Music streaming services have become an essential part of many people’s daily lives, providing access to millions of songs at the touch of a button. Whether you’re looking for music to exercise to, studying, or for your daily commute, there is a variety of choices available to you! However, the most popular music streaming services are TIDAL, Spotify, Apple and Music and Amazon Music. Each of these services has its own strengths and weaknesses. In this blog post, we’ll compare TIDAL, Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music to help you decide which audio streaming service is right for you.
Content Selection
All four services have a vast music library, with millions of songs available for streaming. TIDAL is often considered to have the most extensive music library, with over 70 million songs. However, Spotify holds a roaster of about 70 million while both Apple and Amazon Music hold 75 million songs, respectively. Although, it’s worth mentioning that podcasts have recently overgrown music inventory in Spotify. Tidal, for its own part, puts a lot of effort in marketing itself as the music-afficionado platform with lossless listening format and curated and exclusive video contents, including live performances, music documentaries… All high-quality videos.
User Interface and experience in audio streaming service
Spotify and Amazon Music have similar user interfaces, with a focus on curated playlists and recommendations based on your listening habits. That being said, Amazon Music can feel a bit more dire with fewer information about the artists being displayed. TIDAL, on the other hand, has a more traditional interface, with a focus on browsing and discovering new music. Apple Music integrates voice assistance via Siri to help search contents and allows to complement the user’s iTune library with its own playlists via music lockers. Additionally, content is curated by both algorithm and humans to help find more music in line with the user’s preferences. Overall, Spotify and Amazon Music also have a more visually appealing design, while TIDAL’s interface can feel a bit outdated.
Sound Quality
As mentioned earlier, TIDAL is known for its high-fidelity music as an audio streaming service. With many tracks available in lossless or hi-res audio. However, Amazon Music and Apple Music offer (or are planning to offer soon) high-quality audio options as well. Amazon Music has a “HD” option that streams at up to 3730 kbps. Both Amazon Music and Apple Music feature ”spatial-audio” for a more immersive experience. It’s worth noting that you’ll need a compatible device and a good pair of headphones or speakers to fully appreciate the difference in sound quality.
Audio streaming services price
All three services have different pricing tiers, with some offering free options and others requiring a subscription. TIDAL’s pricing starts at $9.99/month for its standard plan, while its HiFi plan costs $19.99/month. Spotify’s pricing starts at $9.99/month for its premium plan, while Amazon Music’s pricing starts at $7.99/month for its “Unlimited” plan. Amazon Music also offers a free plan for Amazon Prime members that has limited functionality.
Integration
In terms of integration, each service has its own focus and area of predominance. Apple Music feature the easiest and wider range of integration capacities in terms of an eco-system which include the iPhone/Ipad Apple TV, Apple Watch, Mac and HomePod. However, integration might not not as straightforward outside Apple’s own environments (e.g. Android, Windows). Spotify, on the other hand, is big on social-media integration, allowing to share playlist with friend effortlessly. The feature is praised by music-lovers all over the world as it allows them t share music with their friends in a very convenient manner as they discover new music.
Additional Features
All three services offer additional features, such as curated playlists, radio stations, and podcasts. However, Spotify has the most extensive podcast library, with many exclusive podcasts only available on the platform. Amazon Music also has a unique feature called “X-Ray,” which provides lyrics and additional information about the song you’re currently listening to.
In conclusion
In conclusion, TIDAL, Spotify, and Amazon Music all have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the best option for you will depend on your personal preferences. If you’re a music purist, TIDAL might be the best option for you, while Spotify and Amazon Music are better options for those looking for a more visually appealing interface and extensive podcast libraries in audio streaming services. Ultimately, it’s worth trying out each service to see which one fits your needs best.
