Hundreds of users, many running iOS 13.5.1 on devices both new and old, are experiencing rapid battery drain when the Music app is not in use. In some cases, the background activity occurs over several hours each day, even if the app has not been used for weeks or even at all.
User: Mojo06 I just purchased a new iPhone 11 a few days ago, and my battery is crashing so fast. I haven't even used the Apple Music App yet and it says that it has been running in the background for over 18 hours and has used 95% of my battery. My phone is also getting very hot from this. I am concerned this will kill my battery on my new phone.
User: Brianwpi Phone is burning up. Switched off background app refresh. Restarted phone. Battery health 91%. iPhone X running iOS 13.5.1. Had to recharge several times during the day just to keep up. Help?
User: svphies I'm having this exact same problem with my iPhone 11, recently updated to IOS 13.5.1. I never had Background App Refresh turned on and I haven't found any downloading song in the Music app. I might try to backup my phone to iTunes and do a reset later. I hope Apple fixes this issue soon.
While reports of the Music app draining battery in the background go back to April, there has been a rapid uptick in reports over the last week, suggesting Apple may have recently changed something on the server side which is causing the problem.
Below are some of the steps that users have taken to try to resolve the issue, but which appear to have a low rate of success.
Force quit the Music app.
Restart / Restore iPhone.
Delete Music app then reinstall it.
Turn off Automatic Downloads (Settings -> Music -> Automatic Downloads).
Turn off Mobile Data (Settings -> Music -> Mobile Data).
Cancel all downloads in the Music Library.
Some users have resorted to deleting the Music app on their device, which brings the battery usage to an end. For those with Apple Music subscriptions, however, this isn't even a short-term solution, so we're bringing these reports to the attention of the wider community in the hope that it will prompt Apple to investigate.
It’s not only the Music app, since 13.5 a lot of apps suffer of constant background activity. You can check this subject ('https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251435983?answerId=253009672022&page=1') on Apple forum.
I don't know if this is related, I checked this background activity and on my phone it showed the KMB app (only relevant to users in HK) had 19hrs of background activity within the last day. Doesn't seem to affect the battery though, as it is just an app for bus schedules.
Yes, it’s related. The bug is for background activity in general, not only Music app.
I’ll ask again and re-phrase. Does everyone with this issue subscribe to iTunes Match?
I use iTunes Match, and I have the issue.
I believe the assumptions about a server side issue are correct. I typically manually download a couple of playlists to my iPhone for offline listening. For the past couple of days I haven't been able to download the songs in any of my playlists. It looks like the phone starts to download a song, then fails and keeps retrying. I might be able to download a few songs, but the majority won't download. They don't time out and give an error or anything, the app just keeps trying to download them, which I think is where the background utilization/hot iPhone issue is happening.
My phone got so hot one day the flash wouldn't work until I was able to cool the device down.
It's now 10:00 AM. I unplugged my iPhone at 7:00 AM with 100% charge and haven't used it much today. I'm at 57% battery. I have a iPhone SE 2020.
A picture tells 1000 words. Didn't even use Apple Music. All 'Background Activity". One more thing, as soon as this started happening, iTunes Match no longer works on my HomePods. I've tried so many things to try and fix, nothing.
Definitely a server side change Apple have made to their music backend to cause this IMO.
Apple earlier this week announced the discontinuation of the iPod touch, and because it was the last iPod still available for purchase, its sunsetting effectively marks the end of the entire iPod lineup.
To send the iPod on its way, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the most notable iPod releases over the last 21 years.
Original iPod (2001)
Introduced in October...
iOS 16 will include new ways of interacting with the system and some "fresh Apple apps," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said, offering some more detail on what Apple has in store for the upcoming release of iOS and iPadOS set to be announced in a few weeks at WWDC. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman wrote that while iOS 16 is not likely to introduce a major face-lift to...
YouTuber Unbox Therapy has shared a hands-on look at the iPhone 14 Pro Max using what he claims is a one-to-one replica created by third-party case makers with access to detailed schematics and dimensions for Apple's new upcoming flagship smartphone.
As with the iPhone 13 Pro lineup, in 2022, we are expecting a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, but this time the Pro...
Apple today released iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, the fifth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were initially released in September 2021. iOS and iPadOS 15.5 come a little over two months after the launch of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.
The iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in...
Wednesday May 11, 2022 11:16 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
It's been over 200 days since Apple debuted its redesigned MacBook Pro lineup. Offered in 14-inch and 16-inch display sizes, the new-look MacBooks wowed Apple fans and creative pros alike with their powerful custom Apple silicon, mini-LED screen, and multiple connectivity options. But there are still some things you can't do with a MacBook Pro. Here are five features some Mac users are still...
Apple has launched a special limited-time offer for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad trade-in that offers customers additional credit when trading in their only device for a new one.
The offer is being run in several countries including the US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, India, and France. In the UK, Apple is offering up to £50 of extra trade-in credit...
Earlier this week, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple plans to release at least one iPhone 15 model with a USB-C port in 2023. Now, in a follow-up tweet, he has claimed that accessories like AirPods, the MagSafe Battery Pack, and the Magic Keyboard/Mouse/Trackpad trio would also switch to USB-C in the "foreseeable future."
Both the iPhone and all of the aforementioned...
Apple on May 16 released iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, bringing improvements for Podcasts and Apple Cash, the ability to see Wi-Fi signal of HomePods, dozens of security fixes, and more.
A significant minority of iPhone users have taken to Apple's Support Communities and Reddit to report battery drain issues largely related to the Music app and high levels of background activity. 
Top Rated Comments
I believe the assumptions about a server side issue are correct. I typically manually download a couple of playlists to my iPhone for offline listening. For the past couple of days I haven't been able to download the songs in any of my playlists. It looks like the phone starts to download a song, then fails and keeps retrying. I might be able to download a few songs, but the majority won't download. They don't time out and give an error or anything, the app just keeps trying to download them, which I think is where the background utilization/hot iPhone issue is happening.
My phone got so hot one day the flash wouldn't work until I was able to cool the device down.
It's now 10:00 AM. I unplugged my iPhone at 7:00 AM with 100% charge and haven't used it much today. I'm at 57% battery. I have a iPhone SE 2020.
One more thing, as soon as this started happening, iTunes Match no longer works on my HomePods. I've tried so many things to try and fix, nothing.
Definitely a server side change Apple have made to their music backend to cause this IMO.