Cross-platform Spotify alternatives?

I'm looking for a FOSS alternative to Spotify, preferably one that works across Android, MacOS, and Windows.

Does anything like that exist?

  • On Android, I'm using ViMusic. Works great!
  • On MacOS, I've tried nuclear and Spotube. Neither seems to work great.
  • Haven't tried anything on Windows yet.

Suggestions appreciated. Thanks lemmy!

15 points · 11 comments · view on lemmy.world

11 Comments

hsl@wayfarershaven.eu · 8 pts · 3y (3 replies)

The problem is that music isn't generally FOSS - people would like to be paid for their work. So the next best thing is to set up your own music service where you can add your own music.

Here's a good discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/rdxbxp/is_there_any_spotifylike_selfhosted_music/

PunkBoysDontCry@feddit.de · 4 pts · 3y

Here is a libreddit link: https://libreddit.de/r/selfhosted/comments/rdxbxp/is_there_any_spotifylike_selfhosted_music/

Please don't use direct links to reddit.

Krusty@feddit.it · 2 pts · 3y (1 reply)

FOSS doesn't mean that you can't be paid for it...

hsl@wayfarershaven.eu · 3 pts · 3y

That's true. However, FOSS usually means that it's free (F) and open-source (OS). Music isn't usually open source - they don't usually share the sheet music or allow free editing/covering/forking of the music. So the worlds don't completely mesh. You can look at a FOSS solution for managing music, but you won't find a ton of FOSS music.

jasper@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 3y

There is the fediverse music platform alternative called funkwhale, although it is closer to soundcloud than spotify. https://funkwhale.audio/

Nuuskis@sopuli.xyz · 4 pts · 3y

There's an app called BlackHole, but the music library it provides is very small and oriented in music from India.

prashanthvsdvn@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Not sure about android but Psst is a rust based Spotify client that compiles nicely for Linux, Mac and Windows.

mulcahey@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 3y (1 reply)

That's an interesting project! But it looks like it requires a Spotify Premium account. So is it just Spotify in a different skin?

prashanthvsdvn@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 3y

Yeah Spotify exposes their API only for premium customers. Calling the project as a different skin is undermining them. The entire project was done to access Spotify without the messy bloat of electron. If you didn’t know electron, it’s just a chrome instance running in background masquerading as different app.

Alternatively if you have the music with you, you can Selfhost a music server and stream from that, making it your own personal Spotify, in a manner.

helpmeDanaScully@zerobytes.monster · 1 pts · 3y

Are you looking for a streaming service or a music server?

robotPerson@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y

I don't have much experience with FOSS alternatives for Spotify because I rarely use the service, but maybe you could find what you're looking for in this list from alternativeto.net ?!