Best headphones for music
Headphones for music should sound balanced and detailed without tiring your ears over a whole album. Over-ear models give the widest sound; closed backs keep it private and open backs sound more spacious. Wired pairs give the most sound for the money, wireless ones trade a little of it for convenience.
Quick answer The Sony WH-1000XM6 is our top pick, followed by the Sennheiser HDB 630 and Apple AirPods Max 2.
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Top pick
Sony WH-1000XM6
Wireless over-ear with adaptive noise cancelling
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Sennheiser HDB 630
Wireless audiophile headphones with hi-res dongle
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Apple AirPods Max 2
Wireless over-ear with noise cancelling
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Budget pick
Sony WH-CH730N
Wireless over-ear noise cancelling headphones
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Nothing Headphone (a)
Wireless over-ear with adaptive noise cancelling
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)
Wireless over-ear with noise cancelling
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Sony MDR-M1
Closed-back reference monitor headphones
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wired
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Best for
- Studio, Music
- Microphone
- No mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
JBL Tour One M3
Wireless over-ear ANC with Smart Tx
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X
Open-back studio headphones, no amp needed
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wired
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Best for
- Studio, Music
- Microphone
- No mic
- Ear cups
- Open-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Sennheiser HD 800 S
Open-back reference headphones
- Tuned for music
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wired
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Best for
- Studio, Music
- Microphone
- No mic
- Ear cups
- Open-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Compare the top picks
| Model | Fit | Connection | Noise cancelling | Best for | Microphone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Sennheiser HDB 630 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Apple AirPods Max 2 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Sony WH-CH730N | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Nothing Headphone (a) | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Sony MDR-M1 | Over-ear | Wired | No | Studio, Music | No mic |
| JBL Tour One M3 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X | Over-ear | Wired | No | Studio, Music | No mic |
| Sennheiser HD 800 S | Over-ear | Wired | No | Studio, Music | No mic |
What to look for
Pick a sound signature you enjoy
Some headphones aim for a neutral, even sound; others lift the bass or the treble. Neutral suits acoustic, jazz and classical, where you want instruments to sound natural, and a little extra bass suits pop, hip-hop and electronic. Many wireless models have an app with an equaliser, so you can adjust it later.
Over-ear, on-ear or in-ear
Over-ear headphones give the widest sound and are the most comfortable for long listening. On-ear models are smaller but press on your ears. Good in-ear monitors sound remarkably detailed for their size and are the most portable.
Wired still gives the most for the money
At the same price, a wired pair usually sounds better than a wireless one, because none of the budget goes on batteries, Bluetooth chips or noise cancelling. Wireless headphones win on convenience, and the best sound excellent; just check your phone supports a good codec.
How we picked
We compared 292 headphones with real Amazon listings and kept the 186 that meet all of this:
- Tuned for music
Every pick fits, so the order is about what to look at first. Models that independent reviewers recommend come first, the most often recommended at the top. The rest follow, best known and best liked first, with the newest model of a line ahead of older ones. No brand pays to be listed or placed higher. Prices change daily, so we never print one; Amazon shows today's price.
Reviews we drew on
We don't test products ourselves. These published roundups recommend picks on this list:
- uk.pcmag.com The Best On-Ear/Over-Ear Headphones for 2026
- whathifi.com Best over-ear headphones 2026: wired and wireless pairs ...
- soundguys.com The best headphones in 2026: Lab-tested by experts
- soundguys.com Best headphones for music
- engadget.com Best Wireless Headphones For 2026
- techradar.com Our top over-ear headphones of 2026 so far: every pair of cans that blew us away in our tests — including sonic stunners from Sony, Nothing, JBL and more
- whathifi.com Best audiophile headphones 2026: 9 sets for serious music fans fully reviewed by our experts
- nytimes.com The 18 Best Headphones of 2026, According to Our Testing
Questions
Are gaming headphones good for music?
Some are, but many are tuned for footsteps and explosions, with boosted bass and treble that can make music sound unnatural. Headphones made for music usually sound more balanced, and a few gaming models, especially open-back ones, do both well.
Are noise cancelling headphones good for music?
Yes. Blocking outside noise lets you hear more detail at a lower volume, which is easier on your ears. Noise cancelling can colour the sound slightly, so audiophiles listening in a quiet room often prefer wired, passive headphones.
Are IEMs better than headphones for music?
In-ear monitors seal inside your ear canal, so good ones deliver detailed sound and block noise in a tiny package. Over-ear headphones usually sound wider and more spacious, and some people find them more comfortable over hours. It comes down to how and where you listen.
What headphones do musicians use?
In studios, musicians and engineers commonly record on closed-back models such as the Sony MDR-7506 and Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, and mix on open-back models such as the Sennheiser HD 600. On stage, many use in-ear monitors.
Do I need an amp for my headphones?
Most headphones play loud enough from a phone or laptop. High-impedance models, often 250 ohms or more, and some planar magnetic headphones benefit from a headphone amp or a DAC with one built in, to reach a comfortable volume without distortion.
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