One of the most-requested fan features on the Xbox Feedback site has been the addition of background music. Whether its listening to music while you play games or browse the internet, background music can provide the soundtrack to your Xbox experience.
With currently participating music app partners, all you need to do is open the app, start playing the tunes you want to hear, and then hit the Home button to navigate to the game or activity you want. Once you’ve got background music running, just double-tap the Home button to open the guide which will allow you to make adjustments or switch songs on the fly.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the apps that support background music now, as well as some that are on their way.
Groove – Premium
With Groove Music Pass, stream and download new hits and familiar favorites from millions and millions of songs. Listen ad-free, just about anywhere (Xbox, web, PC, iPhone, Android and Windows Phone)*. The perfect playlist for every game genre: shooters, sports, racing, & RPGs – choose from Groove curated or make your own. Add your MP3s or iTunes tracks to OneDrive, and they’ll always be at your fingertips with the Groove Music app on Xbox One and on the go.
Pandora – Free
Pandora is one of the biggest names in the streaming music world, offering music fans millions of songs from thousands of artists. While the Pandora app is already available on Xbox One, today’s update adds support for background music. It’s free to enjoy, and with the new background music feature, we’re sure this release will take your gaming experience to the next level. Available in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
Simple Background Music Player – Free
Allows for playback from a USB-connected external device, the Simple Background Music Player lives up to its name by offering an easy-to-use experience that lets you listen to any music that you can drop onto a USB stick. All you need to do is put the tunes on the stick, plug it in to your Xbox One, fire up the app, and you’re ready to go!
VLC – Free
Long used by Windows PC owners, VLC was created as part of the VideoLAN academic project back in the 1990s. VLC supports a wide range of audio and video file formats and allows for streaming from other devices. VLC will be launching on Xbox One in the next couple of months, so we’ll be bringing you more on this one soon.
