See Apple Music Stream Count: 3 Available Methods

apple music stream count

When it comes to managing your music library on Apple Music, keeping tabs on the total number of songs you've accumulated can be quite handy. Whether you're curious about the size of your collection or you're trying to organize your playlists, knowing the exact song count is valuable. However, Apple Music doesn't provide a direct and easily accessible song count within the app.

But fear not! We've compiled a set of workarounds that allow you to see the total number of songs in your Apple Music library. In this part, we'll explore three methods to achieve this.

Part 1. What Counts as a Stream on Apple Music?

Ever wondered what it takes for your music listening to count as a stream on Apple Music? Understanding the play count criteria is vital for users keen on tracking their music's popularity.

When it comes to Apple Music, a stream is registered when a user plays a song, album, or playlist for a minimum duration. Precisely, Apple Music requires users to listen to the entire song for it to be counted as a legitimate stream.

Does Apple Music Count Streams on Repeat?

A common question is whether Apple Music counts streams when a song is played repeatedly. The answer is yes; streams on repeat are indeed counted.

Tip

Interestingly, Apple Music currently lacks measures to prevent abuse. We've tested continuous, non-stop looping of the same track within a short timeframe, and it still results in multiple stream counts. For instance, we've tried skipping to the track's end, setting it to start at 0:00 and stop at 0:30, and the stream is still counted. However, it's recommended to maintain fairness in the background.

While Apple Music aims for accuracy, occasional mismatches may occur between real-time play counts and Apple Music Replay. Factors like offline listening or syncing delays might contribute to these differences. Although disappointing, these occasional discrepancies are part of the overall platform experience. For users seeking precise stream counts, exploring music scrobblers like Last.fm is recommended.

Part 2. How to See Apple Music Play Count Using iTunes

For those who want to keep a close eye on their play counts on a daily basis, iTunes offers a convenient solution. Users can easily access their play counts while navigating their daily routines, giving them insights into their music listening habits.

Launch the iTunes application on your computer. Ensure that you have the latest version of iTunes installed.
In the left sidebar, click on the "Songs" option to view your entire music library.
Locate the "Plays" column in your music library. If it's not visible, right-click on the column headers (like "Name," "Artist," etc.), and ensure that "Plays" is checked.

Note: For a more comprehensive music analysis, navigate to "Songs" in the "Stats" tab. Here, you can delve into not only play counts but also details like skips, last played, last skipped, and more.
Look at the "Plays" column to see the number of times each song has been played. This information is a direct representation of the play counts for each track.

itunes songs plays

Click on the "Plays" column header to sort your songs based on play counts. You can arrange them from the most-played to the least or vice versa.
To make it easier to access play counts, ensure that the "Plays" column is visible in your primary iTunes view. You can drag and drop the "Plays" column header right next to "Name."

itunes songs customize plays column header

Part 3. How to See Apple Music Stream Count Using Replay

Apple Music Replay adds an exciting annual dimension to tracking play counts. Users can revisit their music listening trends and play counts each year through the Apple Music Replay playlist. Additionally, this personalized experience showcases your top songs, artists, albums, playlists, genres, stations and the number of plays to them, providing a nostalgic and overall musical journey.

Open your preferred web browser and go to the Apple Music Replay website.
Ensure that you are signed in with the Apple ID associated with your Apple Music account.
Once logged in, you will be presented with your Apple Music Replay playlist, featuring your top 100 songs of the year.
Explore the playlist to see which songs have accumulated the most plays throughout the year.
Scroll down the Apple Music Replay webpage to find additional insights, such as your top artists, albums, and total hours spent listening.
Take note of the total numbers and minutes of plays for each song. Apple Music shows 15 songs at most.

apple music replay top songs

To access the play counts of all your top songs, scroll down to your Apple Music Replay playlist, identified with the phrase, "Replay the soundtrack of your year." Click the "Open in Apple Music" button on the webpage.
Tip: If you've used Apple Music Replay in previous years, scroll down to find links to your previous annual playlists.
The playlist will be generated and added to your Apple Music account, accessible across all your devices.

apple music replay playlist

Check the "Plays" column to see the number of times each top song has been played. You can compare your music tastes and stream counts across different years.

Part 4. How to See Apple Music Stream Count Using Last.fm

For users looking to expand their music tracking capabilities, Last.fm offers a scrobbling feature that integrates seamlessly with Apple Music. By scrobbling, Last.fm records your listening history, including play counts, creating a comprehensive log of your music activity. Let's explore Last.fm scrobbling options to connect Apple Music to it and enhance your music analytics beyond what Apple Music provides.

How to Connect Apple Music to Last.fm on Desktop & Mobile

Open your web browser and go to the Last.fm website.
Click on "Join" or "Sign Up" to create a Last.fm account. Follow the prompts to complete the registration process.
After creating an account, log in to Last.fm.
Go to the download page to download the appropriate version for your operating system.
Once the download completes, follow the on-screen instructions to install the Last.fm app on your desktop.
During the installation process, ensure to check the option to install plugins for iTunes.
Find the Last.fm in the taskbar, right-click to open the options menu, and navigate to Settings.
Make sure to enable iTunes in the settings to enable Last.fm scrobbling with iTunes.
Return to the Last.fm homepage and click on your profile picture to access your Last.fm profile.
Explore the "Tracks," "Albums," and "Artists" tabs to see detailed statistics, including scrobbles.

last fm library tracks scrobbles

Part 5. How to Download Your Apple Music Songs to MP3

While Apple Music boasts an extensive streaming library, the freedom to download your cherished tracks as MP3 files brings a whole new level of flexibility. This ensures your music library stays intact even without an active subscription.

Meet ViWizard Apple Music Converter, your go-to professional tool for preserving your favorite Apple Music songs on any device of your choice. This powerful tool not only downloads but also converts Apple Music tracks into compatible formats for iTunes, including MP3, AAC, and WAV. This means you can download and convert your most-loved songs from iTunes into local files, then seamlessly upload them back to iTunes for safekeeping! Experience the liberty of keeping your top tracks accessible across various devices effortlessly.