Music apps and accessories
If music on your phone is a must-have, there are several apps and accessories available to help you get the most from your favourite songs. From apps which host podcasts, long mixes and music videos to earbuds which maximise every beat, here's our guide to maximising your enjoyment at home or on the go.
Earbuds, earphones and speakers
The days of listening to your playlists on uncomfortable earphones with tinny sound are over. To really get the most from your music, it's a good idea to invest in some earphones or earbuds which will provide the clean, crisp sound you need.
If you've got an iPhone, AirPods Pro have noise cancellation, sweat and water resistance, and have a customisable fit.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are the best choice for Samsung Galaxy fans, thanks to their iconic shape, ergonomic design and speakers optimised for the ultimate sound experience. You could even invest in a portable speaker to take your music wherever you go, or if your phone's got a headphone jack, treat yourself to some new wired headphones.
The music app we recommend
YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium allows you to download and play YouTube and YouTube Music videos ad-free, offline, and in the background. You'll never have to worry about an ad interrupting your workout ever again, and you can even carry on listening if you lock your phone or switch apps.
Create your own playlists and save your music for when you’re offline, and get more of the content you love - whether that's movie trailers, hour-long mixes, the latest releases or cookery guides.
If you're keen to give it a go, we offer YouTube Premium as part of our SIM only or Pay as you go Entertainment plans, now included for the length of your plan.
Other music apps available
Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited
If you have Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime Music is included with your membership at no additional cost. It features two million songs and more than a thousand playlists and stations curated by Amazon's music experts, and you can download music to listen to offline with unlimited skips, ad-free. You can also pair Prime Music with your Alexa device for hands-free listening. We offer Amazon Prime as part of our Pay monthly and SIM only Entertainment plans
Amazon Music Unlimited is the paid-for version of Prime Music, with 60 million downloadable songs, including the hottest new releases from today's most popular artists. Already-existing Prime customers and new customers can both join, although the subscription cost is a little less for already-existing Amazon Prime customers.
Spotify Premium
Spotify was launched in 2008, and is probably the world's best-known music streaming app. Spotify Premium, the paid-for subscription, offers millions of full HD-quality tracks from thousands of artists. You can stream ad-free music and download songs to listen to offline, and Spotify is compatible with both Apple and Android devices.
Search for playlists to match your mood, listen to original Spotify podcasts or even let Spotify Radio pick songs to match your listening habits.
Apple Music
You can stream and download over 70 million songs ad‑free on Apple Music to all of your Apple devices, build your own playlists and listen to three live radio stations playing today's hits, classic and country.
Use the Listen Now feature to discover new artists and listen to the songs everyone's talking about, play your mixes in the car with CarPlay, and learn the words with Lyric View. Plus, if you're away from your phone, you can download and stream music straight to your Apple Watch¹
Apple Music requires a subscription.
SoundCloud
If you're looking for something a little less mainstream, SoundCloud is the best place to discover new artists and DJs. It features nearly 200 million tracks from new singers, rappers and podcasters, often uploaded by the artists themselves.
There is a free version of SoundCloud, or you can pay for SoundCloud Go+, which lets you listen to tracks offline, ad-free.
You can even upload your own music and podcasts, although there is an upload limit if you have the free account.