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iTunes Search API

Free Apple iTunes Search API with no key: search songs, albums, artists, apps, podcasts and books with artwork and preview URLs. Tested curl example.

No API key requiredCORS enabledHTTPSFree tier

Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 2026-08-19

What is the iTunes Search API?

The iTunes Search API is a free Apple API requiring no key. It searches the entire iTunes catalogue — music, apps, podcasts, films and books — returning metadata, high-resolution artwork and 30-second audio previews.

This is a first-party Apple API that has been free and key-free for well over a decade, which makes it unusually dependable among free music APIs. It covers far more than music: apps, podcasts, films, TV and books are all searchable through the same endpoint.

Two details make it especially useful. Every result includes a 30-second preview URL you can play directly, and artwork URLs follow a size convention you can edit — swapping `100x100` for `600x600` in the URL returns the larger image without another request.

Quick facts

Base URL
https://itunes.apple.com
Authentication
No key required.
Rate limit
Approximately 20 requests per minute per IP.
Pricing
Free. Intended for use in connection with Apple's affiliate and partner programmes.
CORS
Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript
Official docs
Read the docs

How to use the iTunes Search API

Every request below was executed against the live API on 2026-08-19, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.

1. Search the iTunes catalogue

GET https://itunes.apple.com/search?term=beatles&limit=1

curl
curl 'https://itunes.apple.com/search?term=beatles&limit=1'
JavaScript (fetch)
const res = await fetch("https://itunes.apple.com/search?term=beatles&limit=1");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);
Python (requests)
import requests

res = requests.get("https://itunes.apple.com/search?term=beatles&limit=1", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json())
Response — HTTP 200 (truncated)
{
  "resultCount": 1,
  "results": [
    {
      "wrapperType": "audiobook",
      "artistId": 2037074,
      "collectionId": 1646008816,
      "artistName": "Hunter Davies",
      "collectionName": "The Beatles",
      "collectionCensoredName": "The Beatles",
      "artistViewUrl": "https://books.apple.com/us/author/hunter-davies/id2037074?uo=4",
      "collectionViewUrl": "https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-beatles/id1646008816?uo=4",
      "artworkUrl60": "https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music122/v4/a9/d4/1d/a9d41dc7-12e1-c377-71fe-019d4d5116d2/2350-square.jpg/60x60bb.jpg",
      "artworkUrl100": "https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music122/v4/a9/d4/1d/a9d41dc7-12e1-c377-71fe-019d4d5116d2/2350-square.jpg/100x100bb.jpg",
      "collectionPrice": 19.99,
      "collectionExplicitness": "cleaned",
      "trackCount": 1,
      "copyright": "© 1998 by Blackstone Audio, Inc.",
      "country": "USA",
      "currency": "USD",
      "releaseDate": "2010-03-18T07:00:00Z",
      "primaryGenreName": "Biographies & Memoirs",
      "previewUrl": "https://audio-ssl.itunes.apple.com/itunes-assets/AudioPreview122/v4/cb/e1/0e/cbe10e4c-f201-18ef-55d5-069c6b4fcca1/mzaf_14191771216598309057.std.aac.p.m4a",
      "description": "This worldwide bestseller is the biography that defined a band—and an era.<br /><br />As the friend and only authorized biographer of the most famous musical group in history, Davies had full access to the Beatles—including their family, friends, and colleauges—as well as their help and encouragement in writing this biography. He spent eighteen mo

Parameters

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
termstringRequiredSearch query. URL-encode spaces. beatles
mediastringOptionalmusic, movie, podcast, software, ebook or all. music
entitystringOptionalResult type such as song, album, musicArtist or podcast. song
limitintegerOptionalNumber of results, 1 to 200. Defaults to 50. 10
countrystringOptionalTwo-letter store country code. US

Response fields

resultCountinteger
Number of results returned.
results[].trackName / artistNamestring
Track and artist names.
results[].collectionNamestring
Album or collection name.
results[].artworkUrl100string
100x100 artwork — edit the size in the URL for larger versions.
results[].previewUrlstring
30-second audio preview, directly playable.
results[].trackViewUrlstring
Link to the item in the iTunes store.

What you can build with the iTunes Search API

  • Build a music search interface with artwork and audio previews
  • Look up podcast metadata and RSS feed URLs
  • Fetch app metadata and icons for an app directory
  • Enrich a media library with official artwork

Common errors and how to fix them

403 or empty results

Rate limit of roughly 20 requests/minute exceeded.

Fix: Debounce search-as-you-type by at least 300ms and cache repeated queries.

Low-resolution artwork

artworkUrl100 is only 100x100.

Fix: Replace `100x100` with `600x600` in the URL string — larger sizes are served from the same path.

Missing previewUrl

Not every item has a preview.

Fix: Null-check before wiring up an audio player.

iTunes Search API — frequently asked questions

Does the iTunes Search API need an API key?

No. It is free and key-free, and has been for over a decade, making it one of the most dependable free music APIs available.

How do I get higher resolution album artwork?

Edit the artwork URL directly — replace `100x100` with `600x600` (or larger). Apple serves multiple sizes from the same path, so no extra request is needed.

Can I search podcasts and apps too?

Yes. Set `media` to podcast, software, movie, ebook or all. The same endpoint covers Apple's entire catalogue, not just music.

What is the rate limit?

Roughly 20 requests per minute per IP. Debounce search-as-you-type inputs and cache repeat queries to stay within it.

Tools that pair with this API

JSON Formatter

Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.

URL Encoder

Percent-encode text for URLs instantly. Switch between encodeURIComponent and encodeURI modes, see live output and copy the result. Free URL encoder.

iTunes Search is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 2026-08-19; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.