Beets

Self-Hosted

Open-source music library organizer and tagger with streaming capabilities

Overview

Beets is a command-line music management tool for self-hosters and audio enthusiasts. It automates tagging, metadata correction, file renaming, and album art fetching using MusicBrainz. Plugins like beet stream enable HTTP streaming of your curated library to any device. Deployable via pip or system packages on Linux, macOS, or Windows, it supports custom workflows and integrates with various music services, ideal for full control over audio collections.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  beets:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: beets
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Automated tagging and metadata correction with MusicBrainz
Library organization (file renaming, folder sorting)
HTTP streaming via the 'stream' plugin
Album art fetching and embedding

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Beets hard to install?

Beets is easy to install via pip (Python package manager) or system tools like apt (Debian/Ubuntu) or brew (macOS). However, its command-line interface may intimidate beginners—comprehensive docs and community support help simplify setup.

? Can Beets stream my music to other devices?

Yes! Enable the 'stream' plugin to serve your library over HTTP. You can stream to any device with a web browser or media player that supports HTTP streaming, either locally or remotely (with proper network setup).

? Is Beets completely free?

Absolutely! Beets is licensed under the MIT Open Source License, so it’s free to download, use, modify, and distribute without any subscriptions or hidden costs.

Top Alternatives

Plex Media Server (proprietary) Search Google

Emby (proprietary) Search Google

iTunes (proprietary) Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free/Open Source

Category Media Streaming - Audio Streaming

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (full local control over your library)
⊕ 100% free and open-source (MIT License)
⊕ Highly customizable via community plugins
⊕ Lightweight and resource-efficient

Cons

⊖ Command-line only (steep learning curve for beginners)
⊖ Streaming requires plugin setup and configuration
⊖ No native graphical user interface
⊖ Limited support for rare audio formats