These two phrases mays sound very similar but they in fact mean very different things. “Cue the music” is the one that is used the most, and it means that a piece of music is about to be played or it’s also used when someone is directing a musician and it’s about time to play.
On the other hand, “Queue the music” is not that common, that is because this phrase is actually mistaken with the first one we talked about since queue and cue are pronounced the same way. But there is a big difference, so while it may be a short one, let’s look at the difference between these two phrases.
What Does “Cue the Music” Mean?
This phrase comes from the cue, which means to signal the start of something, a music piece, or part. This word is closely associated with various forms of art and entertainment, so it makes sense it’s also related to music in some way.
The phrase is used as a way to tell someone to start playing, so it is as simple as a signal, and it’s used in theater as well as music, so the next time you hear this, you’ll know something is about to begin.
What Does “Queue the Music” Mean?
On the other hand, this would mean setting up a queue or a line of music, for example, this would be used in a context where you can set up a playlist or a specific order, that way you can tell someone to “queue the music”. so it plays afterward in the order that you want.
Still, it’s not very common to use this phrase, even though it’s also correct.
Conclusion
This might not have been a long one but, a lot of people often make small mistakes within reason, since “cue” and “queue” could be easily mistaken if not read.
Still, you can use both phrases as long as you do it in the right context!
Also, you might hear “queue the music” quite a bit more in the UK, mostly due to the fact that queue means a line, so it’s just a matter of habit