When you want to get a piece of good music ready to play, you put it on cue — or is it queue? These two words are confusing. Should you cue the music or queue the music?
When you instruct someone to ‘cue the music,” it means you want him to play some music right that very moment. On the contrary, when you say ‘queue the music,” it means to add that specific music to the lineup of songs in a playlist.
Read on to learn more about the difference between ‘cue the music’ and ‘queue the music.’
‘Cue the Music’ or ‘Queue the Music’ – Which Is It?
When you request someone to ‘cue the music,” it means you want that person to start playing some music as soon as possible. On the other hand, when you say ‘queue the music,” you are requesting someone to add that specific music to the lineup of songs in a playlist.
People often use the terms “cue” and “queue” interchangeably. This is because they are pronounced in the same way and seemingly have similar meanings. But in reality, they are two words with different meanings.
Let’s explore the meaning of the words “cue” and “queue,” as well as the phrases ‘cue the music’ and ‘queue the music.’
Cue the Music
As earlier mentioned, you say “cue” when you want someone to start playing music.
For instance, you are on a dance floor. The last music ends, and suddenly you’re there in the middle of complete silence. You then hear people shout, “Hey, Mr. DJ! Cue the music!” This means that they ask the DJ to start playing some music right that very moment.
Another example is in a concert, and the band has not yet started their performance. For sure, you will hear the concert-goer shout, “Cue the music!” This means that they want the band to start playing their first song.
Queue the Music
“Queue the music,” on the contrary, does not mean one has to start playing particular music immediately. But expect the song to play.
The word “queue” means forming a line or creating a list. So, if you say, “I’m queuing songs,” it can mean you are making a playlist. It means that you are lining up songs for a particular playlist.
Another example is if you are sound tripping with friends and request someone to play “Drivers License” by Oliva Rodrigo. Then, a friend tells you, “It’s on queue.” It means that the song is in the playlist and will eventually play.
Why ‘Cue the Music’ Is More Common Than ‘Queue the Music’
Saying ‘cue the music’ is more common than ‘queue the music’ because the latter does not seem to make any grammatical sense. For instance, concert-goers typically shout ‘cue the music.’ Because they want the concert to start, shouting ‘queue the music’ is inappropriate.
You can say ‘cue the song’ too because you want it to play right that very moment if you are at a party. But if you want it added to a playlist, you don’t say ‘queue the song.’ Instead, you should say, ‘queue up that song’ or ‘add the song to the queue.’
Now, if you are the DJ and you will start playing the song, you can say, “I’m cueing the music.” And if you are adding a piece to a playlist, you can say, “I’m queueing the music.”
Cue vs Queue
We have been figuring out the difference between the phrases ‘cue the music’ and ‘queue the music.’ Let’s also discuss the difference between the terms’ cue’ and ‘queue’:
Cue Meaning
A Noun or Verb
The word cue can be a noun or a verb.
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, cue refers to “a signal to a performer to begin a specific speech or action.” This signal can be a word or a phrase. So, when the stage director says, “That last line is your cue to enter the stage,” it means that the line is your signal. In this context, the term is used as a noun.
Another meaning of ‘cue’ is “something serving a comparable purpose” or “hint.” An example sentence is, “I’ll take that fake cough as my cue to shut up.”
Cue as a Noun
‘Cue’ has several other meanings as a noun. Still, according to Merriam Webster, cue also refers to “a feature indicating the nature of something perceived.” Other definitions include “the part one has to perform in or as if in a play,” “mood,” or “humor.”
Cue as a Verb
As a verb, Merriam Webster states that ‘cue’ means ‘prompt’ as in “cue the band to begin.” Another meaning is “to insert into a continuous performance,” as in “cue in sound effects.”
Suffice to say that if someone asks you to cue the music, it means playing it now.
Again, cue the music or queue the music? Cue the music and queue the music are both grammatically correct phrases. Use cue the music when you’re asking someone to play the music.
Queue Meaning
The queue can also be either a noun or a verb.
Queue as a Noun
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “a line of people who are waiting for something.” To use it in a sentence, you can say, “We were asked to form a queue at the ticket window” or “We were asked to wait in a queue.”
“A series of instructions that are stored in a computer so that they can be processed later” is another definition given by Merriam Webster. An example sentence is, “There are four jobs left in the printer queue.”
However, these two definitions are for ‘queue’ as a noun. So, how about ‘queue’ as a verb?
Cue as a Verb
As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ‘queue’ as an act “to arrange or form in a queue.” It is also defined as “to line up or to wait in a queue” – in which case, it can be used with the word ‘up’ as in ‘queue up.’
Confusion Between Cue and Queue
‘Cue the music’ and ‘Queue the music’ are grammatically correct. But it all depends on your sentence’s context or the message you want to convey.
People are often confused between ‘cue’ and ‘queue’ because they are pronounced similarly. In essence, we say ‘cue the music’ more often than we write it. This causes us to forget how it is properly spelled unintentionally.
At the same time, people typically type it as ‘cue’ even if they mean to say ‘queue.’ This is because the former is easier to spell than the latter.
We often see the word ‘queue’ in apps like Spotify or Apple Music. When you see this word in these apps, it means you are making a lineup of songs for a particular playlist. This can be used as our cue to know the difference between these two words.
Cue Vs Queue – Do Their Differences Matter?
Is it essential to know the difference between the words ‘cue’ and ‘queue’?
Indeed, many people will probably not notice if you say the words correctly or not. But in case you need to write them down, it pays to know the difference. Maybe, it’s not much of a big deal if you use the words in an informal setting. But if you have to use the words in school or at work, you must use them correctly.
Our smartphones have an autocorrect feature. MS Word or Google Docs have Spelling and Grammar Checks. But these features do not always catch the inappropriate use of ‘cue’ and ‘queue.’ Human intervention is still needed in this aspect. And the only means to correctly distinguish the difference between these two words is to understand their meanings truly.
Conclusion – ‘Cue the Music’ or ‘Queue the Music’ – Which Is It?
When you request someone to ‘cue the music,” it means you want that person to start playing some music as soon as possible. On the other hand, when you say ‘queue the music,” you are requesting someone to add that specific music to the lineup of songs in a playlist.
Suffice to say that these phrases are both correct, but it all depends on the setting. If you are at a party and the music suddenly stops, you can shout, “Cue the music!” This means that you want someone to play a song at that very moment.
If you request a specific song, you will probably hear the DJ say, “I’m queueing that song.” This means that he is adding your requested song to his playlist, eventually playing it.
Another setting is if you are sound tripping with your friends. If you want a specific song to be added to the playlist, you then say, “Queue up the song.” And if your friend says, “I’m cueing it now,” it means that your requested song will be played now.
While you can’t tell the difference through verbal communication, writing the phrases down is a different case. In an informal setting, the difference may not be important. But if you are using these phrases in school or at work, you have to know their differences.