11 January 2024 , 15:56
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Music is such a dominant part of culture, with it now being unusual to go anywhere without headphones.
In the past, it was normal to buy an album by an artist you liked and listen to it that way. Now it's all about streaming services, for a monthly fee you can get access to the majority of songs and even share your playlists with your friends.
One thing that can be quite divisive is which is the best of the streaming services, with many people being firmly a fan of just one. I was originally all for Spotify, but decided it was time to try out the big three and figure out which one actually is the best.
We have taken a look at the three main players in the music streaming industry and rated each on usability, song choice and value for money.
Amazon Music Unlimited
When I find a song I particularly like I can ask Amazon Music Unlimited to play similar music and it does - I've found many new favourites that way.
You can listen along to podcasts in the app too, although I tend to use Audible for that. It's free for your first three months and then just £10.99 a month and you can .Rating: 5/5I would say of the big three streaming services, Amazon Music Unlimited is my favourite (and the one that I currently use).
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I love the Alexa integration and the ability to search by lyrics is a nice extra feature. There are also over 100 million songs so the app can cater to every taste.
It also has excellent family families and couples options and provides excellent value for money. You can sign up here.
Rating 5/5
Spotify
The biggest complaint I've heard for the streaming giant is that the logo is unappealing, and there's some truth to that. It's bright green and in comparison to Apple Music's more mellow icon, it can be a little jarring to look at.
With Spotify Premium, there are a number of packages for students, families and couples that allow you to download music and listen without ads.
The personalised playlists are one of the most appealing features though, with Spotify curating six playlists of songs they think you would like based on previous listens. I think it's a pretty good option, and I do like the yearly round up but I don't use Spotify anymore.
If you're wanting to try it out, you can subscribe here.
Rating: 4/5
Apple Music
Apple Music was the first app I tried after deciding there might be more than Spotify.
For those with Apple devices, it is clear to see that it is more pleasing on the eye and it's slightly cheaper for students and families (although the same for Individual listeners). You have access to music on and offline, and there's a free trial to see if you like it.
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But where Spotify goes above and beyond with it's personalisation, Apple Music slacks.
I don't think I ever found a new favourite song on Apple Music, but Spotify introduced me to hundreds of songs that I listened to on repeat for a day straight.
I think for students or those who aren't looking to find new music it's a great choice.
If you want to sign up, you can do so here.
Rating: 3/5
