If you are an Apple Music subscriber, you may have noticed that some tracks have a single star next to them. When you mouse over it, the star changes to a heart icon, allowing you to “love” the track. So, what does the star mean on Apple Music? The star next to a song indicates that it is extremely popular with many Apple Music subscribers. Apple believes that you would also like the track and recommends checking it out.
If you use Apple Music or the Music/iTunes app to listen to your downloaded music, you have a star system for each song. You can rate each song from one star to five stars based on your liking. Apple Music then uses this data in its algorithms to determine what recommendations to make to you next, taking into account your listening history and music preferences.
All the star rating data is aggregated, and Apple identifies the most popular tracks across various albums and genres. If you browse through the top-selling albums in your favorite genre or by your favorite singer, you are likely to find at least one song with a star next to it. Notable examples include “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.
There have been criticisms of Apple’s decision to mark music that it thinks people should listen to. Some argue that Apple is assuming people can’t make their own music choices. However, the star icon is quite faint and not aggressively promoted, making it a harmless feature that suggests good songs when you come across a new album for the first time.
To rate songs on Apple Music, simply go to the song and look for the five star-shaped icons to the left of the download button. Mouse over the area if they don’t show up. Click on the star that represents your rating preference. Your choice will be saved automatically, and you can change the rating later if needed. Note that you cannot rate songs on Apple Music playlists created by someone else.
In conclusion, the star next to a song on Apple Music indicates its popularity and serves as a recommendation for you to check it out. You can rate songs on Apple Music using the star system to provide feedback and influence the music recommendations you receive.