Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable storage media for detachable media playback. The system can detach individual channels of a media presentation from a first device and transfer them to nearby devices. The method causes a computing device to play media content having multiple channels to a user on a first device, identify a set of media playback devices nearby to the first device, identify playback capabilities and a status for each of the set of nearby devices, match a channel of the media content with at least one of the set of media playback devices and the identified playback capabilities and the status of the set of media playback devices, and transfer the matched channel to the at least one of the set of media playback devices. A central server can transfer the matched channel to other media playback devices.