Sleeve

Overview

Sleeve is a desktop utility for macOS that displays currently playing music tracks and provides playback controls from supported apps including Apple Music, Spotify, and Doppler. It appears on the desktop or floats above windows, inspired by older Mac software like Bowtie and Coversutra, and integrates with Last.fm for scrobbling. Targeted at Mac users seeking a persistent, customizable music controller outside standard app interfaces.

Key Features

• Music Display - Shows album artwork, track info, and now-playing status from supported apps on the desktop.
• Playback Controls - Provides play/pause, skip, and other controls accessible from anywhere on the desktop.
• Last.fm Integration - Automatically scrobbls tracks after signing in to the service.
• Theme Customization - Allows users to customize appearance of artwork, track info, and controls.
• Spotify Web API - Supports saving tracks to Liked Songs playlist via click or hotkey.
• Multi-Monitor Support - Improved handling for setups with multiple displays.
• Universal Binary - Compatible with both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Pricing

Platforms & Requirements

Runs on macOS 11 Big Sur or later as a Universal Binary supporting Intel and Apple Silicon processors. Requires native desktop apps for Apple Music, Spotify, or Doppler installed in /Applications; does not support web players or unofficial clients. No support for other platforms like Windows, iOS, or Linux.

Integrations & Ecosystem

• Apple Music
• Spotify
• Doppler
• Last.fm scrobbling
• Spotify Web API (save to Liked Songs)

Alternatives

Reputation

Sleeve is regarded as a reliable music utility for Mac users wanting desktop-level control, praised for its customization, Last.fm scrobbling, and support for major apps like Spotify and Apple Music. It receives positive notes for performance improvements and multi-monitor handling in updates. Some users may note limitations in supported apps, as it excludes web players and requires native installations.