Spotify and Apple Music are two popular music streaming services around the world. Spotify was founded in 2006, while Apple Music was founded in 2015 as an add-on to iTunes, a service where listeners can purchase music from prices of $0.69 to $1.99. Each streaming service has its strengths and after using both, I have realized which is my favorite.
When opening Spotify, the listener is directed to the home page. The first section of this page is the “recently played” tab, which shows the listener what they have been listening to, and how far into the song they are. The next tab is “heavy rotation,” which shows the songs that the users often listens to. The next tab, “keep this vibe going,” shows the listener music of a similar genre to the music they listen to most. The “favorites” tab shows the listener’s favorite songs and albums, which is determined by how many times the listener has listened to that song or album, and the “new releases” tab shows new music by the artists that the listener enjoys most based off the user’s listening history. It costs $9.99 for a premium subscription, which includes ad free listening, offline listens and a Hulu subscription. There is also a family subscription, available for $14.99, with up to six accounts.
When opening Apple Music, listeners are first shown their own library, which includes artists, songs, playlists and albums. When the listener clicks on the “for you” tab, a plethora of other tabs show up. The “friends are listening to” tab shows what albums the listener’s Apple Music friends have added to their library. The “recently played” tab shows what the listener was listening to most recently. The “heavy rotation” tab shows the songs that listeners listen to the most. The next tab, “artist spotlight,” shows an artist, chosen by Apple Music, and their most recently released music. Lastly, the “new releases” tab shows recently released music from the listener’s favorite artists, determined by what the listener listens to most. The next page on the app is “browse,” where it is easy to search for new music. Apple music costs $9.99 for an individual subscription and $14.99 for a family membership, that allows for up to six accounts.
Both services have their pros and cons. Spotify and Apple Music both connect to Amazon’s Alexa to have the availability to start music with the listener’s voice. Both also have a wide array of music to choose from and each app is easy to use. Listeners should use the streaming service that has the features to fit their needs.
Apple Music also connects to Apple HomePod, an Apple-made speaker with Siri as a voice assistant. A major asset of Spotify is the Hulu subscription included in the membership.
After use with both streaming services, Spotify came out as my favorite. It is easy to use, is catered to my taste of music, and also comes with the Hulu subscription. If your family is looking into purchasing a streaming service, I would recommend the Spotify Family Plan.
