Top 5 Best iTunes Alternatives for Music Playback
Discover the top 5 music players for Mac that replace iTunes for simple and efficient music playback, including Clementine, Swinsian, VOX, Musique, and Audirvana Plus.
If you’re looking to simply play music, iTunes is no longer a necessity. These alternative music players offer streamlined, focused experiences tailored for music lovers.
Once the leading music player on Mac, iTunes has evolved into a bulky application encompassing music, movie purchases, books, and iOS app installations. If you believe a music player should focus solely on music rather than additional media and apps, here are five excellent iTunes alternatives.
1. Clementine
Clementine offers nearly all music-related features that iTunes provides. It supports popular audio formats including MP3, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, and FLAC.
This player is ideal for users with extensive music libraries. Clementine boasts powerful music sorting capabilities, convenient tag editing tools, automatic tag filling, album cover downloads, and lyric search features. Smart playlists with detailed customization are also supported.
Beyond local files, Clementine streams music from cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box. It supports podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Grooveshark, Last.fm, Libre.fm scrobbling, and dozens of internet radio stations. You can even add your own stations.
Compatibility extends to iPhone, iPod, Android devices, and any portable player supporting Mass Storage technology. Music files can be converted or compressed as needed before syncing automatically to the device.
This makes Clementine the most feature-rich player among the options.
Download Clementine →
2. Swinsian
Swinsian may not support as many music services as Clementine, but it excels at managing local music libraries. It supports all popular audio file formats and also handles podcasts and Last.fm scrobbling.
Swinsian is perfect for cataloging your collection, with smart playlist creation and an excellent tag editor. Album cover art is automatically fetched from the internet.
Designed specifically for Mac, Swinsian can convert music for iPod, iPhone, and iPad and supports AirTunes for wireless streaming to your devices. The player costs $19.95 but offers a free trial.
Download Swinsian →
3. VOX
VOX is a popular Mac player featuring a minimalist interface similar to AIMP on Windows, hiding powerful functionality beneath.
It plays local music files, streams from SoundCloud and YouTube audio, and offers access to approximately 30,000 online radio stations. It also supports Last.fm scrobbling.
The paid Loop feature provides unlimited cloud music storage and synchronization with your iPhone. VOX also has an iOS version.
Additional features include an equalizer and iTunes library synchronization. Controls appear conveniently in the system tray. The app is free, with a $19.99 subscription for extra radio stations and charges for Loop cloud storage if used.
Download VOX →
4. Musique
Musique focuses on simplicity and low resource usage. While it doesn't connect to streaming services or sync with music devices, it plays music smoothly.
The player displays artist and album info, downloads cover art, searches lyrics, and supports Last.fm scrobbling. It's a straightforward, user-friendly option.
Download Musique →
5. Audirvana Plus
Audirvana Plus is designed for audiophiles, delivering exceptional sound quality and extensive customization options. Its full potential is best realized with high-end audio equipment.
The player streams from Qobuz, Tidal, and HighResAudio VirtualVault, supports smart playlists, and integrates with the iTunes library. Remote control apps are available for iPhone and iPad. It includes an advanced tag editor and multiple collection display modes.
Priced at $74, the purchase includes three months of free Tidal access and one month of Qobuz usage.
Download Audirvana Plus →
iTunes has evolved beyond a simple music player into a multifunctional media hub. If you want an app that simply plays and organizes music efficiently, one of these alternatives will serve you excellently.
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