Spotify or Apple Music? This question has become the most important part of how you listen to music. Spotify and Apple Music, the two most popular music streaming apps, have sparked this ongoing debate. They are both good, but which one is better? For a while Spotify has been known as the more popular choice, but hardcore Apple Music fans are committed, loyal, and 100% positive that Apple Music is the way to go. So, if you’re struggling with which music platform to invest in, stress no more. I’ll let you in on the most important features each app has to offer.
Price
Let’s start out with possibly the most important factor for the average college student: the cost. Given tuition, housing, and the other college expenses, it’s likely that most students will want to enjoy their music streaming in the cheapest way possible. Both Spotify and Apple Music price their subscriptions at $9.99 a month and they both have deals for students and family plans. However, Spotify wins in this category because they offer a free non-premium account option. With it comes restrictions, like the inability to play a specific song on command, skip more than 6 songs per hour, listen to a playlist without shuffling it, or listen to music without ads. While this free option doesn’t have all the perks of its premium counterpart, it still allows for access to the full range of Spotify’s music library.
Variety
The next topic that is important for music listeners is variety of music. To begin, Spotify’s music library has about 40 million songs from R&B to Jazz to Indie, and much more. Spotify organizes its music into its signature playlists which can be sorted by genre or by your mood. Spotify’s playlists are not simply study playlists and workout playlists, but also are governed by specific moods such as “Soul Coffee”, “Rap Caviar”, and “Have a Great Day”. These mood playlists perfectly encapsulate whatever ambience you want to create when you put on your headphones and tune out the busy world around you. Apple Music has playlists too, but they aren’t curated with the intention of matching or creating certain moods. It is more common to find a playlist for a genre or specific artist. That being said, Apple Music does have a slightly wider range of music selection. While the amount is negligible for most people, if you have an obscure music taste, Apple Music is more likely to have the less popular music. Given all this, Spotify wins again because having access to a larger range of personalized playlists exposes you to even more music.
Features
Music suggestions are arguably the best feature that any music streaming app has to offer. After you start listening, the apps generate radio stations and playlists that are similar to your music taste. Apple Music is better at creating the Pandora-like radio stations that are based on a specific artist or song that you like. These stations generate music by or similar to that artist or song.There are even live radio shows hosted by DJs, so the music is never repetitive. Spotify’s radio stations aren’t as strong. They are known for repeating only a few artists’ music and playing songs listeners have already thumbsed-down, but they make up for this with their Discover Weekly and Daily Mix playlists. Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlists are generated every week, and they offer a collection of new songs that you haven’t listened to yet. This is their way of introducing you to new music based on what you have previously listened to. The Daily Mixes are Spotify’s way of taking your favorite tunes and generating them into a playlist. If you listen to a wide range of different styles, you will have multiple Daily Mixes. While it takes time to build up your Apple Music profile to get good music suggestions, Spotify’s features are better at knowing exactly what you will like after only listening to a few songs. However, Apple Music has its own unique features, like Beats 1 radio. In a collab with Beats Electronics, Apple Music now features the world’s largest radio station. With Beats 1, artists like Elton John, Frank Ocean, Pharrell, and more have their own shows, which gives their fans an opportunity to connect more with the music they love. Beats 1 radio is also an opportunity for artists to promote their new music. Apple Music is also known for having album exclusives for a limited amount of time. Apple Music listeners had first access to Drake’s award winning album “Views” in 2016.
Winner: Spotify
While Spotify and Apple Music were similar in many ways within these categories, Spotify is the overall winner because it creates an unbeatable music listening experience personalized to what you like. Spotify’s music recommendations pushed it over the edge. In addition to this, they have so many other perks, such as better sound quality, podcasts, the ability to follow friends and co-create playlists, updates about upcoming concerts, and the list goes on. Even the smaller features like the “Behind the Lyrics” explanations that appear while a song is playing, or the cover art for the playlist covers all contribute to the unique style that attracts the more than 100 million streamers. Spotify’s features take your listening experience above and beyond. That being said, your music streaming service is a personal choice. While Spotify is better for people seeking new artists and styles, Apple Music is a solid choice for people who already know what they want and like. Either way, both music apps provide everything needed and more to get your jam on.