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-=[ Desktop Streaming Radio Players ]=-
By Michael Walden - Created: 2023-12-16 - Updated: 2023-12-16
Introduction
------------
Around September of 2001 I was able to get broadband Internet for my computer.
Shortly thereafter I discovered Internet streaming radio stations via WINAMP
2.x on Windows. Over the following years I would see stations recommending the
use of various streaming radio players, other than WINAMP, to access their
station. Different stations had different recommendations for the programs to
use. So, I began taking notes on the programs I saw recommended, even ones for
other OSs in case I would want to help out someone on another OS get online
with streaming radio stations.
The following lists are the result of my collecting these program names and
links from the radio stations and some from other sources.
It should be noted that today's web browsers (such as Firefox, Chrome, etc.)
can be used to listen to streaming radio stations that use http:// or https://
protocols to broadcast their stream. But, also take note that there is one
aspect of streaming through a web browser that, at least for me, is a deal
breaker. No user interface other than a volume control, a play / pause
button, and elapsed time display. The streams will play but there is no
stream name, no artist name and no song name. I need to see the artist name
and song name when listening to new music that I like and would want to
checkout further on the Internet. Without that information being displayed it
is not possible to do so. That burns me up!
Some of the programs listed here have a record button, an equalizer, a balance
control, favorite radio station links, and possibly other features not in web
browsers (e.g. support for protocols other than http:// or https:// ).
So, that explains why you would want to use one of the programs listed here
over just using your web browser.
For completeness sake, I should also mention that many streaming radio stations
offer web pages that have embedded streaming radio players on them. Many of
these embedded streaming radio players offer the missing features I mentioned
above enabling one to get by without installing a player program from this web
page. Even so, I still prefer to use a streaming radio player program since it
offers a consistent user interface and consistent set of features across all
streaming radio stations that I listen to. This is a personal preference, so
you decide if it is your preference as well.
Using the Lists
---------------
There are four different lists below, each being specific to the OS that the
listed programs support. The first list, "Universal," lists programs that are
available for all three OSs covered in the other lists below. These programs
are good for someone that uses multiple computers having different OSs on them.
These programs allow you to have a consistent user interface across the
different computers you use. "Windows," "macOS," and "Linux" are the names of
the other three lists.
Each list is made up of a 16 character program name, a three character status
flag, the URL for the program, possibly some notes in parentheses, and possibly
an alternate link for a portable version of the program. The status flag
indicates that I have confirmed that the program does indeed allow for the
playing of streaming radio stations. It is possible that a program may only
play media files and not streams because I did get some programs from sources
that may have been incorrect in saying that the program plays streaming radio
stations.
Status flags:
(S) = Verified to be a streaming radio player by Wikipedia articles. [†]
(o) = Verified to be a streaming radio player by other sources. (such as by
information on the web page for the program, or in a Wikipedia article
for the program)
= (No status flag) Not verified to be a streaming radio player.
The programs in the following lists are not listed in any particular order.
They are mostly listed in the order they were found in. (i.e. oldest finds at
the top, newest finds at the bottom.)
If you have any corrections or additions, please let me know in an email and I
will consider including them on this page. My email address can be found by
going to my contact Michael Walden page.
Disclaimer
----------
I have not tested all of these players. Use them at your own risk. In no
event will we be liable for any loss or damage, including without limitation,
indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever
arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the
use of this website.
The Lists
---------
Universal (for Windows, macOS, Linux, and possibly others)
----------------------------------------------------------
VLC Media Player (S) https://www.VideoLan.org/vlc/ (killall -9 vlc) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable (Portable only for Windows)
Amarok (S) https://Amarok.KDE.org
Audacious (S) https://Audacious-Media-Player.org (Poland) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/audacious-portable (Portable only for Windows)
XMMS2 https://GitHub.com/xmms2/wiki/wiki (was at https://XMMS2.org )
Kodi (S) https://Kodi.TV (formerly XBMC http://XBMC.org )
Clementine (o) https://www.Clementine-Player.org (forked from Amarok 1.4)
Strawberry (o) https://StrawberryMusicPlayer.org (updated Clementine fork by Jonas Kvinge https://GitHub.com/jonaski )
" (o) https://GitHub.com/strawberrymusicplayer/strawberry
Banshee https://GitLab.gnome.org/Archive/banshee (was at http://Banshee.FM )
RealPlayer (S) https://www.Real.com
MPlayer (S) https://MPlayerHQ.hu/design7/dload.html
SMPlayer (o) https://www.SMPlayer.info (Spain?) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/smplayer_portable (Portable only for Windows)
DeaDBeeF (o) https://DeaDBeeF.SourceForge.io (Oleksiy Yakovenko)
" (o) https://DeaDBeeF.SF.net
mpv (S) https://mpv.io
musikcube (S) https://musikcube.com
" (S) https://GitHub.com/clangen/musikcube
mpg123 https://mpg123.org (Michael Hipp and Thomas Orgis - Germany)
" https://mpg123.de
" https://SourceForge.net/projects/mpg123/files/
Exaile (o) https://www.Exaile.org (Adam Olsen - USA)
JRiver Media Ctr (S) https://JRiver.com (Minneapolis, MN USA) ($$)
HQPlayer (o) https://www.Signalyst.com/consumer.html
ffplay (S) https://FFmpeg.org
Apprentice Video (S) https://SourceForge.net/projects/apprenticevideo
Quod Libet (o) https://QuodLibet.ReadTheDocs.io/en
(21 Programs)
Windows
-------
Winamp (S) https://Winamp.com/downloads/ (Belgium)
foobar2000 (S) https://www.foobar2000.org (Piotr Pawlowski - Poland)
XMPlay (o) https://Un4seen.com/xmplay.html (England) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/xmplay_portable
" (o) https://Support.XMPlay.com "
AIMP (S) https://AIMP.ru (Artem Izmaylov - Russia) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/aimp-portable
CoolPlayer (o) https://CoolPlayer.SourceForge.net https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/coolplayerp_portable
MPC-HC (S) https://MPC-HC.org (Netherlands) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/mpc-hc-portable
" (S) https://GitHub.com/clsid2/mpc-hc (clsid2)
MPC-BE (S) https://MPC-BE.org/forum/ https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/mpc-be-portable
" (S) https://GitHub.com/Aleksoid1978/MPC-BE/releases
" (S) https://SourceForge.net/projects/mpcbe
Qmmp https://Qmmp.YLSoftware.com (Russia) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/qmmp-portable
1by1 (o) https://MPesch3.de/1by1.html (Martin Pesch - Germany)
Xion Audio Playr (o) https://www.XionPlayer.com (Cliff Cawley)
GOM Player (S) https://www.GOMLab.com/gomplayer-media-player (Korea)
GOM Player Plus (S) https://www.GOMLab.com/gomplayerplus-media-player (Korea) ($$)
PotPlayer (S) https://PotPlayer.Daum.net (Korea) https://PortableApps.com/apps/music_video/potplayer-portable
" (S) https://CodecPack.co/download/PotPlayer.html (Portable)
KMPlayer (S) https://www.KMPlayer.com (Korea) (Adware-supported media player)
VUPlayer (o) http://www.VUPlayer.com/vuplayer.php (James Chapman)
" (o) https://GitHub.com/jfchapman/VUPlayer/releases/latest
" (o) https://CodecPack.co/download/VUPlayer.html (Portable)
ALLPlayer (S) https://ALLPlayer.org
iTunes (S) https://www.Apple.com/itunes (USA) (Apple)
Win Media Player (S) https://Microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer (USA) (Microsoft)
MusicBee (S) https://GetMusicBee.com (Steven Mayall - Cambridge, GB)
Winyl (o) https://Winyl-Player.GitHub.io (Alexander Krasnihin - Moscow, Russia)
Zoom Player (o) https://Inmatrix.com/zplayer (Haifa, ISRAEL) (Free/$$)
MediaMonkey (S) https://www.MediaMonkey.com (Russell Samuels - Quebec, CA) (Free/$$)
Resonic Player https://Resonic.at/player (Free/$$)
MediaPortal (S) https://www.Team-MediaPortal.com (forked from XBMC (now Kodi))
NetRadio (o) https://www.Ophthalmostar.de/freeware/#netradio (Wilhelm Happe - Germany) (64-bit Windows)
" (o) https://CodecPack.co/download/NetRadio.html
Mpxplay (o) https://Mpxplay.SourceForge.net
Mpxplay-MMC (o) https://Mpxplay.SourceForge.net
(27 Programs)
macOS
-----
GOM Player (S) https://www.GOMLab.com/gomplayer-media-player (Korea)
iTunes (S) https://www.Apple.com/itunes (Apple - USA)
foobar2000 (S) https://www.foobar2000.org/mac (Piotr Pawlowski - Poland)
(3 Programs)
Linux
-----
XMMS (S) https://XMMS.org/download.php (Mikael and Peter Alm)
AIMP (S) https://AIMP.ru (Artem Izmaylov - Russia)
Qmmp https://Qmmp.YLSoftware.com (Russia)
ogg123 http://Vorbis.com (ogg123 is part of the vorbis-tools package)
" https://Xiph.org/vorbis
GNOME Videos (S) https://Wiki.Gnome.org/Apps/Videos
Rhythmbox (S) https://Wiki.Gnome.org/Apps/Rhythmbox
Celluloid https://Celluloid-Player.GitHub.io
cmus (S) https://cmus.GitHub.io
gmusicbrowser https://gmusicbrowser.org (Quentin Sculo) (Plans : web-radios (Does not do streaming yet))
Sayonara Player (S) https://Sayonara-Player.com (Michael Lugmair)
Guayadeque (o) https://www.Guayadeque.org
xine (S) https://xine-project.org
" (S) https://xine.SourceForge.net
" (S) https://sourceforge.net/projects/xine/
pyradio (o) https://www.Coderholic.com/pyradio
" (o) https://GitHub.com/coderholic/pyradio
Radio Tray (o) https://RadioTray.SourceForge.net
" (o) https://GitHub.com/lubosz/radiotray
(14 Programs)
(65 Total Programs (including duplicates (e.g. iTunes) on different OSs))
[†] More info on streaming audio and video players can be found here:
Comparisons of media players - Wikipedia
https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparisons_of_media_players
Comparison of free software for audio - Players - Wikipedia
https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_free_software_for_audio#Players
Comparison of audio player software - Protocol abilities - Wikipedia
https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_audio_player_software#Protocol_abilities
Comparison of video player software - Streaming support - Wikipedia
https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_video_player_software#Streaming_support
List of streaming media systems - Clients - Wikipedia
https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_streaming_media_systems#Clients
Note: At the time of the posting of this article, there are only a small
number of additional streaming radio players on the Wikipedia pages listed
above that do not appear here. They are inconsequential relatively unknown
dead programs.
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(This document was originally published here: https://MW.Rat.bz/players )
Counter: 1472 (Since 2023-12-16)
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