We are living in times where everything can be accessed with just a tap. What do you do when you find your favorite smartphone on your Spectrum mobile? You simply tap on the purchase button. What do you do when you want to listen to your favorite song on Spotify? You click the play button.
The ability to access vast titles across different genres and languages is a dream come true for many. With so many streaming services available on multiple platforms, it is quite difficult to pick the best one for yourself. So, we went ahead and compiled a list of five of the best music streaming services that are available on the Internet for download.
Spotify
With a vast library of over 40 million song titles, Spotify remains the popular choice for users due to its compatibility with a wide range of smart devices such as connected speakers and both IOS and Android operating systems as well as ease of use. Its music discovery algorithms are some of the best and it features a sleek interface.
Moreover, Spotify users can choose from free (ad-based) and monthly subscription (add-free) plans. A Spotify Premium membership costs $10 a month (students can avail the same at a discounted price of $5), with new subscribers entitled to a free one-month trial period.
The Premium tier streams music in 320 Kbps, which is the preferred sound quality for the majority of music listeners. The add-free version tones it down to 96 Kbps with the option of adjusting it up to 160 Kbps. The streaming service recently announced a HiFi tier, saying it intends to offer “music in lossless audio format, with CD quality”.
Tidal
Tidal users will know that it provides a higher quality audio experience in addition to exclusive audio and video content (“4:44” by Jay-Z and “The Life of Pablo by Kanye West”). The music streaming service is especially popular among music listeners who prefer quality to quantity. Tidal’s massive library features a well over 60 million songs, and covers multiple genres.
Tidal is available for download on both IOS and Android platforms, and also runs on desktop and web player. For $10 a month, you can avail Tidal Premium with ad-free streaming at 320 Kbps. The real juggernaut is Tidal Hifi, which lets you stream up to 9,216 Kbps (master quality, 360 reality audio) for $20 a month. Other subscription offers are Tidal Family Premium (for $15 a month) and Tidal Family HiFi.
Apple Music
Apple Music is designed to provide a seamless user experience. It perfectly integrates with other Apply products, including Siri and Apple Watch, and works seamlessly with your existing iTunes library. Features include impressive content, live radio, curated playlists, new music, and personal favorites, to name a few.
The subscription plan of Apple Music is available in three categories: Apple Music Individual ($10 a month), Apple Music Family ($15 a month for six family members) and Apple One Bundle ($15 a month for Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, and iCloud). Moreover, new subscribers receive a free three-month trial period.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is designed for quick navigation, and allows user to switch from listening to audio to watching video with much ease. It works exceptionally well with other Google services such as Google Assistant. Another perk of YouTube Music is that it supports both IOS and web functionality in addition to offering location-based playlists.
Users can choose from ad-free and ad-supported versions – similar to Spotify. The premium (ad-free) service cost 10 bucks a month, with a free one-month trial period. Other subscription offers are YouTube Music Premium Family ($15 a month for six people) and YouTube Premium Bundle ($12 a month for ad-free YouTube and YouTube Music).
Amazon Music Unlimited
The pricing plan of Amazon Music is similar to other major music streaming services, with additional discounts for Amazon Price members. Music Unlimited offers access to a bigger library of audio content as compared to Amazon Music.
The streaming service is also compatible with both Android and IOS operating systems, running smoothly on smartphones and tablets. Other gadgets that support Amazon Music Unlimited include Amazon Echo and Sonos speakers.
While non-music content is not available on Music Unlimited, the audio quality is pretty impressive and works exceptionally well with Amazon’s Alexa. The interface is pretty neat and user-friendly, allowing ease of use.
Did your favorite music streaming service make it to the list?
