You know that feeling. You’re deep in a flow state, or maybe you’re finally hitting your stride at the gym, and then it happens. That one artist. The one whose voice makes your skin crawl or whose personal life makes you want to hit "delete" on their entire discography. You want them gone. Not just skipped—scrubbed from your digital existence. But if you’ve spent more than five minutes digging through menus, you’ve probably realized that figuring out how to block an artist on Apple Music isn't as straightforward as it is on Spotify. It’s annoying.
Honestly, it’s a weird oversight for a company that prides itself on "user experience." On Spotify, there’s a literal "Don't play this artist" button. On Apple Music? You’re basically playing a game of psychological warfare with an algorithm that thinks it knows what you want better than you do.
Let’s get one thing clear right out of the gate: Apple does not have a "Block" button for artists in the traditional sense. It’s frustrating. You can’t just go to a profile, hit three dots, and select "Nuke this person’s music from my life." Instead, you have to use a combination of algorithmic training, local library management, and—if you’re feeling spicy—Screen Time restrictions. It’s a bit of a workaround culture over here, but it works if you’re persistent.
The "Love" and "Dislike" Myth
Most people think the heart icon (or the "Suggest Less" thumb) is a block button. It isn't. It’s a suggestion. When you’re trying to learn how to block an artist on Apple Music, you’ll likely start by hitting that "Suggest Less" button. Here is what actually happens: Apple’s algorithm, which uses a mix of on-device processing and server-side data, takes a mental note. It says, "Okay, maybe don't put this in their New Music Mix."
But here is the catch. If that artist is featured on a massive global playlist like Today’s Hits or A-List Pop, Apple Music might still play them. Why? Because the "Suggest Less" feedback applies primarily to your personal radio stations and the "Listen Now" recommendations. It doesn't necessarily act as a hard filter for curated editorial playlists.
I’ve seen people complain on Reddit threads for years about this. You dislike a track, and three days later, it’s back because it’s the #1 song in the country and Apple thinks you’re just "wrong" about your own taste. To truly stop an artist from appearing, you have to be more aggressive than just clicking a thumb icon once.
Training the Algorithm Like a Puppy
You have to be relentless. If an artist you hate pops up, don't just skip the song halfway through. That actually gives the algorithm mixed signals. It thinks, "Oh, they listened to 40 seconds, maybe they were just busy."
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Instead, immediately hit the three dots and select Suggest Less. Do this every single time. It takes a few weeks, but eventually, the "Listen Now" tab will start to look like a place you actually want to be.
- The Nuclear Option: Go into your Settings > Music and toggle off "Use Listening History."
- The Downside: This ruins your personalized recommendations entirely. It’s like burning down your house to get rid of a spider.
- The Middle Ground: Only turn it off when you’re letting someone else use your phone or when you’re exploring a genre you don't want to "pollute" your main feed.
Using Screen Time to Force a Block
This is the "secret" method that actually works for parents or people who are truly desperate to know how to block an artist on Apple Music without waiting for the algorithm to catch up. It’s a bit of a hack. Apple allows you to restrict "Explicit" content, but they don't allow you to block specific names.
However, if the artist you hate mostly makes explicit music, you can go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Store, Web, Siri & Game Center > Music, Podcasts, News, & Fitness. Set it to "Clean." Suddenly, half of that rapper's catalog disappears.
Obviously, this is a blunt instrument. It blocks everyone’s explicit music. But if you're trying to keep a specific controversial figure off your kid's iPad, it’s the most effective tool in the shed. It’s not elegant, but it’s functional.
Cleaning Your Own House: The Library Fix
Sometimes the call is coming from inside the house. If you have tracks by an artist in your actual Library, the algorithm assumes you’re a fan. Period. It doesn't matter how many times you hit "Suggest Less."
- Open the Music app.
- Go to the Library tab.
- Search for the artist you want to banish.
- Delete every single song, album, and music video.
- Go to your "Recently Played" and see if they are lingering there.
If you bought their music on iTunes back in 2012, it might still be lurking in the cloud. You have to "Hide" those purchases. Open Music on a Mac or PC, go to the Account menu, find "Purchased," and hover over the artist's name until you see the 'X' to hide it. If Apple thinks you own it, they’ll keep serving it to you. It's like an ex who keeps showing up at your favorite bar because they know you'll be there.
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Why Apple Won't Give Us a Block Button
It’s about the money. And the labels.
Music streaming is a business of licensing. When Apple signs deals with major labels like Universal or Sony, those deals often involve "promoting" certain artists. A "Block" button is a direct threat to a label’s ability to "break" a new artist. If 5 million people block a rising star because of a PR scandal, that artist's value plummets.
Spotify eventually gave in because the user outcry was too loud to ignore, specifically around R. Kelly and XXXTentacion. Apple has remained more conservative. They prefer "algorithmic curation" over "user-controlled blacklisting." It’s a philosophical difference. They want to curate your taste; they don't want you to censor the platform.
What to Do When an Artist is on a Shared Playlist
This is the final boss of trying to how to block an artist on Apple Music. You’re listening to a "Chill Lo-Fi" playlist made by Apple, and that artist comes on. You can't edit Apple's playlist.
The only real fix here is to stop using Apple’s curated playlists. I know, it sounds extreme. But the "Made For You" playlists—like your Discovery Station or New Music Mix—are the only ones you can truly influence. If you stick to those and keep hitting "Suggest Less," the artist will eventually vanish from your personal bubble. But if you click on "Top 100: Global," you’re entering the public square. You’re going to hear what everyone else is hearing, whether you like it or not.
Actionable Steps to Purge Your Feed
Don't just sit there annoyed. If you want that artist gone, do this right now:
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First, go through your library and delete everything related to them. Every. Single. Thing. Even that one remix where they have a ten-second guest verse. The algorithm is sensitive; it sees that guest verse as a "signal" of interest.
Second, go to your "Listen Now" tab. If you see the artist there, long-press the album and hit "Suggest Less." Do this for every album of theirs that appears.
Third, if you’re using a Mac, use the "Dislike" shortcut (Shift + Command + Down Arrow) whenever they appear in a radio station. It’s faster than mousing around.
Finally, consider using a third-party app like Marvis Pro. Marvis is a powerful front-end for Apple Music that allows you to set "Rules." You can literally create a rule that says "Exclude Artist: [Name]" and it will filter your library and playlists before you even see them. It’s a paid app, but for people who take their library management seriously, it’s the "Block" button Apple refuses to build.
You have more control than you think, but you have to work for it. Apple Music isn't going to hand you a "Mute" button on a silver platter, so you have to train the machine until it learns that "No" means "No."