OT: Subscription Music Services, which one?

[Tommasini53]

What subscription music services are Forumites using??

I have not used any of them and as an Amazon Prime subscriber I receive regular marketing on their service. Curious how the services compare.

Have Forumites found any pitfalls with services pairing with devices/operating systems? I'm a PC user that uses older (family leftovers) iPhones and iPads so I'll be using the spectrum operating systems.

[bigbill]

I use Spotify, I have it loaded on my phone and Bluetooth it in my car. I live in a pretty isolated area and have satellite radio but find myself listening to my playlists.

[djg21]

I use Apple Music. I like the Apple ecosystem, and use iPhones, AirPods, Apple TVs, iPads, etc. Paying the monthly fee is much less expensive for me than when I was buying music by the album to load on my devices. And with the cloud-based Apple match service and family service, my music is automatically is available on all of my devices and my wife’s devices.

All the commercial music I want is available on Apple Music. I occasionally buy some live recordings from BandCamp, or live Dead releases. But once these are imported into iTunes on my PC, they are available on all my devices via the cloud service.

The only downside is that if I stop subscribing, I will lose the license and ability to play music I downloaded from Apple Music during the course of the membership.

[madsciencenow]

Originally Posted by djg21

I use Apple Music. I like the Apple ecosystem, and use iPhones, AirPods, Apple TVs, iPads, etc. Paying the monthly fee is much less expensive for me than when I was buying music by the album to load on my devices. And with the cloud-based Apple match service and family service, my music is automatically is available on all of my devices and my wife’s devices.

All the commercial music I want is available on Apple Music. I occasionally buy some live recordings from BandCamp, or live Dead releases. But once these are imported into iTunes on my PC, they are available on all my devices via the cloud service.

The only downside is that if I stop subscribing, I will lose the license and ability to play music I downloaded from Apple Music during the course of the membership.

I use apple and I may still be paying for them to provide access to all the stuff I purchased via CD and uploaded. Don’t remember but it works fine and I do the family plan so kids and wife have access as well. Works great for the little we use it.


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[Dired]

Big fan of tidal here. Been using them for a few years and they just keep getting better. The MQA/360/Dolby playlists are incredible. I started out using them due to the high quality with an DAC/AMP setup, but even casual use with a phone is pretty rewarding. You can also always find a super cheap promo trial deal.

[Mr. Pink]

I use Spotify. The ability to "download" playlists to my phone, therefore not needing a connection to listen in the car and elsewhere is great. Big record store in the sky. They've also jumped into the podcast market bigtime (Joe Rogan just signed an exclusive contract), but I still use Castbox for that.

[glepore]

Audiophile and Amazon user here. The basic service is fine for pc listening. The HD service is amazing, boatloads of content, much of it 48/96. Lifechanging if you're into that sort of thing. Tidal has good stuff too but library not as broad.

[JMacII]

Originally Posted by glepore

Audiophile and Amazon user here. The basic service is fine for pc listening. The HD service is amazing, boatloads of content, much of it 48/96. Lifechanging if you're into that sort of thing. Tidal has good stuff too but library not as broad.

Audiophile and Tidal user here. Interesting to hear what you think of the catalog differences? I’ve yet to find something missing on Tidal. Love the Tidal Grateful Dead catalog.

[jkbrwn]

In reference to my earlier post. Big differences.

[fkelly]

I use Amazon Prime (with Ultra HD option) when I'm in range of my wireless network. I can access it from my phone(s) or through my FireTV connection, which in turn hooks up to my stereo system. The selection of songs is comprehensive ... the interface is funky and "not friendly" or intuitive.

I also have a SD card in my phone(s) -- wife's and mine with about 60GB of songs on it. These were downloaded to the SD card from Itunes (formerly I used a IPOD) which in turn was created by burning CD's that I used in my former life. I use the JetAudio app to play songs from the SD card. That way I don't have to incur Verizon streaming charges when I'm not in range of my home network. (Primarily in the car, traveling).

Only concern is that newer phones are leaving out SD card support.

Youtube has a more "intelligent" interface than Amazon Music does but it is killing itself with Ads.

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

In reference to my earlier post. Big differences.

that is a big difference, but theres also a big difference in which artists are available on each of these platforms. i suspect those that pay less are easier to get in the door. i listen to a lot of highly independent artists who are available on spotify that arent available on my girlfriend's apple music, for instance. id guess that as an artist catches on and becomes more popular, they may then start to move up to the better paying platforms - but not if they dont get listens on the cheaper platforms first

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

that is a big difference, but theres also a big difference in which artists are available on each of these platforms. i suspect those that pay less are easier to get in the door. i listen to a lot of highly independent artists who are available on spotify that arent available on my girlfriend's apple music, for instance. id guess that as an artist catches on and becomes more popular, they may then start to move up to the better paying platforms - but not if they dont get listens on the cheaper platforms first

My big issue, to be honest, is Spotify. I have been a paying subscriber since 2010, so I'm a big fan of the service, but there's just no excuse to pay musicians that little. It's just inexcusable.

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

My big issue, to be honest, is Spotify. I have been a paying subscriber since 2010, so I'm a big fan of the service, but there's just no excuse to pay musicians that little. It's just inexcusable.

but what about listenership? could be spotify has twice the listeners of a platform that pays twice as well... so the artist gets the same check from both. its not as though theres more "work" to do to make that money once the music is recorded... promotion aside, once your stuff is uploaded you just sit back and let the checks come. if spotify is half the price for subscription, twice the listeners, and pays half as much, the checks the artist gets from spotify and apple music are the same figure.. what does the artist care if his music was listened to twice as much on spotify than apple? if anything, the extra exposure on spotify might help "sales" (used for expediency) on the other platforms, as people share their music w friends.

buncha what-ifs... my point is just that theres more to this than just how much one gets paid per listen, i think.

[Dead Man]

ill also add that the platforms themselves have different levels of internal promotion - as i mentioned in my first post in this thread, spotify has recommended me TONS - absolute untold kajillions of music likely never would have even known about if not for their internal promotion of artists. i dont have much experience with the other platforms to know how much of this they also do, but using the girlfriend's apple again- theres not much of that there. when a playlist runs out, the playlist just replays itself, rather than switching to a channel with "similar" music, like spotify does. and spotify has lots of other promotional stuff they do, like recommending all sorts of playlists they "think ill like" on the home page and stuff

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

ill also add that the platforms themselves have different levels of internal promotion... on the home page and stuff

I am with you on this one and it's the primary reason I've never bothered with any other service beyond the trial period. Spotify's algorithmic suggestions are simply too good to leave behind.