Computers have been a popular medium for playing music for decades. Most computers are not silent and may therefore be discounted as an ideal platform for audiophiles. Nevertheless, for the vast majority of music listeners, fan noise is a minor annoyance. The benefits offered by computers cannot be ignored allowing music lovers to enjoy music without needing a standalone music player. The ability to play a wide range of formats, manage large music collections, and access a huge raft of music available over the internet are just a few examples of the benefits offered by audio players.
There is an extensive amount of free audio software available on the Linux platform which is both mature and sophisticated. Linux has many audio tools which offer enhanced functionality and integration with internet music services. With most desktop environments having several audio players, together with cross-platform applications, integrated media players, there is a plethora of audio players to choose from. Like many types of software, the selection of a favorite audio player is, to some extent, dependent on personal preferences. Nevertheless, we are confident that the applications featured in this article represent the most appealing audio players.
Now, let’s explore the 9 audio players. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, a screenshot of the software in action, together with links to relevant resources and reviews.
| Audio Players | |
|---|---|
| Banshee | Music management and playback software for GNOME |
| Amarok | KDE audio player offering a wealth of features, yet intuitive to use |
| exfm | Powerful browser extension to discover new music and share it with friends |
| Rhythmbox | Integrated music management application, originally inspired by Apple's iTunes |
| Tomahawk | Creates a universal translation layer |
| Clementine | Modern music player and library organiser. Port of Amarok |
| Bangarang | Multimedia player with a lightweight interface for KDE |
| Nightingale | Beautiful interface with a wide range of supported audio formats |
| Exaile | Music player aiming to be similar to KDE's Amarok, but for GTK+ |
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