Kitsmith / Music
MacNotch Music Apps
These live in the notch — they replace a hub, not join one.
Music and media apps that use the notch as a now-playing surface — album art, scrubbing, and playback controls exactly where your eyes already go. Smaller and cheaper than full hubs, for people who want one job done well. Note: these occupy the notch, so they stand in for a hub rather than run beside one.
Notch music apps put a now-playing surface at the top of your Mac’s screen — album art, a scrubber, and playback controls exactly where your eyes already go, so skipping a track stops meaning a trip to another app.
Most control whatever reports to macOS’s system now-playing — Apple Music, Spotify, browsers — while a design-forward entry like Liqoria is a player in its own right. MediaMate is the do-one-thing-well pick if all you want is better media control at the notch.
Worth knowing: these draw at the notch, so they stand in for a full hub rather than run beside one. If you already run Alcove or NotchNook, you have now-playing built in; dedicated music apps are for people who want that one job done with more focus, for less money.
All 3 apps
No apps match those filters.
Liqoria
$11.90 one-time · lifetimeA music player with an island-style now-playing surface, marketing Liquid Glass design as a headline feature.
MediaMate
€6.99 one-timeClean, responsive media controls at the notch — no kitchen sink attached.
Tuneful
Price unverifiedNative Spotify and Apple Music control for the notch, menu bar, and a mini player — built to feel like part of macOS.
The verdict
We haven't singled out a top pick here yet — every one of the 3 is hand-verified, so start wherever your job description points you. Paid options range $8–$11.9, one-time or subscription depending on the app.
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Mac notch music apps — questions people ask
Do notch music apps work with Spotify?
Generally yes — most control anything that reports to macOS’s now-playing system, which includes Spotify, Apple Music, and most browsers. Check each listing for specifics.
Can I use a notch music app together with a hub like Alcove?
No — both draw at the notch. Hubs already include now-playing controls, so a dedicated music app replaces a hub rather than joins it.
Is there a free way to get music controls at the notch?
boring.notch (free, open source) includes media controls, and it’s a hub — so you get the rest of the island features too.