I recently discovered an app that brings lofi music directly to your Mac’s menu bar without the distraction of browser tabs or heavy music applications. YouTube Lofi Music (confusingly subtitled “RadioGaga” in the App Store) solves the simple problem of wanting ambient background music while you work.
The app comes with seven pre-built music sources, all focused on different flavors of lofi, chillhop, and ambient tracks. I’ve been using it on my M2 MacBook Air for the past week, and it consistently delivers exactly what you’d expect - unobtrusive background music that doesn’t demand your attention. The interface is refreshingly minimal: click the menu bar icon, select a station, and you’re listening.
What sets this apart from just opening YouTube in a browser is the dedicated focus. No recommended videos, no comments, no rabbit holes - just music. The app also allows you to add custom music sources, though I found the default selection covers most moods from jazzy evening tracks to upbeat morning rhythms.
The pinnable radio window is a thoughtful touch for when you want to see what’s playing or quickly switch stations. During my testing, the app used minimal system resources - roughly 50MB of memory and negligible CPU usage. The developer has kept it deliberately simple, which works in its favor.
At $0.99, it’s an affordable solution for anyone who regularly listens to lofi music while working. The app requires macOS 11.0 or later and is rated 17+ due to unrestricted web access for streaming content. While you could achieve similar results with browser bookmarks, having a dedicated menu bar app eliminates the friction of switching between tabs and applications.
The only limitation I’ve noticed is that you can’t see detailed track information - it’s purely a streaming experience. For some users, this simplicity is exactly what they want; others might prefer more control over individual tracks.
