I tried a command-line music player — and it made Spotify feel bloated

A lot of people can't do without Spotify , and it's understandable. Its cross-device control, vast library, and new-music discovery make it hard to beat.

Well, just last week, on a whim, I decided to open MusikCube in the terminal, and I never would've guessed that a command-line music player could feel like a revelation.

It greeted me with a bare-bones, utilitarian interface, as I expected. But within minutes, it drew me in, and I found calm, quiet, and just pure music. Of course, MusikCube only plays music you own—it isn’t a streaming service. But that constraint gave me a more personal experience. It became clear how much modern streaming takes from you.

For the first time in years, I was immersed in music without the background noise and distraction of endless scrolling and recommen