Play Music in the Terminal With cmus

Browse and play local audio files with a keyboard-driven ncurses player.

macOSaudioplayermediaLow risk

Run cmus, then press 5 to open the file browser and add tracks from a folder.

01Command

Command

$ cmus

02What it does

cmus is a small, fast music player controlled entirely by keystrokes: 5 opens the file browser, a adds the selection to the library, and Enter plays. It resumes state between sessions and supports playlists, filters and remote control. It needs no GUI and works over SSH.

03Risk

RiskLow risk

Requirementsbrew install cmus

CompatibilitymacOS with Homebrew installed

!Warning: Playback requires a working local audio output; over plain SSH you may hear nothing unless audio forwarding is configured.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

cmus — C* Music Player
cmus · vendor-doc · 2026-09-20
Evidence: Official cmus site with key bindings and library setup.
Homebrew formula: cmus
Homebrew · vendor-doc · 2026-09-20
Evidence: Installs cmus, an ncurses music player.

Last verified: 2026-09-20 · Category: Media

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