Apple Music's Replay playlists are so good, they'll blow your mind – CNET

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Apple Music Replay will give you all the feels. 


Jason Cipriani/CNET

For me, looking back at the music I listened to in the past year always provides insight and triggers memories, good and bad. I like to think of it as a musical record of another year gone by. But as an Apple Music subscriber, I’ve had to rely on third-party apps to give me a year in review recap of which songs I listened to the most. 

Not this year. Apple Music now has Replay playlists that will give you all the feels as you go through them. The playlist isn’t created automatically, but it only takes a few seconds for you to request and add to your Apple Music account. 

I listen to music all day long, and there are days when I get stuck in a rut of listening to the same album or artist on repeat. Having a playlist of the top 100 songs I listened to this past year is a fun way to break out of my norm, but while still listening to something that I enjoy. And if you’re the type to throw a killer New Year’s party, you can save yourself on hiring a DJ — just pull up your 2019 Replay. 


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How to get your Replay playlists

The quickest way to get your Replay playlist is to visit the dedicated Apple webpage. You can visit it from any device, it doesn’t have to be your iPhone, iPad or Macbook. Alternatively, you can open the Music app on your Apple device, go to Browse and tap on the Replay tile. 

Click or tap on Get Your Replay Mix, and sign in with your Apple ID. A few seconds later, the website will display your 2019 Replay playlist. Scroll through it to see the top 100 songs you’ve listened to this year, complete with the number of times played during that time. 

Apple will also include other stats, such as the total number of hours you’ve listened to music, the number of artists (complete with your top 5) and the number of different albums (again, with a top 10 list). 

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It only takes a couple of taps to get your Replay playlists. 


Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

But here’s where the magic really happens

When you scroll to the bottom of your Replay list, you’ll find that Apple Music has also created Replay playlists for every single year that you’ve been an Apple Music subscriber. 

Tap on the Add button next to each playlist you want to add to your Apple Music account.

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You can even access your Replay using the Apple Music beta website. 


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For me, that means I now have playlists for 2015 through 2019 of the top music I listened to for that year. It’s been crazy to go back and look at how much (or how little) what I’ve spent the most time listening to has changed. 

Mike Shinoda’s album Post Traumatic is a staple of 2018 and 2019, for me (and rightfully so). In 2015, when I first signed up for Apple Music and my kids were much younger, I listened to The Descendants soundtrack more than I want to admit. I had forgotten all about that movie until I saw the soundtrack in my playlist. 

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I feel so exposed showing my playlists from years ago. 


Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

Last year, Spotify did something similar for its users, and one would have to imagine they’ll do it again as we get closer to the end of the year. 

If you’re fairly new to Apple Music, or just want to make sure you’re getting the most out of the app, make sure to check out these tips and tricks. Did you know you can create custom radio stations in Apple Music? Apple recently killed off iTunes on the Mac, replacing it with a dedicated Music app that works just like the iOS version, and let’s be honest — it was for the better. 

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Apple Music can take you down memory lane. 


Angela Lang/CNET

source: cnet.com