# Recommend a PC jukebox program **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447 "2004-04-11T12:49:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/1 "2004-04-11T12:49:33Z")
I am looking for a PC-based music player. I need one that: - doesn’t keep trying to connect to the internet to tell me more about the artist or song - doesn’t keep trying to go to the internet to tell me about their company - doesn’t keep trying to upgrade me every 10 seconds - is free less important - can play tracks in random order - can figure out artist/album from the filename - can record from CDs Super bonus points for any player than can play tracks in random order, based on probability weightings that I assign (that is, I want to hear song X about twice as much song Y). I am fed up with RealOne and MediaPlayer and MusicMatch – no matter how many settings I turn off and firewalls I put up, I am constantly besieged with windows trying to get to the internet to sell me stuff I don’t want. I just need a basic player. Any recommendations? Any help appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/2 "2004-04-11T12:59:36Z")
May I suggest winamp? It’s free, and there are many plugins for it that accomplish most of what you want to do. ---
**Author:** ![maleinblack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@maleinblack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maleinblack)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/3 "2004-04-11T13:20:04Z")
I second Winamp which can be found [here](http://www.winamp.com). Their latest player v5.x is really good and supports skin from both the 2.x and 3.x series. It should take care of all the requirements you listed,but I doubt if you can assign weights to your fav songs (unless you find the right plugin). Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/4 "2004-04-11T15:40:56Z")
- - - ? I use Musicmatch Jukebox and block it in Zonealarm, and I don’t ever get a peep out of it. Do you run a firewall, or are you just hoping that whatever you use won’t connect at all? Because I think you’re out of luck on that one. … - Also, I don’t know anything that will randomize based on “weights”, unless [maybe?] you make a playlist, enter a particular song “X” many times, and then ask it to randomize on the playlist…? ~ ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/5 "2004-04-11T16:24:59Z")
I downloaded WinAmp, that seems to fit the bill. Such a pleasure to have a program that just shuts up and does what it’s told, and nothing else. Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/6 "2004-04-11T16:53:24Z")
Since you’re looking for opinions more than facts, I’ll move this thread to IMHO. bibliopahge moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![spiralscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@spiralscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiralscratch)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/7 "2004-04-12T09:42:33Z")
You may also want to check out iTunes. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-pc-jukebox-program/239447/8 "2004-04-12T10:32:42Z")
Check out iTunes for Windows. It doesn’t have any annoying nagging behavior and does a great job. I don’t think you can specifiy playing song X twice as often as song Y, but it does have some good options for creating playlists. Playlists can be based on when you added a file, ratings you assign, things you haven’t heard recently, etc. By default, iTunes will re-arrange your music folder(s) to a new layout, and some people hate that. But you can go into preferences and uncheck “Let iTunes organize my music files” to prevent it from moving things around. Beaten by **spiralscratch**! Consider my post a second nomination. 🙂