Clementine Music PlayerLinux
vs
Apple MusicWindows
Clementine Music Player as a Linux alternative to Apple Music
Updated
Our verdict
Clementine can replace Apple Music for users who mainly want a local music player with internet‑radio support and basic cloud storage integration. It handles local files, playlists, and offers a decent set of visualisations and tag editing tools. However, it does not provide Apple Music's subscription streaming catalogue, iCloud library sync, or the integrated radio/podcast experience that Apple Music users expect. If you are comfortable using a separate service for Apple Music streaming or don't need that catalog, Clementine is a solid free, open‑source choice.
- License
- GPL-3.0+
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 1.4.0rc2 (April 23, 2020)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Play local music files and organise them into playlists
- Support internet radio streams
- Display album art, lyrics and artist info
- Provide desktop notifications
What is different
- No native Apple Music streaming or iCloud library sync
- No integrated podcast library from Apple
- Lacks the curated radio stations and Beats 1 equivalent
- No DRM support for Apple‑purchased tracks
Opening your Apple Music files
Clementine can open any standard audio file (MP3, OGG, FLAC, AAC, etc.) that you might have downloaded from Apple Music, but it cannot play files protected by Apple’s DRM. Exporting Apple Music playlists is possible by exporting them to a common format (e.g., M3U) from the Apple client and then importing that file into Clementine.
Switching from Apple Music to Clementine Music Player, step by step
- Export your Apple Music playlists as M3U or XSPF files.
- Copy your local music files to a folder accessible from Linux.
- Install Clementine via your distribution’s package manager or Flathub.
- Import the exported playlist files in Clementine (Library → Import).
- Point Clementine to the folder with your music files and let it scan.
- Configure any cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive) if you use it.
Key features of Clementine Music Player
- Search and play local library
- Internet radio from Spotify, Soundcloud, Icecast, Subsonic
- Cloud integration (Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
- Smart and dynamic playlists
- Tag editing and transcode to MP3/Ogg/FLAC/AAC
- Lyrics, album art, and visualisations
- M3U/XSPF/PLS/ASX import/export
- Remote control via MPRIS or Android
How to install Clementine Music Player on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.clementine_player.ClementineFrequently asked questions
Can Clementine play songs from my Apple Music subscription?
No. Clementine does not support Apple Music’s streaming service or its DRM‑protected tracks.
Will my existing playlists transfer automatically?
Export them from the Apple client as M3U/XSPF and import those files into Clementine; the track order will be preserved.
Is there a way to listen to Apple‑hosted radio or podcasts in Clementine?
Clementine can discover and play many public internet radio streams and podcasts, but it cannot access Apple‑specific radio stations or the Apple Podcasts catalogue.
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