MusicKit Integration (Apple Music)

Time cost: 5-10 minutes

Key Insight

MusicKit's ApplicationMusicPlayer automatically publishes to MPNowPlayingInfoCenter. You don't need to manually update Now Playing info when playing Apple Music content.

What's Automatic

When using ApplicationMusicPlayer :

• Track title, artist, album

• Artwork (Apple's album art)

• Duration and elapsed time

• Playback rate (playing/paused state)

The system handles all MPNowPlayingInfoCenter updates for you.

What's NOT Automatic

• Custom metadata (chapter markers, custom artist notes)

• Remote command customization beyond standard controls

• Mixing MusicKit content with your own content

GOOD Code (MusicKit Content)

import MusicKit

@MainActor class MusicKitPlayer { private let player = ApplicationMusicPlayer.shared

func play(song: Song) async throws {
    // ✅ Just play - MPNowPlayingInfoCenter updates automatically
    player.queue = [song]
    try await player.play()

    // ❌ DO NOT manually set nowPlayingInfo here
    // MPNowPlayingInfoCenter.default().nowPlayingInfo = [...] // WRONG!
}

}

Hybrid Apps (Own Content + Apple Music)

If your app plays both Apple Music and your own content:

import MusicKit

@MainActor class HybridPlayer { private let musicKitPlayer = ApplicationMusicPlayer.shared private var avPlayer: AVPlayer? private var currentSource: ContentSource = .none

enum ContentSource {
    case none
    case appleMusic      // MusicKit handles Now Playing
    case ownContent  // We handle Now Playing
}

func playAppleMusicSong(_ song: Song) async throws {
    // Switch to MusicKit
    avPlayer?.pause()
    currentSource = .appleMusic

    musicKitPlayer.queue = [song]
    try await musicKitPlayer.play()
    // ✅ MusicKit handles Now Playing automatically
}

func playOwnContent(_ url: URL) {
    // Switch to AVPlayer
    musicKitPlayer.pause()
    currentSource = .ownContent

    avPlayer = AVPlayer(url: url)
    avPlayer?.play()

    // ✅ Manually update Now Playing (Patterns 1-4)
    updateNowPlayingForOwnContent()
}

private func updateNowPlayingForOwnContent() {
    var nowPlayingInfo = [String: Any]()
    nowPlayingInfo[MPMediaItemPropertyTitle] = "My Track"
    // ... rest of manual setup from Patterns 1-4
    MPNowPlayingInfoCenter.default().nowPlayingInfo = nowPlayingInfo
}

}

Common Mistake

// ❌ WRONG - Overwrites MusicKit's automatic Now Playing data func playAppleMusicSong(_ song: Song) async throws { try await ApplicationMusicPlayer.shared.play()

// ❌ This clears MusicKit's Now Playing info!
var nowPlayingInfo = [String: Any]()
nowPlayingInfo[MPMediaItemPropertyTitle] = song.title
MPNowPlayingInfoCenter.default().nowPlayingInfo = nowPlayingInfo

}

// ✅ CORRECT - Let MusicKit handle it func playAppleMusicSong(_ song: Song) async throws { try await ApplicationMusicPlayer.shared.play() // That's it! MusicKit publishes Now Playing automatically. }

When to Use Manual Updates with MusicKit

Only override MPNowPlayingInfoCenter if:

• You're mixing in additional metadata (e.g., podcast chapter markers)

• You're displaying custom content alongside Apple Music

• You have a specific reason to replace MusicKit's automatic behavior

Default: Let MusicKit manage Now Playing automatically.

Resources

Skills: axiom-now-playing, axiom-now-playing-carplay