app. You can also access the Apple Music API to retrieve information about albums, songs, artists, playlists, music videos, and more. To download the MusicKit SDK for Android, visit .
How to download songs from Apple Music with MusicKit
MusicKit for Android: A guide to integrate Apple Music into your app
Mixkit: Free stock music tracks for videos and podcasts
MusicKit on the Web: Stream Apple Music content on your website
Muziki: A music downloader app with Android Auto support
MusicKit API: Retrieve information about Apple Music catalog and user library
MusicKit badges and icons: Download official assets for your marketing materials
MusicKit framework: Build apps for iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS that integrate Apple Music
How to use MusicKit to create playlists and add songs to Apple Music library
MusicKit authentication: Get access tokens to play music or make calls to the web APIs
MusicKit media playback: Play songs, albums, and playlists on Apple Music without leaving your app
How to request music data with the Apple Music API
How to check if a user has an active Apple Music subscription with MusicKit
How to offer a trial membership to Apple Music with MusicKit
How to find content in the Apple Music catalog or in the user's music library with MusicKit
How to control music playback from the lock screen or the background with MusicKit
How to apply ratings to the user's content with the Apple Music API
How to get recommendations based on the user's preferences with the Apple Music API
How to access charts and ratings from the Apple Music catalog with the Apple Music API
How to play music videos and radio stations from Apple Music with MusicKit on the Web
How to use MusicKit Web Components to customize your web player
How to use JavaScript to interact with the Apple Music service using MusicKit on the Web
How to download and install the MusicKit SDK for Android
How to generate a media identifier and private key for the Apple Music API
How to sign in to Apple Music and prompt the user to download it if not installed using MusicKit authentication
How to use filters and parameters in the Apple Music API requests
How to handle errors and exceptions in the Apple Music API responses
How to use pagination and cursors in the Apple Music API results
How to use JSON Web Tokens (JWT) to sign your developer tokens for the Apple Music API
How to use Swift Package Manager to add the MusicKit framework to your project
How to use CocoaPods or Gradle to add the MusicKit libraries for Android to your project
How to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to embed a web player using MusicKit on the Web
How to use SwiftUI or UIKit to create a user interface for your app using MusicKit framework
How to use Kotlin or Java to create a user interface for your app using MusicKit libraries for Android
How to use AVPlayer or MediaPlayer frameworks to play music from your app using MusicKit framework
How to use ExoPlayer or MediaPlayer libraries to play music from your app using MusicKit libraries for Android
How to use StoreKit framework or Billing library to offer in-app purchases or subscriptions for Apple Music using MusicKit framework or libraries for Android
How to use NSUserDefaults or SharedPreferences frameworks or libraries to store user preferences and settings for your app using MusicKit framework or libraries for Android
How to use NotificationCenter or LocalBroadcastManager frameworks or libraries to communicate between different components of your app using MusicKit framework or libraries for Android
How to use URLSession or OkHttp frameworks or libraries to make network requests and handle responses using MusicKit framework or libraries for Android
MusicKit for Web
MusicKit for Web is a JavaScript-based technology that lets you stream songs, music videos, and radio from Apple Music on your website. You can use it to create a custom player using JavaScript or use the predefined web components that provide a ready-made player. You can also access the Apple Music API to retrieve information about music items and perform actions on behalf of the user. To learn more about MusicKit for Web, visit .
Apple Music API
The Apple Music API is a web service that lets you access information about music items in the Apple Music catalog and the user's music library. You can use it to retrieve information about albums, songs, artists, playlists, music videos, stations, ratings, charts, recommendations, and more. You can also use it to create or modify playlists and apply ratings to the user's content. The API can be used with apps for Apple platforms, Android apps, and websites. To get started with the Apple Music API, visit How to Download and Install MusicKit
Depending on the platform you are developing for, the process of downloading and installing MusicKit may vary. Here are the steps for each platform:
Downloading MusicKit SDK for Android
To download the MusicKit SDK for Android, you need to have an Apple Developer account and a valid Apple Music subscription. You also need to have Android Studio and the Android SDK installed on your computer. Here are the steps to download the MusicKit SDK for Android:
Go to and sign in with your Apple Developer account.
Click on the "Download MusicKit SDK for Android" button and agree to the terms and conditions.
Save the ZIP file to your computer and unzip it.
Open Android Studio and create a new project or open an existing one.
Copy the MusicKit folder from the unzipped SDK to your app's libs folder.
Add the following dependencies to your app's build.gradle file:
dependencies implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar']) implementation 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:28.0.0' implementation 'com.android.support:design:28.0.0' implementation 'com.android.support:support-v4:28.0.0' implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.8.5' implementation 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:3.12.1' implementation 'com.squareup.okio:okio:1.15.0'
Sync your project and build it.
Embedding MusicKit JS in Your Webpage
To embed MusicKit JS in your webpage, you need to have an Apple Developer account and a valid Apple Music subscription. You also need to have a website that supports HTTPS and has a valid SSL certificate. Here are the steps to embed MusicKit JS in your webpage:
Go to and sign in with your Apple Developer account.
Click on the "Get Started" button and follow the instructions to create a MusicKit identifier and a private key.
Download the private key file and save it to a secure location.
Copy the MusicKit identifier and keep it for later use.
Add the following script tag to the head section of your webpage:
<script src="
Add the following script tag to the body section of your webpage, replacing YOUR_MUSICKIT_IDENTIFIER with your actual MusicKit identifier:
window.MusicKit.configure( developerToken: 'YOUR_MUSICKIT_IDENTIFIER', app: name: 'Your App Name', build: 'Your App Version' );
Configuring MusicKit JS
Before you can use MusicKit JS features on your webpage, you need to configure some options and events. Here are some of the common options and events you can use:
Option/EventDescription
developerTokenA string that identifies your app and grants access to the Apple Music API.
app.nameA string that specifies the name of your app.
app.buildA string that specifies the version of your app.
musicUserTokenA string that identifies the user who is signed in to Apple Music on your webpage.
isUserAuthorized()A method that returns a boolean value indicating whether the user is authorized to access Apple Music content.
authorize()A method that prompts the user to sign in to Apple Music on your webpage.
unauthorize()A method that signs out the user from Apple Music on your webpage.
addEventListener()A method that registers a callback function for a specific event, such as authorizationStatusDidChange, playbackStateDidChange, mediaItemDidChange, etc.
removeEventListener()A method that unregisters a callback function for a specific event.
musicA property that returns a MusicKitInstance object that provides access to music items, playback controls, and other features.
For more information about MusicKit JS options and events, visit .
Using MusicKit Framework for Apple Platforms
To use MusicKit Framework for Apple Platforms, you need to have Xcode and the latest version of the MusicKit framework installed on your computer. You also need to have an Apple Developer account and a valid Apple Music subscription. Here are the steps to use MusicKit Framework for Apple Platforms:
Go to and sign in with your Apple Developer account.
Download and install the latest version of Xcode and the MusicKit framework.
Open Xcode and create a new project or open an existing one.
Select your project in the Project Navigator and go to the Signing & Capabilities tab.
Add the MusicKit capability to your app by clicking on the + button and selecting MusicKit from the list.
Import the MusicKit framework in your Swift files by adding the following line at the top:
import MusicKit
Use the MusicKit classes and methods to access and play music from Apple Music and the user's music library. For example, you can use the following code to create a music player and play a song:
let player = MPMusicPlayerController.applicationMusicPlayer let song = MPMediaItemCollection(items: [MPMediaItem(title: "Hello", artist: "Adele")]) player.setQueue(with: song) player.play()
How to Use MusicKit Features in Your App or Website
Now that you have downloaded and installed MusicKit, you can start using its features in your app or website. Here are some of the common features you can use:
User Authorization
User authorization is the process of letting users sign in to their Apple Music account and granting your app or website permission to access their music content. You can use MusicKit to perform user authorization in different ways depending on the platform. For example, you can use the following methods:
For Android apps, you can use the authorize() method of the MusicUser class to prompt the user to sign in and authorize your app.
For websites, you can use the authorize() method of the MusicKitInstance class to prompt the user to sign in and authorize your website.
For apps for Apple platforms, you can use the requestUserToken(forDeveloperToken:) method of the SKCloudServiceController class to request a user token for your app.
For more information about user authorization, visit .
Music Items and Attributes
Music items are objects that represent music content from Apple Music or the user's music library. They can be songs, albums, artists, playlists, music videos, stations, genres, etc. Each music item has a set of attributes that describe its properties, such as title, artist, artwork, duration, genre, etc. You can use MusicKit to access music items and their attributes in different ways depending on the platform. For example, you can use the following classes:
For Android apps, you can use the MediaItem class and its subclasses to represent music items and their attributes.
For websites, you can use the MusicKit.MediaItem class and its subclasses to represent music items and their attributes.
For apps for Apple platforms, you can use the MPMediaItem class and its subclasses to represent music items and their attributes.
For more information about music items and attributes, visit .
Catalog Search and Request
Catalog search and request is the process of finding and retrieving music items from the Apple Music catalog or the user's music library. You can use MusicKit to perform catalog search and request in different ways depending on the platform. For example, you can use the following methods:
For Android apps, you can use the MusicCatalog class and its methods to search and request music items from the Apple Music catalog.
For websites, you can use the music.catalog property and its methods of the MusicKitInstance class to search and request music items from the Apple Music catalog.
For apps for Apple platforms, you can use the MPMediaQuery class and its methods to search and request music items from the user's music library.
For more information about catalog search and request, visit .
Media Playback and Control
Media playback and control is the process of playing and controlling music items from Apple Music or the user's music library. You can use MusicKit to perform media playback and control in different ways depending on the platform. For example, you can use the following classes:
For Android apps, you can use the MusicPlayer class and its methods to play and control music items from your app.
For websites, you can use the music.player property and its methods of the MusicKitInstance class to play and control music items from your website.
For apps for Apple platforms, you can use the MPMusicPlayerController class and its methods to play and control music items from your app.
For more information about media playback and control, visit .
Music Subscription Offers and Trials
Music subscription offers and trials are ways of presenting Apple Music subscription options to users who may not have an active subscription. You can use MusicKit to present music subscription offers and trials in different ways depending on the platform. For example, you can use the following methods:
For Android apps, you can use the showSubscriptionOffer() method of the MusicUser class to present a subscription offer to the user.
For websites, you can use the showSubscribeView() method of the MusicKitInstance class to present a subscription offer to the user.
For apps for Apple platforms, you can use the SKCloudServiceSetupViewController class and its methods to present a subscription offer or trial to the user.
For more information about music subscription offers and trials, visit .
Some Examples of Apps and Websites Using MusicKit
To give you some inspiration, here are some examples of apps and websites that use MusicKit to provide a rich music experience:
NameDescriptionPlatform
ShazamA popular app that identifies songs by listening to them. It uses MusicKit to let users play songs from Apple Music, add them to their library, or create playlists.iOS, Android
SongShiftAn app that lets users transfer their playlists between different music services. It uses MusicKit to access and modify playlists from Apple Music.iOS
MusishA website that lets users access their Apple Music library from any browser. It uses MusicKit JS to stream songs, playlists, albums, artists, etc. from Apple Music.Web
Last.fmA website that tracks users' listening habits and provides personalized recommendations. It uses MusicKit JS to let users play songs from Apple Music on their website.Web
MiximumAn app that lets users create smart playlists based on various criteria. It uses MusicKit to access and play songs from Apple Music or the user's music library.iOS
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned what MusicKit is, what it can do, how to download and install it, and how to use its features in your app or website. We have also seen some examples of apps and websites that use MusicKit to provide a rich music experience. If you are a developer who wants to integrate Apple Music into your app or website, you should definitely give MusicKit a try. It is a powerful and easy-to-use technology that will enhance your music app or website with minimal effort.
<h FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about MusicKit and their answers:
Q: Do I need an Apple Music subscription to use MusicKit?
A: Yes, you need an active Apple Music subscription to use MusicKit features in your app or website. You also need to have an Apple Developer account and a valid developer token.
Q: How do I get a developer token for MusicKit?
A: You can get a developer token for MusicKit by creating a MusicKit identifier and a private key in the Apple Developer portal. You can then use the private key to generate a developer token using the JWT (JSON Web Token) format. For more details, visit .
Q: How do I handle errors and exceptions in MusicKit?
A: You can handle errors and exceptions in MusicKit by using the appropriate methods and properties of the MusicKit classes. For example, you can use the error property of the MusicPlayer class to get the error object that occurred during playback. You can also use the addEventListener() method of the MusicKitInstance class to register a callback function for the error event. For more details, visit .
Q: How do I test my app or website that uses MusicKit?
A: You can test your app or website that uses MusicKit by using the Apple Music Sandbox environment. The Apple Music Sandbox is a separate environment that lets you test your app or website without affecting your real Apple Music account or library. You can use the same developer token and user token that you use for the production environment, but you need to use a different base URL for the Apple Music API requests. For more details, visit .
Q: Where can I find more resources and documentation about MusicKit?
A: You can find more resources and documentation about MusicKit by visiting the following links:
: The official website for MusicKit.
: The official documentation for MusicKit.
: A video presentation about MusicKit from WWDC 2017.
: A video presentation about MusicKit from WWDC 2018.
: A video presentation about MusicKit from WWDC 2019.
: A video presentation about MusicKit from WWDC 2020.
: A forum for developers to discuss and ask questions about MusicKit.
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