Longplayer is a 1000-year musical composition that runs continuously and without repetition from its start on 1 January 2000 until its completion on 31 December 2999. Conceived by musician/composer Jem Finer, Longplayer is an attempt to make sense of such a span of time.

Emanating from one present moment to the unfolding future of the next 1000 years, it provides a projection of growth and change. Through an exploration of generative forms of music, rooted in the fields of artificial life and complexity, Finer has developed a system that results in an ever-evolving piece of music.

This book focuses on the exploration of different notions of time and our expectations about duration in music. It also explores the connection between a work like Longplayer and its reliance on mathematical and technological sciences, and the role of change.

It is accompanied by a 12″ vinyl with three 20-minute fragments of the music generated by Longplayer.