Overview

MusicBee is a unique interactive music management center that is specifically designed to aid in the organization, location, and custom playback of audio files. With an extensive feature set that is unparalleled by most other media players, this software is a dream come true for any computer owner who has a large library of digital songs.

Installation

At a file size of about 22 MB, MusicBee consumes a relatively significant amount of disk space in comparison to many other freeware applications. However, it makes up for this additional disk space usage by offering unparalleled functionality. The setup process is about as enjoyable and convenient as using the user interface, and there are no unwanted toolbars or third-party applications that try to sneak their way onto your operating system or web browser.

Interface

The MusicBee user interface is what sets it apart from many other media management applications, putting together a perfect combination of simplified media browsing and feature-rich integrated playback capabilities. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the interface is its customizability, as users can select skins to change color themes and layouts on-the-fly. The left navigational pane provides easy access to your music library, podcasts, radio stations, e-mail inbox, playback history, playlists, Internet favorites, and computer media library.

Pros

• Dozens of open-source plug-ins can be used to extend and enhance functionality. For example, a Lyrics plug-in can be added to fetch and display the lyrics of popular songs automatically

• Auto DJ feature takes song shuffling to the next level, letting you customize the selection of songs by preferring tracks that are similar to the original song, favoring highly rated tracks, or setting a minimum number of tracks to be played before content from the same artist is queued

• Provides built-in access to online radio stations, upcoming album releases, and even local concert listings

• Can automatically find and update incomplete or missing album information, including cover art, song lists, and release date data

• Quickly add metadata like tags, artwork, and lyrics to your songs

• Search for content based on genres, artist, album, and other advanced criteria

• Create custom playlists and then set the order of songs by dragging and dropping, enabling smart shuffle, or using the Auto DJ options

• Use one of several built-in equalizers/visualizers, or install additional WinAmp equalizers. Includes built-in audio effects like smart cross fade, 5-band spectrum visualizer, 10-band equalizer, DSP effects, and gapless playback

• Supports high tech ASIO and WASAPI audio cards

• Quickly import music libraries from Windows Media Player and iTunes

• Performs automatic media library updates by continually monitoring folder changes

• Includes integrated CD ripping/file conversion utilities

Cons

• No problems came up during our tests

Alternatives

Notable alternatives to MusicBee include iTunes, Winamp, foobar2000, Songbird (Win, Linux), Rhythmbox, and MediaMonkey. Of these competitors, iTunes is by far the most popular, as it supports all major operating systems, including mobile devices and smart phones like the iPhone and iPad.

Conclusion

If you are a music enthusiast with a large media library on your computer, and are looking for a way to manage and playback your files in a convenient and feature-rich interface, MusicBee provides the perfect solution.