Headphones

Self-Hosted

Automated music library management and download tool

Overview

Headphones is an open-source tool for automating music discovery, downloading, and library organization. It monitors favorite artists for new releases, fetches metadata (album art, lyrics, tracklists), and integrates with Usenet/torrent clients to acquire content. The tool structures files into a consistent library and supports deployment via Docker (simplest method), manual setup on Windows/macOS/Linux, or NAS devices like Synology. It offers configurable settings for download quality and indexer preferences.

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:
  headphones:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: headphones
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Automated monitoring for new music releases from favorite artists
Metadata enrichment (album art, lyrics, track information)
Integration with Usenet and torrent download clients

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Headphones hard to install?

Headphones is easy to install via Docker (pre-built images available), but manual setup requires configuring Python and web servers. Most users prefer Docker for a hassle-free deployment experience.

? Is it a good alternative to MediaMonkey?

Yes—Headphones specializes in automated music discovery and downloading, which MediaMonkey lacks. While MediaMonkey focuses on playback and library editing, Headphones complements it by sourcing new music automatically.

? Is Headphones completely free?

Headphones is 100% free and open-source (MIT License). There are no hidden costs or paid features—all functionality is available to all users without payment.

Top Alternatives

MediaMonkey (proprietary music management tool) Search Google

iTunes (Apple's closed-source media organizer) Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free/Open Source

Category Media Management

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Self-hosted for full control over music data privacy
⊕ No subscription fees or premium tiers
⊕ Customizable library organization rules

Cons

⊖ Requires basic technical knowledge for setup (Docker recommended)
⊖ Limited to music (no video or podcast support)
⊖ Depends on external indexers for content discovery