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Dolby Atmos Music is a new spatial audio technology that promises to immerse you in a world of sound like never before. It's object-based surround sound that adds an extra dimension to music by creating a 3D soundscape around the listener.

Initially created for cinema and then later home theatres, Dolby Atmos has now found its way from movie soundtracks into music streaming services, and can be played back by all manner of devices that support it - including phones, headphones, TVs and soundbars.

Popular artists are even creating and producing their music with Dolby Atmos in mind, directly in the studio, or their music is being converted in post-production. If you want to listen to Dolby Atmos Music, here's how.

What is Dolby Atmos Music and how does it work?

In the simplest terms, Dolby Atmos Music is a way of remixing songs using Dolby Atmos, a surround sound technology developed by Dolby Laboratories. Originally designed for cinema surround sound, Dolby Atmos has now infiltrated music and can be listened to through our home cinema setups, mobile devices, and streaming services. It's widely available across devices and services.

Dolby Atmos is designed to be more precise than traditional surround sound. It's different from traditional channel setups, in that - while it uses a 9.1ch setup as its base - it also adds onto that up to 118 simultaneous sound objects all around the room, with the audience at the centre. Sound engineers can place sounds at various points in the soundstage with pinpoint accuact for an immersive experience in a theatre or live venue. The same technology can be used to create Dolby Atmos Music in the studio or in post-production, offering a more realistic and captivating experience for listeners at home or on the go.

Which device and services support Dolby Atmos Music?

Dolby Atmos Music tracks can be played on any device that supports Dolby Atmos, including TVs, soundbars, laptops, tablets, phones, and even Blu-ray players. Over a billion Atmos devices are now available - although whether they can just understand the signal or do something meaningful with it are very different things.

For that reason, we suggest listening to Dolby Atmos music through a Dolby Atmos home cinema setup or at the very least a Dolby Atmos soundbar. Most AV receivers and speakers released in the past five years support Atmos, including cheaper options.

When it comes to devices, the Amazon Echo Studio is a wireless speaker that supports Dolby Atmos Music, and Amazon Music has Atmos tracks that can make the most of it, as does Tidal. Apple Music's spatial audio tracks are also powered by Dolby Atmos technology, and as a result, newer iPhones, iPads, Apple TV 4K, AirPods, AirPods Pro, and the HomePod 2 all now support Dolby Atmos Music.

As for other current mobile devices that are Dolby Atmos-compatible, those include the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy Fold, Sony Xperia 1 III, and OnePlus 11, to name a few.

It's worth noting you're likely going to get a better Dolby Atmos listening experience from a compatible home cinema set-up over a phone or tablet - even if it supports Dolby Atmos - due to the size and capacity of the speakers. Want the ultimate Atmos Music experience? Dolby has a dedicated Dolby Live venue in Las Vegas.

Can you listen to any song in Dolby Atmos?

Several Universal Music Group's studios are now making Dolby Atmos Music right out of the gate, including Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood and Abbey Road Studios in London. Many streaming services also support it, such as Tidal, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. On each of them, you'll see a section dedicated to Dolby Atmos tracks, albums, and playlists.

Some artists are also creating their songs with Dolby Atmos, including Rihanna and Meek Mill. It's definitely gaining traction in the industry.

Why would you want to try Dolby Atmos Music?

Dolby Atmos Music is poised to be a game-changer in the music world. Given that it aims to provide a unique and immersive audio experience that can take your music listening to another level - and it's been embraced by major artists, with thousands of Dolby Atmos Music tracks are now available on popular streaming services - why wouldn't you try a new way to experience your favorite songs and potentially discover new ones? Have a listen, and you might just find a new appreciation for your favourite tunes.