Spotify Matches Apple Music $14.99 Per Month Family Plan

[Rigby]

After reading through most of the comments before me, it seems there are people that prefer Spotify over Apple and vice versa. Features seems to be comparable, and now price is as well. So mostly preference. Here is a problem that isn't being discussed, the makers of music give their music away by posting it on Youtube as a video or other. I see my daughters and even my wife "listen" to music via Youtube -- FREE. Until the industry fixes that it seems that the streaming services will have an uphill fight to be profitable. And as has been stated in prior comments, Spotify has not other source of revenue (like Tidal) so it will be more difficult for them to stay afloat. In other words, it all Google's fault.

But Youtube isn't really free. It's ad-financed, and it does pay royalties to the lables from the ad revenue. Not really different than the free tier of Spotify. It's also far less convenient for mobile use, since video streaming uses much more data, and downloading for offline listening is not possible. You also don't get features like Spotify's fantastic Discover playlist etc.
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Another thing to try this week when I try to see if Spotify can meet my needs as well as Apple Music can.

Remember that the Discover playlist requires some time to learn your interests. From what I understand it basically looks at what kind of songs you play, and then searches music in the playlists of other users that listen to the same music. So the more you listen (and skip titles that you don't like) the better the recommendations get. I've been using it for half a year now and it's consistently amazing now. I discover at least a dozen great songs every week that I save to my library.

 

[0029937]

Why no love for Canada eh?

 

[Michael Goff]

But Youtube isn't really free. It's ad-financed, and it does pay royalties to the lables from the ad revenue. Not really different than the free tier of Spotify. It's also far less convenient for mobile use, since video streaming uses much more data, and downloading for offline listening is not possible. You also don't get features like Spotify's fantastic Discover playlist etc.
[doublepost=1464045657][/doublepost]Remember that the Discover playlist requires some time to learn your interests. From what I understand it basically looks at what kind of songs you play, and then searches music in the playlists of other users that listen to the same music. So the more you listen (and skip titles that you don't like) the better the recommendations get. I've been using it for half a year now and it's consistently amazing now. I discover at least a dozen great songs every week that I save to my library.

I've already ran into a snag where there isn't a good way of uploading my own music.

 

[Rigby]

I've already ran into a snag where there isn't a good way of uploading my own music.

Not sure what this has to do with my posting that you quoted, but personally I'm glad that I can keep songs from the subscription separate from my own library (and that it doesn't screw up my iTunes library like Apple Music has in many cases). Spotify has most of the music in my library anyway; I placed some the rest in a playlist and sync it in Spotify just to have it available on the go. I don't really see a problem with that.

 

[Michael Goff]

Not sure what this has to do with my posting that you quoted, but personally I'm glad that I can keep songs from the subscription separate from my own library (and that it doesn't screw up my iTunes library like Apple Music has in many cases). Spotify has most of the music in my library anyway; I placed some the rest in a playlist and sync it in Spotify just to have it available on the go. I don't really see a problem with that.

I'm mostly saying I quickly realized it wasn't for me. I have a use case that it isn't good for.

 

[ozaz]

How is Spotify so much better than Apple Music?

I think Spotify is significantly stronger on these aspects
- New music discovery
- Shared playlists and social
- Cross platform (e.g. Apple Music doesn't have Google Cast)

Additionally, I think the lack of reliance on iTunes is a plus.

But as you've established above it does have the weakness of lack of integration with your own music collection.

IMO, Apple Music is probably the best at combining integration with your own library with a streaming service (because I think it's better than Google, Groove, and Amazon at curation within the streaming service).

 

[6836838]

Comparing a hardware phone to a music streaming cloud service.... Now THAT calls for rolling the word adduce off my tongue.

And obviously you don't remember Spotify day 1 now do you.

Not sure the relevance of Spotify day 1. Who was their competition then? You've very weak arguments if you don't mind me saying so.

 

[J InTech82]

Under tim cook, soon apple will be irrelevant, to most of the things we care...

Apple, get a new CEO, and make apple great again!!

Because competition is not doing as well as Apple, Tim Cook should be replaced? You're delusional.

 

[oldmacs]

How is Spotify so much better than Apple Music?

Much better interface, you can use it advert supported if you want, faster streaming etc.

 

[2457282]

But Youtube isn't really free. It's ad-financed, and it does pay royalties to the lables from the ad revenue. Not really different than the free tier of Spotify. It's also far less convenient for mobile use, since video streaming uses much more data, and downloading for offline listening is not possible. You also don't get features like Spotify's fantastic Discover playlist etc.

your point is well taken. at the office where everything is blocked on the corporate network, usually they allow youtube, so that is really the only way to get music at the office. unless you use you mobile device and your data charges. then a streaming service like spotify or apple is way better. But I tell you that I see a lot of people in the office using youtube -- to the point they sent out a memo to quit it or they will lock that down too.

 

[M. Gustave]

Too late, Spotify. I switched to Apple Music two weeks ago, almost entirely because of the family pricing.

 

[swajames]

I have both Apple Music and Spotify, and while both have their upsides and downsides I do find the audio quality on Spotify to be generally better.

 

[0029937]

I have both Apple Music and Spotify, and while both have their upsides and downsides I do find the audio quality on Spotify to be generally better.

Make sure to go into settings on Spotify and raise your sound quality from the default normal to high quality or whatever they call it. Not sure if iTunes has that option but it made a good difference for me. Probably only notice it if you have decent audio equipment.

 

[patent10021]

Under tim cook, soon apple will be irrelevant, to most of the things we care...

Apple, get a new CEO, and make apple great again!!

True but even a new CEO won't be much different. Unless they're founders of the company or of the tech the company was built on i.e. Amazon, Apple etc they're all pretty much just the same. Not all CEOs but most. You will pretty much need another SJ who has a track record of brining cool **** to market and a personality that makes people WANT to follow not NEED to follow. People don't really want to follow Tim do they? Honest question.

 

[bumbo]

The only 2 things that'll make me switch to Spotify are if I can pay for the sub via iTunes credit, and if Apple don't make some navigation improvements at WWDC.
Having said that it's not a dealbreaker at the moment - money talks and with the discounts on iTunes credit, it works out cheaper to stay with AM.

 

[mw360]

I simply stated an opinion. I don't think it's a hard stretch when the exact same service is one price for one person and 50% more for 5 others to experience the very same thing together. Again, lots of people find these music services to be too expensive, and seeing how cheap it is for 6 people versus one really nails that point down.

Your explanation is based on nothing. You are simply creating a scenario. I would argue there are plenty of families who will subscribe and be equally enthusiastic AM users. So no, I think your scenario is just an example of what one family would act like and does nothing to represent the average family subscribed to a family group music service.

I'm not creating a scenario, you are. 6 people with equal listening habits? Sure, it might exist somewhere, but there's no way you can pretend that's the average.

 

[blairh]

I'm not creating a scenario, you are. 6 people with equal listening habits? Sure, it might exist somewhere, but there's no way you can pretend that's the average.

No, you are creating a scenario and saying that it's most likely the norm. There is no way of saying anything with respect to the listening habits of a family of 6. Every scenario will play out. Parents listen more. Kids listen more. One parent and some of the kids listen more. It's impossible to say.

And hence, back to my original point, 6 people have access to the same music for $15 whereas one person has to pay $10 for the very same thing. That is wildly unfair IMO. Period. You disagree, so be it, but many others agree with me.

 

[Danthemann]

I'm done with Spotify thanks to this app:
Move Music from Spotify - Apple Music Edition
https://appsto.re/us/dqiDcb.i

 

[Mackinjosh]

None of what you said makes Spotify better for an iPhone/Mac user subscribing to Apple Music.

The fact that Apple Music plays in a web interface, or can play on more devices is irrelevant. iTunes is an excellent app on Macs. It's not good on Windows, but if you have a Mac, you don't care.

And if I don't own a PS4?

See - NONE of what you said matters to me. So, tell me, if I have a mac and an iPhone, no PS4, why is Spotify any better than Apple Music? It's not.

Apple Music is so much better for my case. I can use Siri to play music, I can play the music on my Apple Watch through my wireless bluetooth headphones, I can play on my Apple TV. I can use iTunes Match to stream artists, like Garth Brooks, that aren't on Apple Music. It's so much more convenient for me. Spotify can't do any of that.

What a stupid assessment. Everything I said makes Spotify better. More choices IS BETTER.
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The only 2 things that'll make me switch to Spotify are if I can pay for the sub via iTunes credit, and if Apple don't make some navigation improvements at WWDC.
Having said that it's not a dealbreaker at the moment - money talks and with the discounts on iTunes credit, it works out cheaper to stay with AM.

You can pay for Spotify using iTunes credit.

 

[bumbo]

What a stupid assessment. Everything I said makes Spotify better. More choices IS BETTER.
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You can pay for Spotify using iTunes credit.

Yes you can, but not the Family subscription, which you can with Apple Music

 

[jonnysods]

I only have Spotify Premium because it came with a phone plan I'm on. I don't think I'll use it after. I may switch to Apple Music if my family takes enough advantage of it.