Everyone knows that iTunes is a resource hog, and if you just want to play a song, what is the need to clog up your system with resource-hogging apps? Here are a few apps that will and probably can quench your thirst for that dream iTunes alternative.

Instinctiv

Instinctiv is very light weight, but still has an excellent set of features. You can view and purchace local concert tickets, which is great for those who love to hear their favorite artists in person. It has an “Instinctiv Shuffle” mode which plays similar songs based on your mood. The app opens quickly and the user interface is gorgeous and unobtrusive. It can sync with pretty much anything except iDevices, but that is a limitation imposed by Apple. You can post your current song to Facebook and Twitter with one click, and it supports Last.fm scrobbling.

FOR:Light,Unobtrusive,Good features.
AGAINST:Can't Sync with iDevices.

VERDICT:A good fature loaded media player plus much more.


Cog

Cog is a folder-based player It supports pretty much every file format. It’s not the prettiest, but it gets the job done without any hassle. It supports Last.fm if you have the scrobbler installed, and can work with the Apple remote. It seems that development has come to a halt, but the application is still fully functionally and ready to use.

FOR:Clean and slick UI

AGAINST:No out-of-the-box features.

VERDICT:An iTunes alternative that could have done better. 


Everplay

Everplay aims to combine Last.fm and iTunes into one lightweight client. Unlike Instinctiv or Cog, Everplay depends entirely on the existing  iTunes library, and plugs into your playlists and other iTunes media. It’s essentially a mini iTunes, and it is perfect if you’re planning to switch off between the two. It also has Growl support, and features a mini-player that stays on you desktop for easy access. It can post to Twitter, so you can share your current song with the world. The full version is $19.99, which is a bit expensive considering that the other options are free.


FOR: Lightwieght,Easily Accessible,Good sharing options.

AGAINST:Expensive($19.95),Completely dependant on iTunes library.

VERDICT:If you’re looking for a complete replacement for iTunes, look elsewhere; but if you’re looking to browse your iTunes library with a lightweight client, then Everplay may be the app for you.

If you have any other alternatives, please let us know in the comments.