Spotify Continues to Grow Faster Than Apple Music Thanks to Free Tier

[Hastings101]

It's not like Spotify is a terrible product or something, so not really surprised Apple didn't immediately kill it off like people were expecting.

It'd be different if streaming services had sucked and Apple came in to save the day iPhone-style, but Apple Music is still not even as good as the competition. Spotify's UI is way better.

 

[Art Mark]

Music enthusiasts LOL Algorithms and corporate mucky mucks more like it. And lets face it, the only reason Spotify has had the success they have had is due to millennials wanting everything for free. I don't understand why artists continue to let Spotify and YouTube give out their content for free. These execs are crazy about torrenting and shutting it down as soon as possible, but they just let these big companies give it away for free? I don't know what deals are in place, but Spotify better prepare itself for a future where the artist and record companies actually want to get paid for their music. Because its coming.

I don't use streaming music services, at least not yet, but an 'ad supported' free tier...isn't that radio? I would guess that you have more sway in what you want to listen to, but with ads incorporated? And if they are selling advertising why don't they pay a decent amount to the artists? Well, I mean, I know the answer - because they don't have to right now. But if you launch an ad supported 'free' streaming service they must not be charging enough for ads if they can't pay decently to artists.

 

[BigJohno]

Until Apple rewrites iTunes I will stick with Spotify.

 

[jonnyb098]

Free Tier FTW! Though I only occassionally use Spotify, I've never used Apple Music. I'm not sure why labels hate the free Spotify. It's basically Internet radio. How else do they think people are going to discover new artists?

Because it barely brings in any money. The free tier is what is killing Spotify from a profit perspective. Sure everyone loves free stuff but Spotify won't be around in a couple years unless it modifies or completely dumps it's free tier .

 

[Mackinjosh]

Free tier is one reason. Another reason is that it's an infinitely better service.
[doublepost=1497549424][/doublepost]

Spotify has not been operating under profit since the inception. It's not going to survive for too long this way, especially when players like Apple, amazon and google are competing.

LOL at people echoing this stupid sentiment. Spotify has said numerous times that they could be making a profit if they felt like it. Instead they're choosing to grow and expand their business and it's obviously paying off for them.

 

[78Bandit]

The "Apple lockdown" is the deal-breaker for many, myself included.

I own many non-Apple devices, so I have to go with the options that play nice with everyone. Simple as that.

Which is why I'll NEVER buy anything in iTunes again. I have hundreds of songs I cannot play anywhere other than my Apple devices, because they predate the DRM-free Apple deal. I'd have to rebuy them DRM-free. Of course, I found this out after switching.

Never again.

You might consider a quick subscription to iTunes Match. You can download DRM free versions of previously purchased content. It will cost $25 for a one-year subscription, but in your case you should be able to get your songs converted to DRM free AAC and then just cancel the service. You'll just have to decide if it is worth $25 to get out of the lockdown.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201616

 

[Col4bin]

I'm a paying Apple Music subscriber but also have a free Spotify account. Though I like both services, for my needs I prefer Apple Music with its iTunes and playlist integration across my MBP and Apple devices.

 

[Spendlove]

Just give me a "shuffle all of iTunes" option and I am happy.

 

[Col4bin]

LOL, love his humble approach.

I still like Pandora's algorithms best in this segment. It's a shame Pandora is struggling to find a future at the moment. Their app could use a rework though.

Like a lot of streaming services these days, Pandora fills a certain listening niche quite nicely.

 

[bobenhaus]

I love here how everyone is a business analyst for Spotify even though they have no clue . How about Facebook? Do we have any business analyst for them as well? its a free service and make money from advertisements and now is worth around 450 Billion. I guess since we are all business analyst's that means Facebook would be going the way of the Dodo bird in the coming months as well? Seriously leave it to the companies to figure out. Thank you.

 

[truthertech]

Never been a fan of these streaming services. However, it's starting to seem like a lucrative business opportunity, so I'm officially launching AngerDanger Stream. Start your free trial at angerdanger.com/stream.

Actually, that's the problem. Spotify is still losing money and is only trying to hold on for an IPO so the venture capitalists can get their money. Spotify is dead man walking with Google, Amazon and Apple not needing to make money on the service.

 

[Fynd]

It's a shame that Siri, Homepod etc don't work with Spotify. Apple Music seems like a generic shopping mall experience, but Spotify seem to actually be music enthusiasts.

It feels like Apple are pushing me away. Apple were not too successful with the iPod until they got it working with Windows, but they haven't understood that people want to continue using Spotify on Apple hardware.

I can somewhat agree with this. I currently have both due to a 0.99 Spotify promo. If Apple would let me use Spotify with Siri i'd switch completely. Or allow default app switching. It's ****** getting in my car and it auto plays AM because Spotify was dumped from memory. And then not being able to use my watch/Hey Siri to get it going again. Basically walled in by Apple.

 

[Col4bin]

Just give me a "shuffle all of iTunes" option and I am happy.

That functionality already exists if you listen to your entire iTunes Library and not by individual playlist.

 

[yockster]

so, if it is free, why is it 99 cents to have three month of premium yet I got full free 3 months of apple, at no cost.

 

[jonnyb098]

Interesting. In terms of usability I'm sure Spotify is excellent, but when it comes to design aesthetics, I personally think it's hideous.

Yeah I agree. There are certain things easier in Spotify and then other things that are easier in Apple Music. As far as the iPad.....with Apple spending so much time on making the iPad OS awesome with iOS 11, it's sad that Spotify still has no split screen support and just a very poor design for the iPads large screen.

 

[tonyr6]

Apple Music is always like "hey, we noticed you listen to country music - check out these curated playlists for you featuring Drake, Ed Sheeran and Rhianna!" Thanks Apple Music.

I have to agree with you on that. Spotify actually on the first day recommended music I loved after only using it for a few hours. AM is bad but the worst is Play Music. Listen to 80's rock they will recommend commercial rap and pop crap so after a week they will start to recommend more 80's rock good right. Listen to one modern artist like Adele then it messed up the recommendations again recommended commercial rap and pop crap.

 

[Bawstun]

so, if it is free, why is it 99 cents to have three month of premium yet I got full free 3 months of apple, at no cost.

It's free to listen, with ads. Nobody said premium was free. Sometimes they do offer a free trial, sometimes it is 99 cents. But their free tier is always free. You can download Spotify and start streaming.

 

[McScooby]

If was serious on catching up, all it has to do is bundle 12mths Music with any iDevice, problem sorted -
No-one would prob notice anyway the way they're going!
No doubt they haven't done sooner 'cause one team doesn't speak to the next & prob something to do with Accounting.

 

[tonyr6]

Any service free with ads I either pay to get rid of or stop using if I don't want to pay anymore. I can't believe they show video ads in a mobile music apps which is why I hate all ad supported services.

 

[dewski]

I left spotify for apple music when they announced. Went back after my trial was up. Never looked back. Its just everywhere. Me and my wife can share one account and the app is much much faster and easier to use.

 

[canny]

Spotify has nearly 2000 employees spread across the world. Judging from from the dull corporate music Apple Music pushes to its customers, it has maybe 10 people in LA and NY.

 

[truthertech]

I love here how everyone is a business analyst for Spotify even though they have no clue . How about Facebook? Do we have any business analyst for them as well? its a free service and make money from advertisements and now is worth around 450 Billion. I guess since we are all business analyst's that means Facebook would be going the way of the Dodo bird in the coming months as well? Seriously leave it to the companies to figure out. Thank you.

It's not that complicated, and you don't need to be an analyst to understand that Spotify is in a very precarious position. They have lost huge sums of money is your first clue. Second clue that the most casual observer can see is that music streaming has largely become a "commoditized" business, meaning that, for the most part, consumers see them as offering essentially the same service, i.e, the vast majority of users are simply streaming music that they could get from any of the services. This doesn't mean that there are not any differences, for example some people will prefer a particular layout, etc., but for the vast majority, the primary differentiator is price. Unfortunately for Spotify, they don't have other revenue streams unlike their giant competitors that can use music streaming as an inducement to use other services. Indeed, Amazon is offering music through Echo for $4.99. If Apple, Google and Amazon offer that across the board, Spotify will collapse. That's among the many reasons Spotify is on a death watch, with their venture capitalist and other financers praying they make it to an IPO or get bought out before that collapse.

 

[itguy06]

No need to make it a race with Spotify. Just make a better service and everybody will be happy.

But is it better? Last time I tried Apple Music it was OK. So was Spotify. Google Play Music has me hooked now with a 3 month trial. I think it's the one I'm going to continue with.

 

[tech3475]

Main reason I'm sticking with Spotify for now is that available on more rival services, such as my Fire TV, PS4 and Alexa.

 

[itsmilo]

so, if it is free, why is it 99 cents to have three month of premium yet I got full free 3 months of apple, at no cost.

The FREE TIER is FREE not the PREMIUM version you are looking at