Simplest way to play mp3 from Visual C++

Question

A few years back, I wrote some util library around DShow/DSound to let me play MP3s in a Windows C++ application. Is that still the normal way to do it in a C++/MFC app, or

Answer 1

Youc could use MCI windows functions, https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms709626

It can play many of audio file formats including MP3, WAV, MIDI etc.

If I recall correctly it does not require DirectX.

The PlaySound function might also work for you.