A playback apparatus which plays back video or music contents, includes: a playback unit playing back the video or music contents recorded on a recording medium; an output unit outputting the video or music contents played back in the playback unit; and a control unit controlling at least an operation of the playback unit, wherein in the video or music contents, a quick reference mark is set at multiple places, in response to user manipulation, the control unit finds a start of a sequence in accordance with the quick reference mark to control the operation of the playback unit to play back the video or music contents, in response to user manipulation for the quick reference, the control unit varies a priority that expresses a degree served for the quick reference, and for the mark having a low priority, the control unit accepts no user manipulation for quick reference.