Apple music alternative for pc..

[msankadi]

Cider is an alternative Apple Music client for Windows and Linux - 9to5Mac

Cider is a new open-source Apple Music client for Windows, Linux, and even macOS that replaces iTunes with even more features.

9to5mac.com

iTunes on Windows offers only the basics when it comes to the Apple Music experience. For instance, it lacks time-synced lyrics, something that was added to Apple Music on iOS, macOS, and even Android years ago.

Cider not only brings these features, but also features a modern and customizable interface that looks much better than iTunes. It even has some features that not even the official Apple Music app has, such as the option to follow artists, easy access to your recently played songs, and integration with Apple Podcasts.


Sad thing is apple might block it soon as it seems to go against their policy of providing inferior apps on platforms.

 

[sbg]

....


Sad thing is apple might block it soon as it seems to go against their policy of providing inferior apps on platforms.

I was about to say this too.
for apple, apple and oranges do not mix, or for any kind of cocktail, its detrimental to everyone's health .
( ... that " everyone " is more often than not, apple )

 

[superczar]

I was about to say this too.
for apple, apple and oranges do not mix, or for any kind of cocktail, its detrimental to everyone's health .
( ... that " everyone " is more often than not, apple )

.
The article says its based on musickit API which seems to be an official mechanism to build web/client apps for apple music.

MusicKit - Apple Developer

MusicKit lets users play Apple Music and their local music library natively from your apps and now websites.

developer.apple.com

 

[mbhangui]

Cider is an alternative Apple Music client for Windows and Linux - 9to5Mac

Cider is a new open-source Apple Music client for Windows, Linux, and even macOS that replaces iTunes with even more features.

9to5mac.com

iTunes on Windows offers only the basics when it comes to the Apple Music experience. For instance, it lacks time-synced lyrics, something that was added to Apple Music on iOS, macOS, and even Android years ago.

Cider not only brings these features, but also features a modern and customizable interface that looks much better than iTunes. It even has some features that not even the official Apple Music app has, such as the option to follow artists, easy access to your recently played songs, and integration with Apple Podcasts.


Sad thing is apple might block it soon as it seems to go against their policy of providing inferior apps on platforms.

Apple Music works best only if you have an ipad or iphone. It was a struggle for me to get it working to a decent level on my mbp and mac mini. But even then, it is not bit-perfect on these two apple's own devices (mbp and mac mini). It is below the quality that I get with my tiny raspberry pi. There is this app called 'Audio MIDI setup' that you have to use to set the sample rate at which apple music sends it to DAC. Unfortunately you can only set it to a fixed value on mbp and mac mini. Unless you have an iphone or ipad, forget about windows when apple cannot set it right even on their own devices.

Without this app, you will be left playihg at at 48K (apple's favourite sampling rate).

 

[mbhangui]

There is also jriver media center and I have seen people swear by it. It is a polished producted. I have used it once as a trial version and I was impressed. But it is a paid software. Since I use Cantata and mpd, i felt no use in getting the paid version.

 

[MaSh]

I have Apple music on my windows PC via Itunes and its a breeze. I have not seen any other streamer app that picks up the network and streams the content as seamlessly and reliably. Open iTunes, Airplay to my Digione Signature, Done. I carry on with my other work. Super convenient. However, that said, yes the missing features and no bit streaming may not go down well with most. I am fine with it.

MaSh

 

[msankadi]

I have Apple music on my windows PC via Itunes and its a breeze. I have not seen any other streamer app that picks up the network and streams the content as seamlessly and reliably. Open iTunes, Airplay to my Digione Signature, Done. I carry on with my other work. Super convenient. However, that said, yes the missing features and no bit streaming may not go down well with most. I am fine with it.

MaSh

You're the first person genuinely I have met till now who is praising iTunes!! I myself abhor the software it is one of the worst apps on windows in my experience even though there are hundreds of bad apps on windows . Extremely sluggish hardly functional and chews more ram then even pathetic Google chrome which atleast is functional

 

[mbhangui]

You're the first person genuinely I have met till now who is praising iTunes!! I myself abhor the software it is one of the worst apps on windows in my experience even though there are hundreds of bad apps on windows . Extremely sluggish hardly functional and chews more ram then even pathetic Google chrome which atleast is functional

itunes is now the music app. It doesn't even remember its a$$ from its mouth. You play something today, quit the app. Tomorrow you launch it, it will not remember what the song and position where it left last time. It is forever in drunk mode. It is a PITA using itunes. Spotify is better.

This is what I do when I have a very long playlist
1. Save the playlist
2. I use last.fm to scrobble trackes played on apple music
3. The next day when i open itunes, it will not remember what I played yesterday. So I launch the last.fm scrobbler which tells me which song I played last
4. Then I reload the playlist and again double click the song that the last.fm scrobbler shows.

 

[bobbyndd]

Recently subscribed to apple music to take advantage of the HiRes feature. While I can turn this on in my Phone, (Android) couldn't find this setting on itunes windows 10. About iTunes still one of the worst apps I have used on windows - I think apple is doing it on purpose

 

[mbhangui]

Recently subscribed to apple music to take advantage of the HiRes feature. While I can turn this on in my Phone, (Android) couldn't find this setting on itunes windows 10. About iTunes still one of the worst apps I have used on windows - I think apple is doing it on purpose

They really do this on purpose, just like what Microsoft did when they were big. They refused to follow open standards to make other OS incompatible. Once you become big, you become a bully. Apple even makes their own devices unusable after few years so that you are forced to buy new hardware. e.g. are the macbook pros, mac minis from 2012 can still run the latest OS, but apple makes it impossible to install them. Luckly people are smart and come up with hacks to make them work. I have done this for 2012 Mac Mini and now it is singing and even boots up Monterey in 30-45 seconds.

My linux HTPC from 2006 still runs fine. My linux laptop from 2012 still runs fine and all these past years Linux has never complained that your hardware is too old and installation will not proceed.

 

[Subbu68]

They really do this on purpose, just like what Microsoft did when they were big. They refused to follow open standards to make other OS incompatible. Once you become big, you become a bully. Apple even makes their own devices unusable after few years so that you are forced to buy new hardware. e.g. are the macbook pros, mac minis from 2012 can still run the latest OS, but apple makes it impossible to install them. Luckly people are smart and come up with hacks to make them work. I have done this for 2012 Mac Mini and now it is singing and even boots up Monterey in 30-45 seconds.

My linux HTPC from 2006 still runs fine. My linux laptop from 2012 still runs fine and all these past years Linux has never complained that your hardware is too old and installation will not proceed.

Not to forget Chrome OS.

I had a "brand new" i5 2nd gen 2012 Vaio when I cleaned it up and loaded with Chrome OS during the lockdown. Battery life bumped up to 3-4 hours from barely 45 minutes on Win8. It was as good as my Surface Pro 4 to bootup.

Even for remote access to my desktop at work through the dedicated VPN it was a breeze. Mac Mini used to chug along like a 1960 steam engine when the Vaio used to fly.

 

[bobbyndd]

They really do this on purpose, just like what Microsoft did when they were big. They refused to follow open standards to make other OS incompatible. Once you become big, you become a bully. Apple even makes their own devices unusable after few years so that you are forced to buy new hardware. e.g. are the macbook pros, mac minis from 2012 can still run the latest OS, but apple makes it impossible to install them. Luckly people are smart and come up with hacks to make them work. I have done this for 2012 Mac Mini and now it is singing and even boots up Monterey in 30-45 seconds.

My linux HTPC from 2006 still runs fine. My linux laptop from 2012 still runs fine and all these past years Linux has never complained that your hardware is too old and installation will not proceed.

I have a iPod touch in mint condition but unable to install latest version apps because it needs iOS 13 and my iPod will install only iOS 9

 

[mbhangui]

I have a iPod touch in mint condition but unable to install latest version apps because it needs iOS 13 and my iPod will install only iOS 9

I to0 have one ipad, one airport extreme, 3 airport express, two apple tvs and one ipod laid waste by apple. The airport express still works.

 

[shibashis]

iTunes on Windows have been horrible for ages and the only explanation is it has been kept that way on purpose. Back in the day it was even more painful since you had to manage your iPod classic's library with it...soon enough I am pretty sure we all figured out other ways to accomplice everything that iTunes did.
For Apple Music, the streaming interface is unimaginably bad. Cider is a huge improvement but last time I checked, it still did not offer lossless support. For me the only reason to go with Apple Music over Spotify is that lossless option. It is more relevant now since I am looking more seriously into the headphone game now.

 

[bornfi]

I posted long ago on this site somewhere that if ipv6 is disabled in network settings on Windows, should improve the experience.

I also created a thread on how I run lossless on Windows. I have downloaded Nox player which is an android emulator and on that Apple Music runs lossless.

 

[rivachkasuns]

I recommend trying the following options: Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and Pandora Music.
I use iTunes.