How to Use Karaoke Mode on Apple Music, Spotify, and More – WIRED

There’s joy in belting out a tune, even if you only do it alone in the car or shower. Strutting around the house in the guise of a favorite performer singing at the top of your lungs is a fast track to a better mood. And there is no such thing as a party without music. Back in the day, you had to rely on memory or a karaoke machine, but now you can sing along with lyrics onscreen. It has never been easier to have a DIY karaoke party.

Some of the best music streaming services have modes that highlight the lyrics in time with the music. Ready to sing your heart out? Before we dive into your built-in options, you can always find karaoke versions of songs, albums, and playlists with the vocals removed by searching in your music app, and there are dedicated karaoke YouTube channels like Sing King and KaraFun. If you want to go beyond karaoke, you may also be interested in the best sites, apps, and YouTube channels to learn music.

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Photograph: Apple

As a latecomer to the music streaming party, Apple had to find ways to tempt subscribers from rivals. Its full-fledged karaoke mode, called Apple Music Sing, is currently the best choice for fans of singing along. Apple Music Sing works with iPhone 11 or later, iPhone SE (3rd generation) using iOS 16.2 or later, iPad Pro (5th generation), iPad Air (4th generation), iPad mini (6th generation), iPad (9th generation), and Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) or later.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Open Apple Music and play a song.
2. Select the lyrics icon at the bottom (it looks like a speech bubble).
3. Where available, you’ll see time-synced lyrics (some songs only have static lyrics).
4. If the song supports Apple Music Sing, you will also see a microphone icon with stars. Select it to see lyrics with each word highlighted as it plays. 
5. Drag the microphone slider up or down to adjust the volume of the original vocals.

Tracks optimized for Apple Music Sing also animate simultaneous background vocals to make it easier to follow, and duets feature the two vocal parts on opposite sides of the screen. Apple Music Sing doesn’t work with every song, but you can find tracks and playlists to sing along with by tapping Search at the bottom right in the Apple Music app and choosing the Sing category.

Spotify via Simon Hill

The world’s most popular music streaming service also allows you to sing along with tunes. Spotify introduced lyrics through a partnership with Musixmatch, but there was also a limited rollout of a karaoke mode. Spotify Lyrics works with mobile, desktop, and TV apps (if you have the latest version).

Here’s how to try it:

1. Open Spotify and play a song.
2. Choose the Now Playing view.
3. You can swipe up from the bottom to see real-time lyrics on a mobile device. On the desktop app, click on the microphone icon. On the TV app, select the lyrics button on the right.
4. You will see lyrics from Musixmatch, with each line highlighted as it plays.
5. If karaoke mode is available for that song, you will see a sing button with a microphone icon, and you can sing along. This mode uses your device’s microphone to analyze your singing and score you out of 100.

While lyrics are available for everyone, Spotify’s karaoke mode seems to have rolled out only for some accounts. We asked Spotify for clarification and will update this guide when we hear back. 

Youtube via Simon Hill

It’s easy to access lyrics for most songs on YouTube Music, but sadly they don’t sync in real time. YouTube Music lyrics appear in mobile and desktop apps. Here’s how to find them:

1. Open YouTube Music and play a song.
2. Select Lyrics or swipe up from the bottom.
3. You will see lyrics from Musixmatch.

Photograph: Tidal

You can find the lyrics to songs on Tidal in the mobile and desktop apps, and they sync with the music to make it easier to sing along. Here’s how:

1. Open Tidal and play a song.
2. Select the lyrics icon at the bottom (it looks like a speech bubble and musical note).
3. You will see lyrics from Musixmatch, with each line highlighted as it plays.

Tidal has a set of Sing Along playlists in different genres for karaoke parties.

Photograph: Deezer

Subscribers to Deezer can access lyrics in mobile and desktop apps and on select TVs and Xboxes. Here’s how:

1. Open Deezer and play a song.
2. If the song has a lyrics icon (with microphone) you can tap it, or tap the three dots and select Play with lyrics.
3. You will see lyrics from LyricFind, with each line highlighted as it plays.
4. For some songs, you can tap the Lyrics icon and select With translation to have the lyrics translated into your language. 

Amazon via Simon Hill

There are Amazon Prime perks you might not be aware of, including access to Prime Music Streaming and a discount on Amazon Music Unlimited subscriptions. Here’s how to access lyrics in the mobile, desktop, and TV Amazon Music apps:

1. Open Amazon Music and play a song.
2. In the mobile app, tap on the track to open the Now Playing screen, and you will see lyrics under the album art (tap the lyrics to go full screen). On a desktop, select the Lyrics button on the music controls bar.
3. You will see lyrics from Musixmatch, with each line highlighted as it plays.