Spotify v. Apple Music: Which Music Streaming Service Beats to the Sound of Your Drum?
By Draven St.George
One of the biggest debates discussed in the vast world of pop culture has to be between the two major streaming services—Apple Music and Spotify. Both of them have their loyal fans through and through, but which fans are actually getting their money’s worth? With this controversy, it has yet to be determined which streaming service is more optimal for its price and selection as both carry strengths in different categories. In this article, we will be breaking down the core values of each streaming service and what causes them to be heavily debated by music lovers for years now. Through this article, you’ll be able to discover the ideal streaming service for your listening experience.
Price - One of the biggest arguments that one would take into consideration when determining the worth of two services; however, the struggle with this argument is that both streaming services are the same price with both costing $9.99 a month—as well as $4.99 for students and $14.99 for a family plan of up to 6 people—, so this will not be taken into consideration. Although the prices for membership are the same for both channels. Spotify offers a free-tier with the addition of advertisements, so Spotify is ideal for those who either can’t afford or don’t want to commit to paying that monthly fee.
Availability - Another large topic to be discussed is their availability or how easily people of different markets could be able to use the service. First thing to point out is that Apple Music, hence the name, is only available on Apple products while Spotify is open to both Apple and Samsung/Android users.
Selection/Quality - Of course a large argument when it comes to music streaming services is their music array/quality. When it comes to the music selection, Apple Music has got Spotify beat; it has over 10 million more songs than Spotify. Nonetheless, Spotify has Apple Music beat in terms of quality as Spotify streams at 320 Kbps as opposed to Apple Music’s 356 Kbps. Another portion of selection is its ability to be downloaded. While your Spotify account’s libraries can be downloaded offline, they cannot be saved to the cloud, while Apple Music’s can. In this category overall, it would be said that Apple Music had Spotify beat.
Accessibility - The last of our core values is how accessible it is in different locations and devices. While Apple Music can be connected to Apple’s HomePod and Amazon’s smart speakers, Spotify’s array is much wider in that it has access to any device deemed “Spotify Connect Compatible;” this includes, Amazon’s speakers like Apple Music, as well as Google Home, Xbox and Playstation.
So as it has been laid out for you, it would seem as though Spotify is the stronger choice for those who’d like easy access and easy listening, and Apple Music is stronger for those who’d want a deeper connection with music with the ability to download music using direct links to your phone’s library. So as you grow your love for music and allow the rhythms and melodies to boost your mood, use this article as a way to determine what kind of listener you would like to be.