Spun is a music player that looks like a classic CD spinning in your computer. It's designed for Linux users who want a fun and visual way to enjoy their local music collection. Spun also connects with Cider, a popular Apple Music client, so you can control your streaming music too—all from one beautiful, circular interface.
Think of it as a retro CD player you might have had in the 90s, but now it's a software window on your desktop. You can watch the disc spin, browse your albums, and play your favorite songs with just a few clicks.
- CD-Style Interface – The main window looks like a physical CD, complete with a realistic spinning animation while music plays.
- Local Music Playback – Play MP3, FLAC, WAV, and other common audio files stored directly on your computer.
- Cider Integration – Control Apple Music through Cider without switching apps. Play, pause, skip, and see what's playing.
- Album Art Display – Spun automatically shows the album cover of the currently playing track right in the center of the CD.
- Playlist Management – Create and manage your own playlists to organize your music.
- Keyboard Shortcuts – Use your keyboard to control playback quickly (e.g., Space for play/pause, arrows for track skipping).
- Lightweight & Fast – Uses minimal system resources, so it runs smoothly even on older hardware.
Follow these simple steps to start using Spun on your Linux computer.
Visit this link to download the application:
You'll see a list of released versions. Look for the newest version at the top. Find the file that matches your system (usually named something like spun-1.0.0-linux-x64.tar.gz or similar). Download it to your computer (usually to your "Downloads" folder).
The downloaded file is a compressed archive. Right-click the file and choose "Extract Here" or "Extract to..." using your file manager's built-in tool. This will create a new folder with the Spun files inside.
If you prefer using the terminal, you can use this command:
tar -xzf spun-*.tar.gz
(Replace spun-*.tar.gz with the actual filename you downloaded.)
Navigate into the extracted folder. You'll see an executable file (it might be called spun or Spun, often without a file extension). Double-click it to run Spun.
If double-clicking doesn't work, you can run it from the terminal:
cd /path/to/extracted/folder
./spun
That's it! Spun should now open on your desktop, showing a shiny CD ready to play music.
Once Spun is open, you'll see the CD interface. Here's how to use it:
- Playing Local Music: Click the "Browse" or folder icon to select a folder containing your music. Spun will scan for audio files and display them in a list. Click any song to start playing.
- Skipping Tracks: Use the on-screen next/previous buttons, or your keyboard's media keys if you have them.
- Adjusting Volume: Use the scroll wheel on your mouse while hovering over the CD, or drag the volume slider at the bottom.
- Cider Connection: If you have Cider installed and running, Spun will automatically detect it. A small Apple Music icon will appear—click it to switch control between local files and your Apple Music library.
Make Spun your own:
- CD Color: Change the disc's color scheme through the settings menu (gear icon in the corner).
- Spin Speed: Adjust how fast the CD spins during playback (from a relaxing slow spin to a fast DJ-style spin).
- Window Size: Resize the window to make your CD bigger or smaller. It scales beautifully.
Most issues have simple fixes. Try these before seeking help:
- Spun won't start: Make sure the executable has permission to run. Right-click the file, go to Properties > Permissions, and check "Allow executing file as program."
- No sound: Check your system's audio settings—ensure the correct output device is selected.
- Cider not detected: Ensure Cider is running and logged in. Restart both applications if needed.
- CD spins but no music: Verify your music files aren't corrupted. Try playing a different file to test.
Is Spun free? Yes, Spun is completely free to use and open source.
Will Spun work on my Linux distribution? Spun is built for Linux and should work on most modern distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Arch, etc.) as long as they have a graphical desktop environment.
Can I use Spun without Cider? Absolutely! Cider integration is optional. Spun works perfectly as a standalone local music player.
Does Spun require an internet connection? No, local playback works fully offline. Internet is only needed if you're using Cider to stream from Apple Music.
We regularly release updates with new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. To stay updated:
- Visit the releases page periodically.
- Download the latest version when you see a new release available.
- Replace the old folder with the new one (delete the old folder and extract the new one).
If you encounter any problems not covered here, please:
- Check the repository's Issues section (if available) for known problems and solutions.
- Search online forums or communities for "Spun music player" for user discussions.
We hope you enjoy making your desktop feel like a retro CD jukebox with Spun. Happy listening! 🎧
Keywords: music player, CD, Linux, Cider, Apple Music, local playback, spinning disc, audio, open source, free, GUI, desktop app, retro, playlist, album art