Which music streaming service is right for you
Music streaming services offer a world of convenience, allowing individuals to listen to their favorite artists with just a few clicks. Nowadays, we have platforms like Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, with a library of on-demand content, which is accessible via smartphones, PCs, tablets, and more. Here, we go over the features and subscription prices of the above-mentioned platforms.
Apple Music
Apple Music was launched in 2015. It quickly rose to prominence for its extensive library of songs and user-friendly interface. Currently, users can access over 100 million tracks from a range of genres, 30,000+ curated playlists, and a host of original on-demand radio content. Audiophiles can also enjoy Spatial Audio for a 360-degree listening experience. The service allows offline access to song libraries.
Subscribers get a one-month free trial
Apple Music offers a one-month free trial to every new subscriber. Post that, individuals need to pay Rs. 99 every month. Simply sign in with your Apple ID, add your credit card details, and opt for the subscription.
Spotify
Spotify is the most widely used music streaming service on both iOS and Android. It has an active user base of over 450 million. The app offers an extensive library of around 82 million songs and 4.7 million podcasts. One of the most intriguing features of Spotify is that it has the ability to generate personalized playlists based on the listening preferences of users.
It offers both ad-supported and premium plans
Spotify offers free ad-supported access as well as a premium subscription. The latter is priced at Rs. 7/day, Rs. 119/month, Rs. 149/month, and Rs. 179/month for its Mini, Individual, Dual, and Family (up to 6 members) connections, respectively.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is yet another popular audio streaming service. It has millions of ad-free (HD/Ultra-HD bitrate) tracks and exclusive content. Users can generate a personalized playlist using the 'My Discovery Mix' feature, which is similar to Spotify's algorithm-based recommendation. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can access the service free of cost. It is accessible via iOS, Android, and desktops.
It is pre-included with the Prime membership
Amazon Music can be accessed for free under your regular Prime subscription, which costs Rs. 1,499 for a year. Separately, non-Prime members can subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited (with 50 million tracks) at Rs. 129 per month.
YouTube Music
Google entered the audio streaming ground with YouTube Music late in 2015. The app now has over 80 million songs and music videos. It includes both 'official' recordings and random user-uploaded content. YouTube Music can offer up to 256kbps AAC streaming quality, which is lesser when compared to Spotify's 320kbps. Individuals get the convenience of selecting the audio or video mode within the app.
It is available in ad-supported and paid subscription modes
YouTube Music costs Rs. 109, Rs. 309, and Rs. 990 for its monthly, quarterly, and annual plans. Customers get a free one-month trial with their plan. They can even avail the ad-supported tier, which is limited to playing at 128kbps and restricts background playback.
