If you’re listening to music through Pandora, iHeartRadio, the built-in Music app or just about any other music app, chances are you don’t actually have the music app open and in the foreground. Your phone is probably locked and in your pocket or you’re using another app. But you don’t need to tediously swich back to pause or skip a song.
From the lock screen: double-tap the home button.
With Apple earphones: That microphone on the cord, it’s also a button. One squeeze for play/pause, double squeeze for skip, triple squeeze for skip back. Bonus: squeeze and hold for Siri.
From any other app: double-tap the home button to bring up the recent app list. Swipe the icons from left to right for more buttons hidden to the left. Bonus: swipe again for volume or AirPlay controls for playing your music on AppleTV or AirPort Express.