Editor’s note: This article has been updated in December 2025 to reflect changes in Discord music bots, YouTube enforcement, and modern Discord integrations.
Music is an integral part of our lives, and it’s no surprise that we want to share it with others. Discord has quickly become one of the most popular platforms for online communities to gather and interact, and music bots have played a crucial role in enhancing the Discord experience.
Discord music bots are not what they were a few years ago. The post-2021 crackdown changed everything, especially around YouTube. So in 2025, I judge music bots on three things:
- Do they still work consistently?
- Do they play nicely with modern Discord (slash commands, permissions, integrations)?
- Do they make group listening easy without drama?
In this article, we’ll be exploring the top 10 Discord music bots that can add some rhythm to your server.
1. FredBoat (Best all-around)
If you want a music bot that does not turn into a weekend project, FredBoat is still the safest pick. It’s simple, stable, and built around slash commands now, which matters because Discord servers in 2025 run on permissions and integrations, not random command prefixes.
What it’s best for
- Casual listening in small to mid-size servers
- Communities that want “play music” without constant setup headaches
What you actually get
- Straightforward playback and queue controls (
/play,/pause,/skip,/shuffle) - Clear documentation for setup, configuration, and permissions inside Discord’s Integrations menu
If your server has multiple roles, set FredBoat command permissions through Server Settings → Integrations so only trusted roles can control music in your main voice channel. This avoids the classic “one guy hijacks the queue” problem.
See also: Discord Engagement Ideas
2) Hydra (Best for control, dashboards, and “set it once” servers)
Hydra is the pick when you want more control than “just play a song.” The big difference is the dashboard-first approach. Instead of memorizing commands, you can manage settings through the web dashboard, which is exactly what busy community owners want.
What it’s best for
- Communities with multiple voice channels
- Servers where mods want tighter control over how music behaves
What you actually get
- A full web dashboard for customization
- A broader all-in-one bot vibe, where music is one of the main engagement modules, not a side feature
Hydra is worth it when you care about consistency. If your server is active daily, the ability to tweak settings without spamming commands in chat is a real quality-of-life upgrade.
3. Jockie Music (Best for big servers and multiple voice channels)
Jockie Music is the “scale” option. The standout feature is that it can run multiple dedicated music bots that work as one system, which solves a real 2025 Discord problem: different groups want music in different channels at the same time.
What it’s best for
- Large servers with multiple voice channels
- Communities where music happens in parallel (gaming squad, chill room, study room)
What you actually get
- Up to 4 dedicated music bots under the same umbrella, so one channel doesn’t block everyone else
- A big command set and ongoing status visibility (useful when you want to check if it’s the bot or your server acting up)
- Premium-style features exist (like 24/7 behavior), but the core value is the multi-channel setup concept
If your server is growing, Jockie prevents the “music bot traffic jam.” This is the bot I’d choose for community servers, not friend groups.
4. Octave
Octave still exists in 2025, but it needs honest positioning. This is not a cutting-edge music bot anymore. It is a familiar, serviceable option for smaller servers that just want something predictable and easy to understand.
If your server has fewer people, limited voice activity, and no need for advanced controls, Octave does the job without getting in the way.
What it’s best for
- Small friend groups
- Low-traffic servers where music is occasional, not constant
What you actually get
- Basic slash-command playback and queue handling
- Simple setup with minimal configuration
- Features most people recognize from older Discord music bots
Octave’s free tier is more limited than it used to be, and you will notice paywalls if your server grows. It works best when expectations are modest. If you are running an active community, one of the top three options will age better.
5. MEE6 (Best if you already use it for moderation)
MEE6 still appears on music bot lists, but it needs context. In 2025, MEE6 is not a music-first bot. It is a moderation and automation bot that happens to include music features.
If your server already uses MEE6 for moderation, leveling, or announcements, keeping music inside the same bot can feel convenient. If music is the main reason you are installing a bot, MEE6 is usually not the best choice.
What it’s best for
- Servers that already rely on MEE6 for moderation
- Communities that want fewer bots overall
What you actually get
- Basic music playback via slash commands
- Tight integration with existing MEE6 roles and permissions
- Predictable behavior that fits into structured servers
Important limitation
Most of MEE6’s useful music features now sit behind premium plans. Currently, it makes sense only if you are already paying for MEE6 or deeply invested in its ecosystem.
6. Airhorn Solutions (Best for fun, not full music sessions)
Airhorn Solutions is not trying to be a serious music bot, and that is exactly why it still earns a place on this list. It is about sound effects, short clips, and chaotic fun rather than long playlists or background listening.
Think of it as a social tool, not a listening tool.
What it’s best for
- Meme-heavy servers
- Gaming servers that want sound effects during matches or streams
What you actually get
- Quick-trigger sound effects
- Lightweight music and audio clips
- Very little setup compared to full-featured music bots
When not to use it
If your community wants shared listening sessions, queues, or long background music, this is the wrong tool. Airhorn works best when used alongside a proper music bot, not instead of one.
7. DisTube (Best lightweight alternative to big bots)
DisTube has quietly earned its place as a dependable, no-nonsense music bot. It does not try to look fancy or sell itself as an all-in-one solution. It focuses on doing one thing consistently: playing music without any issues and that simplicity is a strength.
What it’s best for
- Small to medium servers
- Communities that want a backup or secondary music bot
What you actually get
- Slash-command based playback
- Stable queues and predictable behavior
- Fewer moving parts than dashboard-heavy bots
Why it ranks here
DisTube works well, but it lacks the polish, scale features, and ecosystem depth of top-tier bots like FredBoat or Hydra. It’s reliable, not ambitious.
8. Earra (Best for clean UI and modern Discord servers)
Earra feels like a music bot built for modern Discord servers rather than legacy command culture. Everything from setup to playback feels intentional and well-integrated with Discord’s current interaction model.
It’s not the most famous bot on this list, but it’s one of the cleaner ones.
What it’s best for
- Servers that care about presentation and clarity
- Communities that want minimal setup friction
What you actually get
- Slash-command-first design
- Clean responses that do not clutter chat
- Active development and maintenance
Earra is polished but less battle-tested at scale. It’s excellent for growing communities, but very large servers may prefer more established bot.
See also: Buy Discord Members
9. Zandercraft (Best for casual listening and gaming servers)
Zandercraft sits somewhere between a utility bot and a fun add-on. Music is not its only feature, but it is one of the reasons people still install it.
This is not a bot for serious listening sessions. It is a bot for casual background music while people hang out or play games.
What it’s best for
- Gaming servers
- Voice channels where music is secondary
What you actually get
- Simple music playback
- Lightweight commands that don’t overwhelm users
- Extra features that make it feel playful rather than technical
Zandercraft is dependable for casual use, but it lacks the depth and control expected from a primary music bot in 2025.
10. Green-bot
Green-bot is a newer-generation Discord music bot that leans heavily into web dashboards and configuration outside Discord chat. That makes it appealing to server owners who prefer clicking settings over typing commands.
What it’s best for
- Server owners who like web-based control
- Communities that want customization without command spam
What you actually get
- Dashboard-driven configuration
- Slash-command playback
- Actively maintained music features
Green-bot is powerful, but its setup can feel excessive for simple servers. It shines when you want control, not when you want speed.
Which Discord Music Bot Should You Choose?
If you don’t want to compare features, use this shortcut.
Quick picks by server type
- Small friend server (5–30 members) → FredBoat
- Medium community with moderators → Hydra
- Large server with multiple voice channels → Jockie Music
- Low-traffic or occasional music → Octave
- Already using a moderation bot → MEE6
- Gaming or meme servers → Airhorn Solutions
- Simple backup or secondary bot → DisTube
- Clean UI, modern interactions → Earra
- Casual background music → Zandercraft
- Dashboard-heavy control preference → Green-bot
That’s it.
One rule that saves time
If your server has more than one active voice channel, skip lightweight bots and go straight to Jockie Music or Hydra.
If music is not central to your community, avoid complex setups entirely.
How to add a Discord Music bot to your Server
Adding a music bot to your Discord server is a relatively simple process. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
Step1: Choose a music bot
There are many music bots available for Discord, such as Fredboat, Hydra, Octave, and more. You can choose any bot that suits your needs.
Step 2: Invite the bot to your server
Once you’ve chosen a bot, you need to invite it to your server. To do this, go to the bot’s website and look for an invite link. Click on the link, and it will redirect you to Discord. From there, select the server you want to invite the bot to and authorize it (as shown in the image below).
Step 3: Set up permissions
After the bot is added to your server, you need to set up the permissions. Go to the server settings, click on the Roles tab, and create a new role for the bot. Then, assign the role to the bot and configure its permissions. Make sure to grant the bot permission to view and connect to voice channels.
Step 4: Configure the bot
Some bots require configuration before they can be used. Follow the bot’s instructions to set up your preferences, such as default music source, volume levels, and other settings.
Step 5: Start playing music
Once the bot is set up, you can start playing music. Use the bot’s commands to search for and play music in your server’s voice channel. Most bots have a command prefix, such as “/” or “$“, followed by the command. For example, to play a song, you could type “/play song name” or “$play song name“. Some of the popular commands for Discord music bots are:
/Applemusic – Plays your favorite track from apple music
/Play – Plays a song in your voice channel
/Spotify – Plays your favorite track from Spotify
/now-playing – Displays the currently playing track
That’s it! With these steps, you can easily add a music bot to your Discord server and start enjoying music with your community.
Are Discord Music Bots Illegal?
Discord music bots illegal? Only if you’re using them to blast out your questionable taste in music at ungodly hours of the night and disturbing your neighbors. But seriously, using a Discord music bot to play copyrighted music without permission or distributing pirated music is definitely not legal.
Most modern Discord music bots do not host or store music. They act as controllers that play links from supported platforms, which is why legality depends on the source and how the bot is used.
Here are the 3 reasons why using a Discord music bot can be considered illegal.
- Copyright infringement – If you use a music bot to play copyrighted music without obtaining the necessary licenses or permissions, this could be considered illegal. Copyright laws vary by country, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the laws in your region.
- Distribution of pirated music – If you use a music bot to distribute pirated music, this could be considered illegal. Distributing pirated music is a violation of copyright laws and can result in legal consequences.
- Violation of Discord’s terms of service – If you use a music bot that violates Discord’s terms of service, this could result in your account being banned or your server being deleted. Discord’s terms of service prohibit the use of bots that engage in spamming, phishing, or other malicious activities.
It’s important to note that most music bots available on Discord are designed to be used with legal music streaming services, such as YouTube or Spotify, and typically do not infringe on copyright laws. However, it’s always a good idea to do your research and ensure that you are using the music bot in a legal and responsible way.
