Here’s a rundown of some of the top contenders in 2024, along with their strengths:
Spotify:
- Best overall: Spotify is the most popular music streaming service in the world, and for good reason. It offers a massive library of music, great discovery features, and a seamless listening experience across all devices.
- Strengths:
- Huge music library
- Excellent music discovery features, like Release Radar and Discover Weekly
- Free tier with ad-supported listening
- Seamless integration with other apps and devices
- Large and active community
Apple Music:
- Best for Apple users: Apple Music is deeply integrated with the Apple ecosystem, making it a great choice for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. It also offers a large music library, high-quality audio, and exclusive content.
- Strengths:
- Tight integration with Apple devices and services
- Large music library
- Lossless and spatial audio quality
- Exclusive content, like music videos and artist interviews
Amazon Music Unlimited:
- Best for Prime members: Amazon Music Unlimited is a great value for Amazon Prime members, as it’s included in the Prime subscription. It offers a decent music library, good sound quality, and integration with other Amazon services.
- Strengths:
- Included with Amazon Prime membership
- Decent music library
- Good sound quality
- Integration with other Amazon services, like Alexa and Fire devices
YouTube Music:
- Best for YouTube fans: YouTube Music is a good option for people who already use YouTube a lot, as it allows you to listen to music videos and other content ad-free. It also offers a decent music library and good sound quality.
- Strengths:
- Ad-free access to YouTube music videos
- Decent music library
- Good sound quality
- Integration with YouTube
Tidal:
- Best for audiophiles: Tidal is known for its high-quality audio, including lossless and MQA formats. It also offers a curated music library and exclusive content.
- Strengths:
- High-quality audio, including lossless and MQA formats
- Curated music library
- Exclusive content, like artist concerts and live streams
Qobuz:
- Another great option for audiophiles: Qobuz offers high-resolution audio streaming and a focus on classical and jazz music. It also has a user-friendly interface and a wide selection of music.
- Strengths:
- High-resolution audio streaming
- Focus on classical and jazz music
- User-friendly interface
- Wide selection of music