MusicBrainz Explorer

About

MusicBrainz Explorer is a release-focused browser for MusicBrainz metadata. It presents cover art, edition information, detailed track credits, related versions and artist discographies in a calm, visual interface.

It can also match MusicBrainz-tagged music from a local folder or a Navidrome server to the same releases and play it in the browser. Playback is optional: the Explorer remains fully usable without connecting a library.

Finding releases

• Type miles davis, to search for an artist.
• Type , kind of blue to search by release or track title.
• Type miles davis, so what for a combined search.
• Paste a MusicBrainz release MBID or release URL to open that exact edition.

Click or tap the Explorer logo on the start page whenever you need a reminder of the search syntax.

Playing your own library

Local playback relies on the MusicBrainz release and recording IDs stored in your audio files. Folder names are not used to identify albums.

Before you begin

• Tag the files with MusicBrainz Picard.
• Keep the release MBID and recording MBID embedded in every file.
• Use FLAC or M4A files (ALAC/AAC).
• Keep all discs of one multi-disc release together in the same release folder.

1. Create the library index

1. Select the pulsing logo, open Source, then choose Local.
2. Select Create Library Index.
3. Choose the root of your Music folder.
4. Allow the browser to scan the supported audio files.
5. Keep the generated library.json and library-report.json in the root of that folder. Depending on the browser, they are saved there directly or downloaded for you to move there.

The browser indexer reads only the required MusicBrainz tags, technical audio properties and relative file locations. Embedded cover images and audio payloads are skipped. If the folder already contains a version 2 library.json, unchanged albums are reused and only changed folders are indexed again. The new index is ready to use immediately in the current page session.

Faster indexing with Python

For large libraries, download generate_library.py and run it locally. It uses only the Python standard library and needs no extra packages.

macOS or Linux:

python3 generate_library.py "/path/to/Music"

Windows:

py generate_library.py "D:\Music"

2. Connect or reconnect the Music folder

1. After reopening or reloading the Explorer, select the pulsing logo, open Source, then choose Local.
2. Select Connect Music Folder.
3. Choose the same folder that now contains library.json.
4. Confirm the browser's folder-selection dialog.

You do not need to reconnect immediately after creating an index: the Explorer already uses it. In browsers with persistent folder handles, the selected folder is remembered and restored automatically. The browser may still ask you to approve access again after a restart.

A small play triangle marks matching releases in search results. Open one, then hover over a track number and select its play icon. The floating player continues playing while you browse another release.

Playability is determined for each track. Exact MusicBrainz release-track IDs take priority; recording IDs are used only when release-track data is unavailable. Different media or layers therefore receive Play icons only for the files that are actually present in the connected library.

If automatic access is not available, the Explorer remembers the previous folder handle and asks you to restore permission with Connect Music Folder. Browsers without persistent folder-handle support require the folder to be selected again.

Playing from Navidrome

Navidrome is a complete alternative to the local-folder source. The Explorer connects directly to its OpenSubsonic API, reads the album catalogue and streams matching tracks without creating library.json.

Before you begin

• Use a Navidrome server with OpenSubsonic support that is reachable from the browser.
• Remote servers must use HTTPS; HTTP is accepted only for local-network addresses.
• Tag albums with MusicBrainz release MBIDs and tracks with recording MBIDs.
• Keep disc and track numbers accurate, especially for multi-disc and layered releases.

Connect the server

1. Select the pulsing logo, open Source, then choose Navidrome.
2. Select Connect or configure.
3. Enter a display name, the server URL, your username and password.
4. Select Connect and wait while the Explorer reads the album catalogue.

The server profile and a reusable salted OpenSubsonic login token are remembered on this device; the original password is not stored. If Navidrome was the selected source, the Explorer reconnects automatically after reopening or reloading the page.

Check MusicBrainz compatibility

After connecting, the setup popup shows identified albums versus the total catalogue. Select that status, or Show MusicBrainz compatibility report under the Navidrome source, to see two lists: albums with a valid release MBID and albums without one. Untagged albums are still named from their Navidrome artist and album metadata; folder names are not used.

Search and play

Navidrome becomes the active source after a successful connection. Search normally: matching server albums appear with a NAVIDROME label, and playable releases and tracks receive play icons. The floating player continues playing while you browse.

A release is matched by its release MBID. Tracks are then matched by recording MBID together with disc and track position. If a match is ambiguous, the Explorer leaves it unplayable instead of guessing; this prevents one file from appearing on multiple media or hybrid SACD layers.

Use Disconnect Navidrome to end the session. You can return to a connected local folder at any time from Source → Local.

Troubleshooting

Audio playback

For a local folder, the Explorer plays the selected file through the browser's native audio pipeline. For Navidrome, it requests the raw stream without a bitrate limit. The Explorer does not deliberately request transcoding. Source information such as codec, bit depth, sample rate and channel layout is shown when available.

Because the browser, operating-system mixer and chosen audio device remain part of the playback chain, bit-perfect output cannot be guaranteed.

Privacy

• MusicBrainz Explorer has no application backend or user accounts.
• Your music files and library.json are not uploaded by the app.
• Browser indexing and playback happen locally on your device.
• A supported browser may retain the selected local-folder handle; it controls whether access must be approved again.
• Navidrome requests go directly from the browser to the server you configure.
• The Navidrome profile and a reusable salted login token are stored locally; the original password is not stored.
• Music metadata and cover art are requested from MusicBrainz and the Cover Art Archive.

Those external services may process requests according to their own privacy policies.

Current scope

• The local-library workflow is designed primarily for desktop browsers.
• The indexers currently support FLAC and M4A (ALAC/AAC).
• One local copy is expected for each MusicBrainz release MBID.
• Files must already be tagged correctly with MusicBrainz Picard.
• Persistent local-folder access depends on browser support and permission policy.
• Remote Navidrome connections require HTTPS.
• UPnP network-renderer output is still under development.

Attribution

Music metadata is provided by MusicBrainz contributors. Cover art is provided by the Cover Art Archive.

MusicBrainz Explorer is an independent project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by MusicBrainz or MetaBrainz.