How to play mp3 audio from URL in ios swift

I tried the following:-

let urlstring = "http://radio.spainmedia.es/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/tailtoddle_lo4.mp3"
let url = NSURL(string: urlstring)
print("the url = \(url!)")
downloadFileFromURL(url!)

Add the below methods:-

func downloadFileFromURL(url:NSURL){

    var downloadTask:NSURLSessionDownloadTask
    downloadTask = NSURLSession.sharedSession().downloadTaskWithURL(url, completionHandler: { [weak self](URL, response, error) -> Void in
        self?.play(URL)
    })
    downloadTask.resume()
}

And your play method as it is:-

func play(url:NSURL) {
    print("playing \(url)")
    do {
        self.player = try AVAudioPlayer(contentsOfURL: url)
        player.prepareToPlay()
        player.volume = 1.0
        player.play()
    } catch let error as NSError {
        //self.player = nil
        print(error.localizedDescription)
    } catch {
        print("AVAudioPlayer init failed")
    }
}

Download the mp3 file and then try to play it, somehow AVAudioPlayer does not download your mp3 file for you. I am able to download the audio file and player plays it.

Remember to add this in your info.plist since you are loading from a http source and you need the below to be set for iOS 9+

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>NSAllowsArbitraryLoads</key>
    <true/>
</dict>
</plist>

Use AVPlayer instead of AVAudioPlayer to play remote content. As per documentation AVAudioPlayer needs mp3 file to play Audio. AVAudioPlayer not provide support for streaming.

Try this code , its working fine for me

func play(url:NSURL) {
    print("playing \(url)")

    do {

        let playerItem = AVPlayerItem(URL: url)

        self.player = try AVPlayer(playerItem:playerItem)
        player!.volume = 1.0
        player!.play()
    } catch let error as NSError {
        self.player = nil
        print(error.localizedDescription)
    } catch {
        print("AVAudioPlayer init failed")
    }
}

Please keep in mind to set App Transport Security(ATS) in info.plist file.

<key>NSAppTransportSecurity</key>
    <dict>
        <key>NSAllowsArbitraryLoads</key>
        <true/>
    </dict>