If you’re a music lover and you’re looking for a new way to listen to your favorite music, you should check out Spotify and Apple Music. Both apps allow you to play your music through a web browser, and they offer the ability to download your favorite songs for offline use. They also feature playlists, podcasts, and a variety of other features. You’ll be able to find new music to listen to without even leaving the app, and you can even download lossless audio files.
Aesthetics
In the past few years, both Apple and Spotify have taken the initiative to make their services better. They’ve updated their features, added new perks, and made their services more accessible to users.
Compared to its competitor, Apple Music’s interface is more user-friendly. It employs a tile-like UI and a navigation bar. As a result, it is easy to find your way around on a larger screen.
Spotify also boasts a sleek UI. The app has a darker color scheme with black and grey as the primary colors. Some of its features are integrated into the Now Playing screen.
Another notable feature is its discovery algorithm. This can create weekly playlists based on your listening habits. For example, you’ll hear recommendations if you listen to a certain type of music frequently. You can also “connect” with artists. By doing so, you can chat with them and even create content links.
Apple Music’s main avenue for finding new music is Beats1 Radio. This program features up and coming artists, as well as professional DJs. These artists play fresh and exciting tracks.
However, it’s not the most obvious feature. Apple’s discovery system doesn’t offer much in the way of personalized recommendations.
What is more, it doesn’t have a free tier. Instead, you have to subscribe to a Premium plan to experience the best content.
If you want to try it out for yourself, you can sign up for a six-month free trial. During this time, you can enjoy a large library of music.
User-curated playlists
In today’s on demand music marketplace, playlists have become more and more important. Not only are they an effective way to promote music, they can also provide an outlet for advocacy. Aside from helping to promote new music, they can help consumers discover more about a variety of genres and artists.
Many services have begun to compete by offering features that help users sift through the millions of songs available. This is in part due to algorithms that analyze a user’s listening habits. The more input a user provides, the more personalized and targeted the playlist.
User-curated playlists can be created by anyone, whether a professional or amateur. Some even offer a submission form. However, these may not include every artist.
To get started with a playlist, you’ll need to create an account with either Spotify or Apple Music. After you’ve created an account, you’ll need to sign up for a subscription. You’ll then be able to add music to your own playlists and browse curated playlists.
A good place to start is by searching the Spotify or Apple Music app. There are many curated playlists that feature popular tracks. These include ‘New music Friday’, a recurring feature that features new artists.
Similarly, the Apple Music Editorial Team curates the most noteworthy playlists. They select the best tracks to feature in a playlist based on their listening habits, and update it weekly.
Lossless audio
If you’re interested in lossless audio, you should know that Apple Music and Spotify are offering high-resolution, lossless tracks, but it’s not exactly clear whether you can actually use them to get great audio. Lossless audio is a bit tricky to deliver to speakers, though.
The only way to enjoy lossless playback is by using a wireless or wired connection. While you can listen to lossless on your phone or computer, you’ll need a dedicated DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to get a good listening experience. You also need Bluetooth headphones or speakers that have the right protocols.
When Apple introduced lossless to its music service, it promised that all of the company’s catalogue would be available in this format by the end of 2021. In reality, only a fraction of the entire catalogue is available in this format.
There is still no clear pricing plan for lossless, however. Although Apple claims that at launch, it will have 20 million tracks in lossless, Spotify hasn’t said anything.
Some of the most popular music streaming services, including Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music, use lossy compression to reduce file size. This means that the high-res versions of the songs are larger than CD quality. However, there are some advantages to losing the extra data, such as a better sound reproduction and a better separation of the lows and mids.
Offline playback
Offline playback on Spotify and Apple Music is a feature that’s available to users around the world. Using it is easy. It allows you to download content to your iPhone or Apple Watch so you can listen to your music on the go.
To download offline music, you’ll first need to enable the feature in your Spotify settings. Then, you’ll need to create a playlist. After creating a playlist, you can start downloading songs or albums. Once you’re done, you’ll need to go online again at least once every 30 days to keep your downloads active.
If you’re a Premium subscriber, you can also download songs or albums in Offline Mode. Alternatively, you can use a third-party Spotify Downloader to do it. In the event that you’re not a premium subscriber, you can still download offline music using the iTunes Store. However, you’ll need to have an Apple ID and open the iTunes Store app to do so.
You can now download Spotify music and podcasts to your iPhone or Apple Watch. If you’re a Premium subscriber, the feature will be automatically enabled. On the other hand, if you’re not a premium subscriber, it’s up to you to enable it.
Offline mode is a great option for outdoor runners, and it’s a simple way to enjoy your favorite tunes while you’re away from a reliable Internet connection. But not all devices support it.
Podcasts
Whether you’re in the market for a new streaming service, looking to save money, or simply want the best overall experience, there are a number of reasons to choose one over the other. One of the most important factors is spatial audio, which makes a big difference.
Both services are available for a variety of devices. Besides the obvious ones, Spotify also supports games consoles, like the PlayStation 5, and Samsung wearables. And, of course, Apple Music has its own automotive solution, namely, Apple CarPlay.
However, both services offer podcasts. And while there are many to choose from, each offers something unique. For instance, Spotify’s Discover Weekly is a playlist that generates hours of new music every week. It’s an interesting feature that’s worth checking out.
As for podcasts, there are a few notable names on both sites. One is the Stuff You Should Know, which consistently ranks in iTunes’ top ten list. This podcast discusses the everyday issues of life in a funny and entertaining way. The program is downloaded millions of times per month.
While podcasts can be a lot of fun, it’s important to note that they’re not free. In fact, it can cost you a significant amount of money to produce a good podcast. Fortunately, there are ways to monetize them.
One example is by securing sponsorships. Another is by producing an ad-supported version.
Search for new music
If you’re looking for new music on Apple Music and Spotify, you’ve come to the right place. Both platforms offer an abundance of playlists to help you find new artists and music to listen to. However, there’s more to finding new music than simply selecting one of these streaming services.
There’s also the Spotify Made for You section, which is based on your listening habits for the past six months. This includes a Daily Mix playlist and a Release Radar playlist of newly released albums. Also, there’s a Listen Now tab, which offers song recommendations.
The Spotify Friend Activity panel lets you follow friends and celebrities. Once you do, you can see what they’re listening to and what their favorite songs are. In addition, you can “like,” “share,” or comment on their posts.
Another feature is the Discover Weekly playlist. Each week, Spotify automatically generates a new playlist based on your listening habits. For instance, if you typically listen to rock, it’ll generate a playlist of bands that are similar.
Lastly, you can visit YouTube’s New Releases page. YouTube’s New Releases section is updated daily and has more than 3,500 videos. Even though it isn’t the best way to discover new music, it’s a good starting point.
Apple Music and Spotify both use advanced computer algorithms to recommend new music. You can also use your contacts list to create public playlists that are shared with your friends.
