Nowadays, uses have kinds of choices to enjoy music online. You can purchase them and then download it for you. You can also pay to subscribe an online streaming Music service and then play all the music files and unlimited tracks that it includes.
There is no doubt that Apple Music and Spotify takes up the most part market of streaming Music. According to the news, Spotify recently reached 50 million paying subscribers; Apple Music, while growing more slowly, has more than 20 million. And together, the two platforms have contributed to an unusually robust 2017.
Here we will shows the top 5 online Streaming Music services, and compare with Pros and Cons of them.
Spotify
Spotify was one of the first streaming services to crop up and it's arguably the most well-known. It's highly lauded for its Discover Weekly playlist, a custom-made two-hour long batch of recommended music that's curated to your specific taste (generated fresh each week) has garnered a great reputation amongst music fans. Thanks to its Facebook integration, it's also great for sharing music. The abilities to send a track/album, collaborate on playlists with friends or lurk what your Facebook friends are listening to are all built into the Spotify app.
Pros
- Free version is impressively robust
- It's easy to build your own playlists and sync them for offline listening.
- User-friendly apps that are updated frequently and have enough features without being overwhelming.
- Allows you to follow artists to be alerted when they release new music or announce an upcoming show
- Highly personalized custom playlists
Cons
- Advertisements in the free service can be intrusive.
- With a free account, you can only shuffle songs in the mobile apps.
Who will choose it
People who love to make, browse and share playlists for any scenario. Also, anyone who wants to stream unlimited music for free.
Apple Music
Apple Music has an edge over the competition for one big reason: exclusive releases. It was the only place to stream Adele, Drake, Chance The Rapper and Frank Ocean's newest albums upon release and it remains the only service that streams Taylor Swift's "1989" record. The service also offers a ton of playlists, many hand-crafted by musicians and tastemakers, however it lacks the robust sharing options built into Spotify.
Pros
- It combines your iTunes library with music you don't own, rounding out what you can play.
- A combination of human music experts and algorithms help find music you'll want to hear based on what you play.
- You can control what you hear or search for new music using Siri on iOS devices.
- Has music locker via iTunes Match
Cons
- Despite being overhauled in iOS 10, the app's design remains confusing, making it frustrating to use
- Android app not compatible with all devices
- Doesn't work with old iPods (except iPod Touch)
Who will choose it
Those who want to listen to albums and songs they've added to iTunes. Anyone who wants to listen to the newest, hottest music from the world's biggest musicians.
Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon Music Unlimited is the newest kid on the block. It looks to follow in Tidal and Apple Music's footsteps, signing an exclusive contract to release Garth Brooks's latest record. Brooks doesn't have the same hip factor as Drake or Beyonce, but neither does Amazon Music Unlimited. Rather than having a big focus on helping subscribers stay on the cutting-edge of music, the service features recommended playlists and radio stations that are grouped around artists you've already listened to.
Pros
- Cheapest per month -- if an Amazon Prime member
- Lyrics automatically pop up on the "now playing" screen
- Offers cheaper plans for Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap (but restricts listening to those devices).
- Has music locker, and allows you to "mix and match" music in locker, streaming catalog and Prime Music catalog into one playlist
Cons
- Artist profiles don't have biographies
- Officially advertised as "tens of millions" of tracks strong, it's unclear if the catalog is quite as large as its competitors listed here (see chart)
Who will choose it
Amazon Prime members who want to save a few bucks, and mix their existing music collection with a subscription content.
Google Play Music
Google Play Music works as a streaming music service and a music locker. It allows you to store and stream your entire music library (up to 50,000 songs), as well as stream any of the 30 million songs in its catalog. Instead of playlists, well-curated radio stations are the standout feature of Play Music. Unlike playlists, which are finite and contain specific tracks, radio stations play endlessly and are updated often. What makes these stations unique from other services is that you can view the entire track list and save it as a playlist.
Pros
- This hybrid service seamlessly integrates your personal collection with the streaming catalog.
- Monthly fee includes subscription to YouTube Red: commercial-free streaming on YouTube and YouTube Music
- Offers music locker service for free
Cons
It's not great for discovering new releases because it emphasizes stations and recommended music. The design of the mobile apps for Android and iOS is a bit messy and overwhelming.
Who will choose it
Google fans who want to blend the music they've purchased with streaming selections.
Tidal
Launched by hip-hop mogul Jay Z, Tidal is the only streaming music service that offers high-fidelity streaming. Its superior sound quality is similar to what you would get on CDs and other physical media formats. Like Apple Music, Tidal has a leg up on other services with exclusives. The difference is that the exclusive content on Tidal is usually from one of its superstar co-owners. This year alone Tidal was the exclusive home to stream -- at no extra cost beyond the monthly subscription fee -- Beyonce's stunning visual album "Lemonade," Rihanna's highly anticipated new record and Kanye West's controversial "living album," "The Life of Pablo." As a fan of those artists, I've found myself resubscribing to Tidal, just to listen to the newest albums.
Pros
- High-fidelity music streams
- Lots of video content, including concert livestreams
- Exclusive songs and playlists from big names like Beyonce, Kanye West and Jay Z
- Full Prince and Neil Young discographies (unavailable on other services)
- Offers occasional ticket pre-sales
- Big focus on under-the-radar artists
Cons
- The mobile apps and Web player are both cluttered with too much information on the screen, making them hard to use.
- The mobile apps have bugs and stability issues.
Who will choose it
Musically inclined purists who care deeply about sound quality and discovering new, up-and-coming artists.
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