Thankfully, HTML5 has become the standard for multimedia web design. Gone are the days of Flash and Silverlight plugin headaches, as HTML5’s support for audio and video page elements has brought a standard across all platforms—not to mention the benefits of SEO and offline caching.
Another HTML5 advantage is its ease in adapting to different platforms. This makes designing, developing, and deploying custom audio players much easier than in the past—and having it work on desktop, mobile, and various operating systems.
The following 15 best HTML5 audio players on Envato are excellent examples of how advanced these players can be, while at the same time being easy to customize to your own design needs.
1. Audio Waveform Player with Playlist
Audio Waveform Player with Playlist is one of my favorite HTML5 audio players. It borrows some design elements from the SoundCloud player and throws in some additional features that are useful for those hosting their own audio.
This fully responsive and customizable player also includes helpful options like:
- start and end time
- sound download
- playback speed
- social sharing
- playlists
- tooltips
- and much more
A great solution for podcasts, bands, and more, for audio that’s self-hosted on Google Drive, Amazon S3, and even SoundCloud.
With its robust API and available callbacks, you’ll find Audio Waveform Player with Playlist both well designed and powerful.
2. HTML5 Audio Player with Playlist
The HTML5 Audio Player with Playlist is another powerful option.
With a powerful API and unlimited player appearance, you can use this HTML5 audio player in just about any way you can imagine.
Features include:
- supports XML, HTML or Database playlist
- auto create playlists from folders
- sort and drag your playlist items
- mix multiple playlists/songs
- multiple instances support
- Flash fallback
- and much more
In both form and function, this audio player has a lot of options and is a great player for podcasts, SoundCloud, and more.
The HTML5 Audio Player with Playlist may very well be the ultimate responsive HTML5 audio player.
3. MP3 Sticky Player
The greatest thing about the MP3 Sticky Player is that it’s… sticky!
This powerful, responsive, and fully customizable HTML audio player can be easily added to the top or bottom of your webpage, and works perfectly on all major browsers and mobile devices.
Some other important features included are:
- supports Google Drive, Amazon S3, and all services and servers that allow mp3 stream access
- load playlists via XML, HTML, mp3 folder, podcasts, YouTube, or SoundCloud
- also supports mp4 and YouTube videos
- supports mixed playlists
- optional deeplinking
- and much more
You’ll find plenty of options and six different design skins with PSD files included.
The MP3 Sticky Player may be the perfect HTML5 audio player to stick on your website.
4. sPlayer – Super HTML5 Music Player
The sPlayer – Super HTML5 Music Player blurs the line between website and desktop audio players:
“sPlayer is pushing HTML5 to the limit, it’s almost certainly the first HTML5 music player of it’s kind, Making it the most feature-rich JavaScript Audio library.”
Features include:
- multiple playlist support
- radio and live stream
- music genre iconset
- live search
- share links
You can even import local music with ID3 tags and much, much more.
From the web to the desktop, full mobile support, and several different supported audio formats (mp3, ogg, oga, aac, m4a, and mp4), the sPlayer – Super HTML5 Music Player is ready for you to make it your own.
5. All in One Audio and Radio Player
Whether you want to play one song, build a playlist, or stream audio, the All in One Audio and Radio Player is ready for broadcast.
This good looking player supports:
- AAC and AAC+ streaming
- SoundCloud
- Shoutcast
- Icecast
- Spotify
- iTunes
- MP3
- OGG
- Wav
With different themes and powerful API, you can customize this HTML5 audio player into just about any kind of way you can imagine.
Some features include:
- mobile touch friendly and keyboard control support
- background image and CSS gradient support
- powerful API and detailed documentation
- use multiple instances on one page
- and much more
The All in One Audio and Radio Player is an impressive option for HTML5 audio players.
6. Responsive HTML5 Audio Player PRO With Playlist
The Responsive HTML5 Audio Player PRO With Playlist is a solid choice. With its fully customizable interface, you can integrate this audio player perfectly into your website design.
It also comes in a WordPress version.
Some of its top features include:
- download and shuffle options
- social media share
- playlist categories
- search option
- and more
Hook in some Google Analytics tracking and set up the automatic playlist creation based on your folder organization, and you’ll be up and running in no time at all.
For a solid HTML audio player that can be customized to match your own design, take a closer look at the Responsive HTML5 Audio Player PRO With Playlist.
7. ProgressionPlayer – Responsive Audio/Video Player
If you need to include some video along with your audio, you’ll want to use the ProgressionPlayer – Responsive Audio/Video Player. It’s easy to customize, fully responsive, and includes all the basic features you’ll want in an HTML5 audio player.
“Custom Flash and Silverlight players that mimic the HTML5 MediaElement API for older browsers”
Features include:
- unlimited player instances per page
- includes five skins
- audio playlists
- retina support
- and more
The ProgressionPlayer – Responsive Audio/Video Player is perfect for multiple instances on the same page, as players automatically stop playing when other players are activated.
A WordPress version has also been made available.
8. Single jQuery Audio Player (Music and Radio)
With its clean design and unique features, the Single jQuery Audio Player (Music and Radio) is a great solution for live streaming and music artists.
Each player instance can be set up differently using its useful plugin API:
- direct download
- Apple and Amazon music
- edit title, artist name, and artwork image
Some of its other useful features include:
- Shoutcast, Icecast, SoundCloud, and radio/live streaming supported
- supports MP3, OGG, and WAV
- detailed documentation
- touch friendly
- and more
Best of all, it automatically pauses and stops playback when a new player is initiated on the same page.
With its minimal design and powerful API, Single jQuery Audio Player (Music and Radio) is one of the best HTML5 audio players for musicians and live streaming.
9. DS SoundCloud Custom Music Player
If you love SoundCloud, but want to use your own stylized player, you want DS SoundCloud Custom Music Player.
“DS SoundCloud Music Player is a dynamic jQuery plugin designed to allow native audio streaming on websites, using HTML5 and jQuery. It is designed based on SoundCloud technology and can be used as a replacement for SoundCloud embed players.”
Features include:
- lightweight, cloud-based, and no Flash
- auto-fetch data from SoundCloud
- Facebook and Twitter integration
- custom playlist support
- and more
The DS SoundCloud Custom Music Player is a viable alternative to the default SoundCloud player—with a little extra added in.
10. Clean HTML Audio Player with Playlist
Clean and simple.
The Clean HTML Audio Player with Playlist is exactly that.
Self-hosted or broadcast, this player can handle it.
Some other features include:
- supports playlists and multiple instances
- simple HTML init with data attributes
- fully responsive and retina ready
- and more
The Clean HTML Audio Player with Playlist is simple, straightforward, and as the title says, clean.
11. Easy Audio Player
The Easy Audio Player is a solid, well-rounded, basic audio player that can be customized to your liking.
It includes complete API support and is mobile optimized.
Additional features include:
- all buttons are optional, configure as you like
- optional intro animation
- detailed documentation
- four skins with PSD files
- Adobe Flash fallback
- and more
The Easy Audio Player is easy to set up, easy to use, and an easy choice.
12. tPlayer – audio player (with playlist) v1.5
For a well designed, modern looking HTML5 audio player, the tPlayer – audio player (with playlist) v1.5 is one of my top choices.
Its exclusive SVG button, animations, and elastic cover side and seeking slider bring some nice eye-candy to this clean player.
Some of its features include:
- social sharing for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr
- compact mode and hide playlist for cleaner look
- include purchase or download links
- single player and playlist modes
- change color schemes
- and much more
tPlayer – audio player (with playlist) v1.5 is a great looking player, and it’s also available in WordPress.
13. ZoomSounds – Neat HTML5 Audio Player
ZoomSounds – Neat HTML5 Audio Player is a top-selling player for good reason.
With its design leaning towards SoundCloud, it offers several different styles and skins that make it easy to design your player however you like.
Features include:
- SEO friendly
- touch optimized
- streams YouTube audio
- fully responsive with Adobe Flash backup
- supports SoundCloud streams with API key
- and much more
With ZoomSounds – Neat HTML5 Audio Player, your audio has never looked so good.
14. Chameleon HTML5 Audio Player With/Without Playlist
The Chameleon HTML5 Audio Player With/Without Playlist will easily blend into your website with its customizable color scheme and on-screen elements.
Additional features include:
- generate playlists from folders with mp3 files
- supports multiple instances
- 35+ JS options
- mobile friendly
- and more
The Chameleon HTML5 Audio Player With/Without Playlist can also be acquired for WordPress.
15. HTML5 Vinyl-styled Music Player
As someone who loves vinyl records, the HTML5 Vinyl-styled Music Player is easily one of my favorites from this list.
Not only does the record pull out from the album art sleeve, the animated spinning record acts as a scrub wheel.
Brilliant.
Some other features you might also be interested in:
- create playlist or choose random mode
- touch optimized and fully responsive
- change speed, set repeat or random
- loads tags and covers automatically
- and more
The HTML5 Vinyl-styled Music Player is easily the coolest HTML5 audio player you’ll find.
Conclusion
These HTML5 audio players shine in form and function, with a vast majority of them allowing full customization to fit your website design needs. If you’re looking for something different, you can consider making changes to one of the previously mentioned audio players or build your own from scratch.
On Envato Tuts+, you’ll find all kinds of helpful resources to learn HTML5, like HTML5 tutorials, code eBooks, and video code courses. Learn What Is HTML5?, get started with Decoding HTML5, as well as taking advanced HTML5 courses.
What HTML5 audio player features are the most important to you?
