It is 2025, and I nonetheless hearken to music the...

In 2025, music streaming apps are nicely and really ubiquitous. The sheer comfort that comes with having instantaneous and on-demand entry to thousands and thousands of songs is like nothing we have ever seen earlier than. Companies like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Tidal are wonderful instruments for locating new songs and artists, creating tailored playlists, and sharing tunes with family and friends.

I’ve personally been subscribed to Spotify for the higher a part of a decade, and, except for unfortunate price hikes, I do not remorse my resolution. That being mentioned, I do not completely depend on Spotify — somewhat, I complement my music streaming habits with a hearty dose of fine old style native playback. I am conscious that that is an oddity in right this moment’s streaming-first world, however, so far as I am involved, there is a technique to my insanity.

Music streaming is nice, however I desire residing the iPod life

I worth possession of digital recordsdata, no web necessities, and higher sound high quality

iPod nano (fifth technology)

Apple launched the fifth technology iPod nano in 2009, and it constructed upon its predecessor by together with an even bigger show, a built-in camcorder, and a brand new set of colorways.

For all of the deserves that include music streaming, and for as a lot as I take pleasure in listening to tunes through my Spotify app, I’ve opted to not completely transition my music-listening habits over to streaming. Slightly, I keep a group of native music recordsdata on my solid state drive (SDD), of which I load many onto my Google Pixel 9 Pro. I’ve elected to do that for a number of causes: as a way to guarantee possession of my music assortment, to at all times have offline entry to my tracks, and to profit from the perfect audio high quality potential.

I worth possession of media, and this extends to my music assortment. In alternate for comfort, Spotify and different streamers require the surrendering of possession in favor of fee-based rental entry to tracks. For songs and albums that I notably love (typically ones that I uncover by Spotify), I’m going forward and obtain them as native music recordsdata for my very own peace of thoughts.

Most music streaming companies make it simple sufficient to quickly obtain music for offline entry, however this does not fulfill my want for true possession, nor does it guarantee entry to the very best quality audio recordsdata. Certain, Apple Music now helps lossless audio playback, however I have already got a group of FLAC recordsdata able to go on my SSD.

In a way, I’ve never fully let go of the iPod and MP3 participant period of the 2000s, and I am completely content material with my hybrid streaming-plus-local-music setup.

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The iPod is what (nostalgic) desires are fabricated from

I miss the tried-and-true click on wheel interface

Pocket-lint / Apple

My Basic

My Basic appears like an app that emulates a Sport Boy, however when you enter a particular code, it transforms itself into an iPod Basic.

Whereas I might love to make use of an precise iPod or devoted MP3 participant on a full-time foundation, I am hamstrung by a number of elements. My very own iPod nano fifth technology suffers from battery bloat, rendering it unsafe to make use of. In the meantime, my iPod nano seventh technology nonetheless boots up, nevertheless it lacks the enduring click on wheel interface that I’ve a lot reverence for.

There’s nothing fairly like scrolling by a library of music through the press wheel — the tactility, the sound results, the easy and efficient design — it is the perfect setup for transportable music consumption. As an apart, there is a fantastic iPhone app referred to as My Basic that emulates the traditional iPod experience, whereas tapping into Apple Music. I can solely think about how wonderful a modernized Apple-made click on wheel would theoretically end up, full with haptic suggestions and extra.

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Gramophone is my present music app of selection

There’s an limitless choice of native music playback apps, notably with regards to Android

Gramophone

Gramophone is an offline music-playing app for Android that focuses on offering a clear and intuitive consumer interface, native music file group instruments, and dynamic Materials You theming.

I am primarily an Android user, and so My Basic is not an app that I’ve entry to always. I’ve tested out a number of third-party music apps designed with native playback in thoughts, and my present favourite of the lot has received to be Gramophone.

The Gramophone app has a stunning and minimalistic consumer interface, whereas tapping into Google’s dynamic Material You theming engine (take that, YouTube Music). The app is full-featured, with tons of sorting and organizational instruments to assist me preserve observe of my native music recordsdata.

Different Android-based music gamers that I am notably fond of are:

I am unable to think about ever absolutely parting methods with my native music file assortment. I am going to proceed to make use of Spotify, actually, however the period of music streaming hasn’t phased me one bit. The period of the iPod may be in the past, however in my thoughts, it lives on by native music playback apps, possession of my digital music recordsdata, and the occasional nostalgic boot up of my trusty previous iPod nano.

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