Is there a good music player app yet?

[JustinianIV]

So I first posted in January because I was astounded by how crappy WP8's media player was (among other things). There was nothing worth playing music on then, but is still the case?

I'm looking for something as similar to iPod (the app, not the device) as possible. I am in Europe. Thanks!

 

[fishy17]

not yet, i think... :straight:

I am still waiting 4 an app with which I can create playlists easily....instead of the present method of going there, doing that, plugging to pc, using stop music app etc etc :eck:

 

[Amil8]

Not yet. I use Touch Music, but it's not similar to iPod.

 

[Sekyal]

I think Nokia Music is pretty good. You can stream for low price per month or play your local files as well. I can't compare to an ipod as I've not used one, but it certainly does what I need.

 

[Piratelooksat40]

I think Nokia Music is pretty good. You can stream for low price per month or play your local files as well. I can't compare to an ipod as I've not used one, but it certainly does what I need.

That is great if you want to stream. I have a server with 15,000 songs on it. I have paid for them, and I don't want to have to pay for data costs with my cell company to listen to music, or to not have music when I have a bad cell connection or have a huge battery drain because I am streaming music.

I can't believe that nobody has not come up with a way to organize and listen to your Mp3 music collection on your PC and sync it with you phone.

I had great hope for 8.1, but it looks like that is a bust. I am convinced that the way Microsoft is handling music is going to be the thing that drives me to an iPhone. I hope an industrious 3rd party company will come up with an app and companion desktop product.

 

[In Limbo]

Xbox Music

 

[spaulagain]

Xbox Music has done pretty well for me lately. I still manage my music with Zune on my desktop as the "Music Server" but I love that when I open up my tablet pr my phone, that music just shows up without ever having transferred it.

Zune is still the best management tool ever (blows anything iTunes ever had out of the water). But Xbox Music has gotten a lot better for general playback.

 

[themadpoet1]

Windows Phone is a love and hate relationship for the music lover. There is nothing nearly as good as Itunes on Windows Phone(or Android) for that matter. However, Windows Phones have something Itunes doesn't, and that's a full band audio equalizer with Dolby Enhancement and Audio Leveling. To the audiophile, that's a huge bonus that overrides any well designed music player.

What music lovers want is full customization of their music collection, big album art and all the features such as building playlists. I for one am tired of Cloud Music being pushed down our throats. It's good for backing up your music but I want to own my music and access it whenever I want, rather than be at the mercy of my internet connection or data plan. That is another failure of Windows Phone - not giving us 64gb storage options on their flagship phones(with the exception of the HTC 8XT).

The most customization I get with music collections is using Nokia Music(or Xbox Music) and using the desktop app to sync Itunes. Both of those apps are very similar, but I like the live tiles that Nokia Music provides better than Xbox Music. But I also feel like Xbox Music runs faster/smoother. My main problem with either of those apps are the layout/design. I don't like how when you open the app, it doesn't take you right to your collection. I don't want to have to scroll through a bunch of nonsense to see my albums. Nokia desperately needs to redesign their music player and add more customization.

 

[fardream]

I for one am tired of Cloud Music being pushed down our throats. It's good for backing up your music but I want to own my music and access it whenever I want, rather than be at the mercy of my internet connection or data plan. That is another failure of Windows Phone - not giving us 64gb storage options on their flagship phones(with the exception of the HTC 8XT).

Actually, iTunes Match and Xbox music can both work offline. Even Spotify has an offline mode. The only problem with Xbox music on windows phone is the stupid design, not the cloud thing

 

[themadpoet1]

Xbox Cloud doesn't let you customize your music collection though - I have lots of albums with bonus tracks and stuff that I want there.

 

[Sekyal]

Nokia Music DOES play your local music. I use it for songs i have on an SD card. I find it works better than the Xbox Music app for my needs. Understandably if you want to sync, then this is not an answer for you. It is odd that MS hasn't really done much in that area.

 

[In Limbo]

Windows Phone is a love and hate relationship for the music lover. There is nothing nearly as good as Itunes on Windows Phone(or Android) for that matter. However, Windows Phones have something Itunes doesn't, and that's a full band audio equalizer with Dolby Enhancement and Audio Leveling. To the audiophile, that's a huge bonus that overrides any well designed music player.

First of all I agree with most of your points here. Here is where I must disagree (for the sake of all my fellow audiophile friends).

This isn't an attempt to be a jerk but rather be honest. A phone with a custom equalizer hardly makes for a suitable setup in the hears of an audiophile. Especially when there isn't a "true" line-out option. I love my 920, but I know it's limits (and that of any other smartphone for that matter (with the exception of the iPhone because it has a line out)). And Dolby really just does more distorting of the signal that an actual enhancement. Okay. I'm done.

FLAC OR DIE!!!

 

[Jaripi]

Nokia Music DOES play your local music. I use it for songs i have on an SD card. I find it works better than the Xbox Music app for my needs. Understandably if you want to sync, then this is not an answer for you. It is odd that MS hasn't really done much in that area.

I agree - my Lumia 920 is a great music player (combined with good headphones, like Nokia Monster Purity). I use mostly my own music collection (over 1600 mp3 songs) - they are working very well, if you have title, artist and album tags for them. It is pretty easy to do your own playlists too (by explorer), if needed, but I prefer shuffle all or to lissen songs of some certain singer. I lissen also Nokia Radio Mix, online and offline. I have done my own offline channels too (based on 3 artists, chosen by me) as well as an offline personalization channel (based on my cp's music collection - it is pretty nice one, I like it). Of course, I lissen some other music apps too. Well, there is all what I need and want ...

 

[Benjamin Braddock]

HOW MUCH LONGER!!! i feel like i need to create one myself! i just want something that has coverflow/create playlists/better design. ITS NOT THAT HARD do somethinggggggg

 

[Sistog]

Hi, i'm the developer of Music Player Pro. Why don't you give it a try?
http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-phone-apps/240808-music-player-pro.html

For the playlist problem: unfortunately, at the moment is not possible to create playlist from third-party apps. It's a limitation of the system.

 

[Benjamin Braddock]

i just might try it out, but it's two dollars and i'm seeing some bad reviews. i like the screenshots but ehhh, FINE i'm buying it. i'll let everyone know how it is.

edit: there is a "try" option next to the "buy" option. after trying it, it seems pretty average and not worth the two dollars at all. there isn't a quick and easy way to scroll by first letter of artist or song (that's a problem because i have 28 gb of music) and the user interface seems pretty bland. also, i'm really wanting an app that you can have a landscape view of your albums. Sorry Sistog, but your app just won't cut it!

 

[david90531]

I enjoy using "Listen" and "iMusic", these are pretty good local music player alternatives IMO

 

[Sistog]

i just might try it out, but it's two dollars and i'm seeing some bad reviews. i like the screenshots but ehhh, FINE i'm buying it. i'll let everyone know how it is.

edit: there is a "try" option next to the "buy" option. after trying it, it seems pretty average and not worth the two dollars at all. there isn't a quick and easy way to scroll by first letter of artist or song (that's a problem because i have 28 gb of music) and the user interface seems pretty bland. also, i'm really wanting an app that you can have a landscape view of your albums. Sorry Sistog, but your app just won't cut it!

Of course you can scroll by first letter of artist/song/album.. there is a button with the specific function in the application bar!
and you can change theme/interface in the settings page..
And you can use the app for free as long as you want it, the trial does not expire..

 

[DCProjMgr]

I create playlists in Media Monkey and they sync over to my Nokia 620. (See this post.)

When Windows Phone 7 came out one of the big selling points for me was that it ran the Zune player. Zune was a mature program and handled sync, video, purchases, subscriptions, podcasts, even photos and files. For my needs it was much better than iTunes for Apple or Poweramp for Android.

When MS abandoned Zune and replaced it with just the ability to sync music, I was dumbfounded. At a time when WP needed every advantage it could get, they were throwing away one of their strongest selling points with both hands.

Maybe they are building something better, but they should have kept Zune around until they had a product that could surpass it. Just my opinion.

 

[nka203]

Honestly,

I've tried pretty much every single music player on the store and they all sucked balls except this one.

Listen
Listen | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

It's by far the fastest and smoothest "local" music player app with least glitches, and also has search function. Only thing it can't do is make playlists (I don't think any app does this, please let me know if you know one). Pretty much the only app I bought for the phone (There is free version with Ads)

I found the least painful way of syncing music is through MusicBee. I have a ton of FLACs OGG WAV songs on my Foobar 2000 on PC so I can't use WMP to sync (software limitation). You have to go to MusicBee's "Preferences" -> "Device" and enable MTP. From there you can make playlists, just drag and drop playlist files from Foobar, and sync to phone. It will encode other file types into high quality mp3 and is pretty fast, so is very easy.

Hope this helps, :wink: