LMS

LMS is an open-source, self-hosted music streaming server that provides a web interface for accessing and organizing music collections. It functions as a central server for audio files, allowing users to stream their library from any location via a browser. The software is designed for deployment on servers and low-power hardware such as the Raspberry Pi, making it suitable for home media setups.

It manages music through a combination of directory scanning and metadata analysis, supporting various audio formats and providing tools for library organization. The server allows for the creation of multiple libraries and provides a user management system with several authentication backends to control access to the music collection.

Key features

• Subsonic and OpenSubsonic API support
• MusicBrainz identifier support for artist and release disambiguation
• ListenBrainz integration for scrobbling and synchronizing love feedbacks
• Recommendation engine using tag-based or audio similarity modes
• Audio transcoding for bandwidth reduction and compatibility
• Multi-library support with user management and multiple authentication backends
• Support for podcasts, playlists in m3u/m3u8 formats, and lyrics
• Tag-based filtering for genres, moods, and languages
• ReplayGain support

The system relies heavily on metadata tags for organization but also supports browsing by directory. It includes a recommendation engine that can operate using metadata or MusicNN embeddings for audio similarity, with extraction speeds varying based on hardware. For detailed artist management, it supports Kodi-style artist information folders and .nfo files to define biographies and sort names. The server also includes a .lmsignore system, using a gitignore-inspired syntax, to exclude specific files or directories from the library scan. It further supports complex artist relationships, such as composers, conductors, and producers, and handles various release types including EPs and compilations.

LMS is positioned as a lightweight solution for users who want to maintain a private, self-hosted music library with advanced metadata handling and discovery tools.