How to listen to music on your HomePod

If there’s one thing the HomePod is great for, it’s listening to music. Here are your options on how to do this with Apple’s wireless speaker.

To hear something you’ll like, say “Hey Siri, play some music.” Apple Music learns your taste and uses it to choose which songs to play for you. To help Apple Music learn what you like, say “Hey Siri, I like this” when you hear a song you’d like to add to your preferences. 

How to listen to a song. Got some music in mind? Just ask. Say, for example, “Hey Siri, play the theme from La La Land” or “Hey Siri, play Beyonce’s newest album.” You can also ask for songs and playlists from your iTunes library. To hear the same song as interpreted by other artists, say “Hey Siri, play the other version.

To listen by artist, genre, activity, or mood, ask for a specific artist, or a genre of music such as Latin jazz. You can also ask for the vibe you want. For example, say “Hey Siri, play some party music,” or get even more specific with “Hey Siri, play hip-hop from the 1990s.” You can let Siri decide what’s next with “Hey Siri, play something totally different.” You can say “Hey Siri, add this to my library,” or “Hey Siri, add this album to my library.”

To listen to hits, chart toppers, or music by decade, say something like “Hey Siri, play the top song from November 1976,” or “Hey Siri, play the best songs from 1982.” Or get into a whole decade with something like “Hey Siri, play music from the 1950s.” Try saying “Hey Siri, tell me about this artist,” or  “Hey Siri, what album is this?” You can also say “Hey Siri, when was this song released?” For bands, you can ask who’s playing a certain instrument. For many popular songs, you can ask about the writer and producer.

How to listen to Beats 1. Say “Hey Siri, play Beats 1 radio” to hear the latest in music, interviews, and culture broadcasting from studios in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

(This how-to is based on my experiences and info on Apple’s support pages — where the images sometimes come from.)