Minecraft 1.21.6 Snapshot 25w20a – Music Update & Saddle Crafting Arrive

The Minecraft 1.21.6 Snapshot 25w20a introduces a major audio expansion, long-awaited saddle crafting, and several important technical and visual enhancements in preparation for the full 1.21.6 release. This snapshot adds a new music disc, five ambient biome-specific soundtracks, an updated title screen panorama, and new gameplay mechanics like shearing saddles off mobs. It also marks the final snapshot before the second major Minecraft update of 2025.

Music takes center stage in this release, with compositions by Amos Roddy, now officially featured across in-game biomes and the menu screen. Additionally, quality-of-life improvements such as music frequency controls, music toasts, and fog adjustments enhance both immersion and atmosphere.

Features:

New Music Content

• New Disc: “Tears” by Amos Roddy
  • Dropped when a Ghast is killed by its own reflected fireball
  • Plays in jukebox with a comparator output (standard behavior)
  • Also available on Spotify & YouTube
• New Background Tracks by Amos Roddy
  • Below and Above – Cherry Groves
  • Broken Clocks – Forest
  • Fireflies – Desert
  • Lilypad – Grove & Frozen Peaks
  • O’s Piano – Lush Caves
  • These also play on the title screen
• Music Settings
  • Music Frequency: Adjust how often music plays: Constant, Frequent, or Default
  • Music Toasts: Shows track title and composer when a song starts
  • Music now plays even when paused

Saddle Crafting & Item Interactions

• New Saddle Recipe
  • Saddles can now be crafted, removing the dependency on loot
• Shearing System Updated
  • Saddles, horse armor, carpets, and harnesses can be removed using shears
  • Exceptions: mobs currently being ridden, crouching players, Ravagers
  • Shears in dispensers cannot perform these actions
• Saddle Loot Table Adjustments
  • Saddles are no longer found in dungeons, temples, or ancient cities
  • Replaced with 1–5 leather items

Visual & Interface Enhancements

• Updated Title Screen Panorama for Minecraft 1.21.6
• Fog Effects now apply to:
  • 3D HUD elements (hands, held items)
  • Rain/storms are less foggy, especially indoors
  • Block-breaking overlay
• Withered Ghasts no longer take damage from flowing water
• New Title Screen Messages:
  • “Music by Aaron Cherof!”
  • “Music by Kumi Tanioka!”
  • “Music by Amos Roddy!”
  • “Flint and Steel!”
  • “Chicken Jockey!”

Technical Changes

• Ghast Updates:
  • Introduced flying_speed attribute for ghasts
  • Saddle model on Happy Ghasts now updates when leash breaks (MC-296836)
• Dialog System:
  • Added simple dialog box display via minecraft:dialog
  • Added custom click_event actions to text components
  • Players are now prompted to confirm commands when triggered via books or chat if permission checks fail
• Pack Format Updates:
  • Data Pack version: 77
  • Resource Pack version: 61
  • New sprite files: icon/music_notes and toast/now_playing
• New Equippable Item Components:
  • can_be_sheared, shearing_sound

Screenshots:

Menu Panorama

New Soundtrack

Tears Record Disc

Music Changes

General Changes

Faster Ghasts

Dialogs

Craftable Saddles

Shearables

Requires:

Java

Java Runtime Environment

How to install:

• Please visit the following link for full instructions: How To Download & Install Minecraft Snapshots

Why use Minecraft 1.21.6 Snapshot 25w20a?

This snapshot is a must-play for anyone excited about new music, creative quality-of-life changes, and Redstone-friendly mechanics. The return of player-controlled saddle crafting, paired with atmospheric upgrades like biome-specific music and fog-aware rendering, makes this snapshot a key step in Minecraft’s evolving world.

• Introduces immersive soundtrack expansion by acclaimed composers
• Adds craftable saddles, removing RNG dependency
• Improves fog interaction with visuals for enhanced realism
• Expands technical customization for mapmakers and server owners
• Prepares Minecraft for a major 2025 update milestone