# Longplayer

> A 1000-year musical composition playing in real time, accessible offline. (iPhone/iPad app by The Longplayer Trust.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longplayer/id959561382 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [The Longplayer Trust](https://appshunter.io/developer/959561381)
- Category: Music
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 11 App Store ratings · 12 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 102 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2015-06-22
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longplayer/id959561382/reviews.md

## What is Longplayer?

Longplayer: a thousand years of music in your pocket!

Longplayer is a musical composition that has been playing since the beginning of the year 2000, and will play on, never repeating, until it reaches the point at which it first started, exactly 1000 years later. Longplayer is in effect an everlasting piece of music; its score mirrors a planetary system, six musical events whose orbits come into phase once a millennium.

Until now, Longplayer has only been accessible by visiting a handful of "listening posts" or via an online stream.

This app is the first standalone version of Longplayer, creating the music in real time based on the composition's thousand-year-long score. It requires no data connection and automatically synchronises itself with every other copy of the app across the globe. With this app, you become part of a community of listeners distributed through space and time, across many lifetimes.

- real time high-quality playback of Longplayer, with no need for a data connection
- plays in the background: listen to Longplayer while you continue to use other apps, and while your phone is locked.
- real time score display
- graphic and textual information explaining how it works
- detailed information section about Longplayer's history, development, composition, conceptual background and much more
- up-to-date news from the Longplayer website (data connection required)

Recommended for headphones or external speakers.

Watch a short video explaining Longplayer: http://vimeo.com/94166447

Longplayer was composed by Jem Finer and commissioned by Artangel in 1995. It is now in the care of the Longplayer Trust.

## Key features

- Real-time high-quality playback
- Offline playback
- Plays in the background
- Real-time score display
- Detailed information section
- Up-to-date news

## Recent user reviews (10 of 12)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longplayer/id959561382/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Awesome sound

*2026-07-25*

I saw Longplayer on a recent YouTube video. I think it was a couple showing their favourite places in England. I was hooked at first sight. Now with the app I can listen to this glorious soundscape whenever i want.  I live on my own and i love to have Longplayer tinkling in the background when i am relaxing or reading. Ive not yet had it playing when I am meditating. I think i might find it intrusive. Gently splashing ocean waves would suit me better. Still for everything else Longplayer fits the bill. I do hope it does not distort over time. That would be sad.

### 3/5 — Wonderful idea - poor execution

*2025-12-29*

This composition is amazing, but the app suffers from timing issues, stutter, and non-ideal layering.  Re-timing artefacts slip in, and after a few hours it becomes untenable.  The actual recording also suffers from a few notable bowl-strikes that were messy, and hearing them repeat every few minutes closes the loop too quickly to feel that one is participating in a millennial process - it becomes, instead, listening to a broken tape loop.  I would prefer - for this case, to listen to regenerative resynthesis - balanced and attuned to ensure the feeling that 'these moments will not repeat for a thousand years' remains both pertinent and experienced, as was intended.

### 3/5 — Love the concept and sounds - App has a problem

*2025-12-14*

I just recently learned about Longplayer and I think it’s a brilliant concept and a lovely thing to listen to. The app itself is pretty basic. It’s cool to see how the Longplayer loop was made and to see where it’s at in real time and I love that it plays in the background if you go to some other apps. My issue is that, if you switch to another app that requires sound, while it’s playing, the sound goes off (that part makes sense) unfortunately, after this happens the only way to get Longplayer to start playing sound again is to restart my phone. I wish there was a reload button or something like that. I would give it five stars, but I’ve had it the app less than 24 hours and I’ve had this problem three times already. Hoping someone will do an update before the thousand years is up.

### 4/5 — Works fine

*2025-02-16*

Nice app, would be perfect if different stream formats and quantities could be offered by Longplayer Trust not only but also via this app.

### 5/5 — Amazing project, a wonder to listen to

*2022-12-07*

I first heard about Longplayer 15 years ago during a London visit. Evolving from the original listening posts, the ability to now walk and listen to the composition ‘live’ on my iPhone is a marvel. I often have the app running for hours at a time, streamed through a Bose speaker at home. I’ve gifted the app a number of times to friends and family, all have enjoyed it. A version of the app for AppleTV would be appreciated. Namaste.

### 5/5 — Everyone needs this.

*2022-05-08*

Listening to the Longplayer project reminds me that there are still brilliant, beautiful, amazing, things in this world.

### 5/5 — Instant perspective shift

*2021-07-28*

Great app, replicating a wonderful project to extend the human focus beyond the normal scope of days, years and even decades. 
Functionality to use Longplayer as an alarm clock or timer would be appreciated.

### 5/5 — 素敵なアプリをありがとう。

*2015-11-09*

毎晩寝るときに聴きます。

### 5/5 — The charming allure of the gradual

*2015-06-26*

Somewhere at some point I knew about the Longplayer Project and I was particularly impressed that the composer chose Tibetan singing bowls as the means of producing the sounds for the piece. I have my own bowl and love not only its depth and variety of sounds but the sense of comfort I experience when playing it. I can only imagine that this app - determined as it is to require of it some kind of human custodianship over the next 1000 years - is part of a message of hope for our race. 

The sounds are beautiful, subtle, dreamlike. I shall probably use it during my meditation practice.

### 4/5 — Grand yet simple

*2015-06-24*

Longplayer is both aesthetic and informative. The music is very simple, peaceful, and hypnotizing. It's pretty humbling to know you'll only hear less than a hundred thousandth of it in your lifetime. 
If I was a different consumer who was not familiar with longplayer, I would probably not be willing to pay the steep price tag.

## Frequently asked questions about Longplayer

### What is Longplayer?

Longplayer is a musical composition designed to play continuously for 1000 years, never repeating. This app provides a real-time, high-quality playback of this unique piece of music.

### Does Longplayer require an internet connection?

No, this app creates the music in real time based on its score and requires no data connection for playback. It automatically synchronizes with other copies of the app globally.

### Can I listen to Longplayer while using other apps?

Yes, Longplayer plays in the background. You can continue to use other apps or lock your phone while listening.

### What devices is Longplayer compatible with?

Longplayer is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is not recommended for versions of iPhone lower than iPhone 5.

### How much does Longplayer cost?

Longplayer is available for a one-time purchase of $3.99.

### What is the age rating for Longplayer?

Longplayer has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide audience.

### How often is Longplayer updated?

The app was last updated on June 22, 2015, with version 1.0.1. Further updates may be released by the developer, The Longplayer Trust.

### Does Longplayer have ads?

No, Longplayer does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application offering an uninterrupted listening experience.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.2.0 — 2026-08-19

Featuring a new audio guide, in which artist Jem Finer and Longplayer Trustee Ansuman Biswas discuss the concept and history behind Longplayer. Also includes improved support for recent iPhone and iPad devices.

### 1.0.1 — 2015-06-22

This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included.

## Apps similar to Longplayer

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Midtempo Radio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midtempo-radio/id6736854434) | — | Free | Music |
| [Presto Music](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/presto-music/id1529979894) | 3.4 (25) | Free | Music |
| [Sets App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sets-app/id6529549538) | — | Free | Music |
| [Play Offline: Music Player Mp3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-offline-music-player-mp3/id6749538815) | 4.5 (432) | Free | Music |
| [Offline Music Player - MP3, EQ](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/offline-music-player-mp3-eq/id6746123355) | 4.1 (11) | Free | Music |
| [MD Player](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/md-player/id6744458901) | 4.5 (11) | Free | Music |

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*