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With Apple Music at 20M Users, Spotify Hits 50M Paying Subscriber Milestone

I like Apple Music it has its problems but it meets my needs. I was kind of shocked when it said Apple has 20 million subscribers. I would have thought that with the number of devices on iOS10 and Apple's marketing power they would have a lot more.
 
Yet they lost me. Too expensive for my listening habits. The occasional YouTube stream while driving is enough for me, with my data plan.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
It is default. The overall system integrates with it. iOS won't offers up Spotify or encourage a Spotify subscription. Anyone interested in Spotify has to manually make it work.

Same with Maps. Click a location in Calendar and Apple Maps is going to open, not Google Maps. The former is the default too, integrated with the rest of the system... much like IE was back in the IE vs. Netscape days.

My point was that the default (or integrated) system usually wins but look through even this thread and you see plenty of Apple people commenting about favoring Spotify (anyway), or trying AM and switching to Spotify, etc.

Note this is no attack on Apple- just an observation that Spotify appears to be surviving an IE-like default option threaded into the iOS... even with a segment of us Apple people. IMO, that's a good thing as competition is much better for all of us rather than even Apple completely dominating anything such that all competitors completely die out.
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No, the default is no music subscription. In contrast, once you have your phone you don't have to spend any money to use maps.
 
Spotify is also partnering with carriers in some countries, allowing their streaming services to be used without using up your data quota. That's very attractive.
 
Art Mark said:
I've worked in tech and online companies for a long time. I don't for a moment believe that number. But neither do real investors. It's a nice pretend number. The real question is, how sustainable are they? My guess is they are waiting for a larger company to buy them. Maybe a telco...maybe a big entertainment company. It's a play to be bought. They are not sustainable since they lose money and if they raise prices they will lose subscribers quickly. They need to be part of a larger company that has the ability to lose money in one area and make it back in another. Alone they are most likely toast within 5 years.
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It isn't a play to be acquired they have been planning an IPO for a while.
 
I love Spotify but I just signed up for Groove Music to test it out, 20 seconds in trying to play La La Land I get this error "Sorry we can't play those songs for some reason". Classy Microsoft, no wonder this service is niche.

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Apple Music integrates so well with the iOS devices (obviously) and with CarPlay. Spotify for CarPlay is a mess and not nearly as full featured. I like Spotify, but if the experience isn't as slick as the competition, it's too easy for me to switch.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
It is default. The overall system integrates with it. iOS won't offers up Spotify or encourage a Spotify subscription. Anyone interested in Spotify has to manually make it work.

Same with Maps. Click a location in Calendar and Apple Maps is going to open, not Google Maps. The former is the default too, integrated with the rest of the system... much like IE was back in the IE vs. Netscape days.

My point was that the default (or integrated) system usually wins but look through even this thread and you see plenty of Apple people commenting about favoring Spotify (anyway), or trying AM and switching to Spotify, etc.

Note this is no attack on Apple- just an observation that Spotify appears to be surviving an IE-like default option threaded into the iOS... even with a segment of us Apple people. IMO, that's a good thing as competition is much better for all of us rather than even Apple completely dominating anything such that all competitors completely die out.
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That's simple IE was better than Netscape and killed it
Spotify is better than AM and thrived

Time to realize nothing apl does will be successful in terms of services outside of current users who get sucked in by the trial and perm icon, its like a fishbowl sometimes you peak out but Apl, is stopping you and making the defauts too easy to say "meh" I'll stick with Apl music hence their 20M that don't really care just another convenient bill. Apl already knows its customers. The customers simply wait for "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke" sort of like the Rose Parade. You know its coming and then Meh why so many marching bands?

Apl is only successful due to you choosing them as some default, Spotify is successful based on the product itself.
Its like 3rd party keyboard Apl forces you to use their subpar on to enter ever more passwords.
Its like... The Truman Show at least he escaped.
 
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Harmonious Zen said:
Apple Music integrates so well with the iOS devices (obviously) and with CarPlay. Spotify for CarPlay is a mess and not nearly as full featured. I like Spotify, but if the experience isn't as slick as the competition, it's too easy for me to switch.
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Is anyone really using Carplay anymore? I thought it was put on life support by Apple, it seems outdated, no 3rd party app integration as you mention, no google maps, etc etc.

I agree with your point though, in my case it's lack of Apple watch integration, not sure whose fault it is though, Apple has been historically at fault for being so slow or impossible with 3rd party apps in some cases justified in others not so much.
 
Brilliant! My streaming music service of choice. Spotify changed the way that I listed to music two years ago and to this day I still appreciate the new features that are rolled out ~every couple of months. Go Team Green!

By far what I'm most thankful for is the hundreds of new songs I've found through Spotify. Prior to Spotify I found it darn near impossible to find new music. My only hope was to hear new music on video game montages (oh my middle school/high school days) or to scour the charts on iTunes. Was anyone else in the same shoes?
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Michael Goff said:
I wonder if Spotify is making money yet.
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Seems like every time I hear about the issue they STILL are not profitable.

I bet Apple Music isn't either. It's impossible to make money with the fees/cost-per-play that these labels charge. They have a monopoly on the music industry and they know it.
 
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50 million... Have a party

I just don't listen to music enough. Those who have a view of what is better than what else, means they listen more I would ever do ..:)
 
iMi said:
Groove leading the pack surprised me, but good to know. I'll be looking to switch in September.
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Groove is only leading the pack globally. In the US they have 18 million songs, which is far less than Spotify/Apple Music. Spotify is still superior to both Apple Music and Groove Music though. Superior featureset, better audio quality, really good playlist curation, and more. And, with Spotify reaching 50 million paying subscribers, this just proves that fact.
 
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Lossless music versus "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke" and I am supposed to take that seriously? I subscribe to Apple Music but if they don't match lossless audio with lossless audio I'm out of here. I subscribed to a music service because I want music, not ridiculous shows. If I wanted that I could subscribe to cable again.

(I already put up with the worthless desktop client called iTunes, Spotify and Google both have that beat on the desktop.)
 
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paulvee said:
It's all great for users, but none of it is great for musicians. Take my word for it. If you don't, try to go out and make money selling your music. It was never easy, but it's really difficult to make a buck with streaming.
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It has never been easy making money as a recording artist. For every artist that made it back in the day - before internet and streaming - there were hundreds who didn't. People tend to forget this fact; the vast majority of music ever released have never made any money.

The big difference today is that it has never been easier and cheaper for an artist to reach a huge audience. But the competition is of course also much bigger than ever before.

Then again there are small artists that have released self-financed music on streaming services and racked up several million streams by being lucky enough to be included on some of the more popular playlists. Most of these artists would likely have stayed totally unknown back in the day.

BTW: A million streams on Spotify is worth in excess of $4000, and even a moderate hit easily have 10+ million streams. Just look at Spotify's Global Top 50 where not a single song has less than 1 million streams per day. There is money in streaming, big money even.
 
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BoltmanLives said:
You do know ITunes running quicktime is a security risk too on 7 best to ditch it.
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Old news.
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Armandodj said:
I drop Apple Music in November 2016 for few reasons, interface and the quality of music. I joined Spotify in June 2015 and can say it was the best decision. Even Apple Music it's okay they need to do some work, not crazy about the idea of adding shows or things like that. Too me it's all about the music, and interface and easy is to navigate, Spotify still best including great sound.
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I agree about the interface but not the quality of music, Spotify is the worst of them all.
 
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