This music app learns your taste by analyzing how you listen, not through manual input. It creates personalized music stations based on your volume adjustments, skips, and playback duration, offering a unique way to explore your library and discover new music.
1.4
September 7, 2026
Cranks are sticky now. • Crank a track — in the app, on CarPlay, or straight off the volume knob — and it gets filed in your Crankshaft Cranks playlist. One playlist, no repeats. • Fixed: capturing a song created a brand-new playlist every single time. It doesn't anymore. Any duplicates already in your library are safe to delete. • Fixed: the station could snap back and replay something from earlier in the session. Turns out it wasn't your cell signal. • Fixed: the CarPlay screen could look frozen while the music played fine. It follows the actual playhead now. • Fixed: the synthetic-artist filter was catching real bands. Iron Maiden, Air, and Faith No More are allowed back in. • Crank scoring is more accurate — cranking a favorite again is no longer quietly discounted. • Sharing a song now sends an Apple Music link that plays, and mentions where it came from. • Some crashes that were waiting to happen no longer will. Two of these came from r/AppleMusic. Keep them coming.
MoreThanks! Novel was what I was hoping for, that’s awfully nice of you to say. Crankshaft reads how you actually listen instead of asking you to rate everything (double thanks for taking the time to write this, in context). If you hit anything you don’t like, I’m all ears, this is a one-person project, real feedback shapes it directly. Thanks for giving it a try! -Justin
Crankshaft is completely ad-free. As it is a free application and does not feature advertisements, users can enjoy an uninterrupted music listening experience.
Crankshaft is available for free. Users only need an active Apple Music subscription to utilize its features, as it plays through your existing library.
Crankshaft learns your taste by observing your listening habits, such as volume levels, song skips, and playback duration. It creates an 'affinity ledger' based on this behavioral data, rather than manual input like likes or genre selections.
No, Crankshaft requires an active Apple Music subscription to function. It integrates directly with your existing Apple Music library and catalog.
Crankshaft is supported on iPhone and iPad devices. This allows users to enjoy its personalized music discovery features across their Apple mobile devices.
Crankshaft was last updated on August 8, 2026, with version 1.0. As this is its initial release date, future update frequency is yet to be determined.
Crankshaft has an age rating of 12+. It also includes a 'Parent Mode' which creates a separate listening profile and visual theme, ensuring a tailored experience for younger users without affecting the main profile.
Yes, Crankshaft can incorporate artists you declare you love, even if their music isn't currently in your Apple Music library. The 'Discovery Dial' also allows you to blend new and unfamiliar music into your rotation.
