Apple adds Star Wars radio station to iTunes and the Music app

The new Star Wars movie “The Force Awakens” is doing big box office business around the world. And if you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ll love the fact that Apple has released a new Star Wars radio station that you can listen to in iTunes on your Mac, and in Apple’s Music app on your iOS device.

The Star Wars radio station offers soundtrack music from all of the films, plus sound effects as well. So you can listen to music such as “Landspeeder Search / Attack of the Sand People” from the very first Star Wars movie, and many other selections from that flick and all of the later films.

How to find the Star Wars radio station in iTunes on the Mac

Oddly, the new Star Wars radio station wasn’t listed on the stations page in iTunes on the Mac when I opened iTunes. I had to do a search for Star Wars in order to listen to it. If that’s the case with you, here’s how you can search for the Star Wars radio station:

1. Open iTunes and click on the Radio tab at the top.

2. Put your cursor in the search box and type in Star Wars.

3. Press the Enter key.

4. You’ll see a long list of Star Wars related stations and results.

The new Star Wars radio station should be the first search result. Just click the Play button on the station’s icon to start listening to sounds and music from all your favorite Star Wars movies.

How to find the Star Wars radio station on your iOS device

Here’s how to find the Star Wars radio station on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch:

1. Open the Music app.

2. Tap on Radio at the bottom of the screen.

3. Tap on the search box and type in Star Wars.

4. Tap on the Star Wars station to start listening.

I did notice that the new Star Wars station was listed under Featured Stations in the Music app on my iPhone 6 Plus. So I didn’t need to search for it to start listening in iOS. Apple will no doubt add it soon to the Featured Stations in iTunes for the Mac if they haven’t already done so by the time you read this post.

The Star Wars station in the iOS Music app is better than in iTunes

I liked the experience of listening to the Star Wars station much better on my iPhone than on my Mac. The iOS version displays movie posters when a song is playing, and I didn’t see that on the Mac version of the station. In iTunes on the Mac I just saw the Star Wars radio station image.

This isn’t a big deal, obviously. You still get the same soundtrack music and sound effects on the Mac, but the movie images do add a bit more flavor and zest on iOS devices. And the images provide an immediate visual cue as to which movie the current music or sound effect comes from, so it’s easier to know if it’s a film you like or perhaps even dislike.

If you see something you like, you can click the buy button to purchase that music for your own collection. And that will make it easier to create your own playlist with all of the Star Wars movie soundtrack music and sound effects that you like the best.

I hadn’t expected Apple to create a Star Wars station, but it’s definitely going to please Star Wars fans who want to experience the moods and music from all of the films. So kudos to Apple for making a lot of Star Wars fans very happy with the new radio station.

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