7 Best Music Streaming Platforms

Music is part of our daily lives.

At home, on the road, at work, to accompany our parties and cozy evenings, our playlists are there.

But the time when we downloaded our songs one by one to put them on our portable players is over!

Now, streaming platforms have taken over, all with specificities that differentiate them from their competitors.

Among the following seven platforms, let’s see which one will suit you best by reviewing their advantages and disadvantages.

Best Music Streaming Platforms

1. Spotify: The leader in music streaming

If you’re a music lover, you’re probably familiar with Spotify: the leading music streaming service has an impressive library of tracks, and plenty of other tricks up its sleeve too!

On Spotify, you can listen to a wide variety of podcasts in every language and on every topic imaginable, enjoy playlists created to suit your tastes including a 30-track discovery playlist every week, stations linked to your favorite tracks, and much, much more.

Plus, the premium subscription at 9.99€ offers you many more doors! The possibility to listen to your tracks without any ads, to listen to the track you want at any time without the shuffle mode or to download your tracks to enjoy your music when you don’t have a connection, all in a well-designed mobile or computer application and web version.

It’s not hard to see why Spotify has taken center stage!

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]A very large library of artists and titles
A very easy navigation in the discography of the artists
Separate libraries for your liked tracks, your albums, your followed artists, your playlists, your podcasts…
Numerous thematic playlists based on moods, genres, music similar to what you currently listen to…
The possibility to create collaborative playlists
The possibility to share your playlists very easily
It is very easy to reorganize tracks within playlists
Many social features, including the ability to easily share favorites from the previous year or new discoveries
There are many premium offers, especially for families, couples or students, and it is possible to get the first month or three for free
The player is fluid, the quality is good even in the free version and the volume equalizer is efficient
Sound quality at 160Kb/s in free version, and 320Kb/s in premium version
A very large choice of podcasts is available
Compatible with all platforms except HomeKit[/i2pros][i2cons]There are some bugs, both on mobile and on computer
Without the premium version, the mobile application is always in random playback
Some tracks suddenly become unavailable, and then again… Or not
Some tracks are sometimes replaced by other versions, while the version initially added to the playlist is not found[/i2cons][/i2pc]

2. Amazon Music HD: The offering that just keeps getting better

Amazon’s empire is constantly expanding, so it was only logical that a music streaming platform would appear.

Amazon has chosen to remain classic for this service and has largely copied the competing platforms, both in terms of interface and options.

In fact, it is especially for Amazon Prime users that this service will prove interesting, as Amazon Music (a sort of free and limited version of Amazon Music HD) is already since 2018 included in the Amazon Prime subscription.

If the limited track offering and 40 hours of ad-free monthly listening leave you wanting more, then it’s time to look into an HD subscription.

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]A very large library with over 70 million titles
A good listening quality with 320Kb/s
HD or ultra HD quality in 24 bits 192kHz
An easy to navigate interface
Separate libraries for your liked tracks, your albums, your followed artists, your playlists…
Numerous thematic playlists based on moods, genres, music similar to what you are currently listening to as well as editorialized playlists
An offline mode with the subscription
A personal offer as well as a family offer, and a three-month free trial
Allows you to add tracks to the catalog and play local files with an additional utility[/i2pros][i2cons]No social features
No collaborative playlists
No discount if you have an Amazon Prime subscription
The service is not available on Google Home, HomeKit or Playstation[/i2cons][/i2pc]

3. Deezer: The Little Frenchman

For once, we are not relying on a platform made in the USA or Eastern Europe: Deezer is a French platform now known internationally, a bit older than Spotify.

With two subscription versions including one in CD quality, Deezer is a good service that deserves to be further improved, and the team seems to be working on it, notably by adding many integrations so that the service can be used on a large number of platforms.

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]A smooth and easy-to-use web player or application for all your devices
Deezer offers a free offer and a 3 months trial
Deezer premium in MP3 320Kb/s or Deezer hi-fi uncompressed in CD quality 16 bit 44kHz
Suggestions of titles and playlists adapted to your tastes, algorithmic or editorialized, including playlists created by artists
A personal offer and a family offer for 6 accounts
The possibility to access many French radio stations
An offline mode with a subscription
Available on all platforms except Playstation, and soon supported by the HomePod
Activity sharing to see your friends’ favorite tracks, playlists and artists
The ability to create collaborative playlists
Ability to add tracks to the catalog and play local tracks
Presence of a podcast category[/i2pros][i2cons]The smallest library of this top with less than 60 million titles
Without the premium version, the mobile application is always in random playback
The quality of the Deezer hi-fi subscription is “only” CD quality
Some features like friends’ activity are difficult to access[/i2cons][/i2pc]

4. Youtube Music: The biggest offer

Long awaited, Youtube Music is the 100% music service of the video giant.

Different from Youtube Premium which allows access to all the content of the site without advertising, Youtube Music offers an impressive library, and redirects you to a video if a track is not available on the service.

Unlike other platforms that use only the upload by artists, Youtube Music relies on content already available on Youtube.

Thus, songs posted by anyone can be found there.

Replacing Google Play Music, this service offers a really ideal interface for music with a free version, although limited, and a subscription version.

With a weekly discovery playlist and many thematic playlists updated very regularly, Youtube Music ranks effortlessly among the best.

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Probably the biggest library in this top, even if the precise numbers are not available
The presence of tracks uploaded by any user
Many thematic playlists based on moods, genres, music similar to what you are currently listening to…
A very easy navigation in the discography of the artists
Separate libraries for your liked tracks, your albums, your followed artists, your playlists…
The possibility to create collaborative playlists
The possibility to share your playlists very easily
Personal and family premium offers, 3 months free trial and an offer including Youtube Music and Youtube Premium
Offline mode and background listening for the premium version
If a track is missing from the platform, a video will be proposed instead
A fluid player with an audio mode to avoid playing the video[/i2pros][i2cons]Maximum sound quality of 256Kb/s in premium version
Many devices are still not supported, like Macs or consoles
No real social features in the application
The application does not offer podcasts[/i2cons][/i2pc]

5. Apple Music: The best choice on iOS

Apple has made us used to it: if you use devices running iOS, Apple’s operating system, such as iPads, iPhones, Macs or HomePods, Apple Music will be the best choice for you because it is perfectly integrated with the brand’s devices.

In fact, it is pre-installed on these devices and controllable by Siri! Thanks to Connect, Apple Music goes a little further than just streaming audio tracks to create a kind of hybrid with a social network that brings together all the positive points of other services.

You will be able to follow your favorite artists and have access to exclusive content.

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]A huge library of artists and tracks
A free radio, Beats One
An offline mode with over 30 million tracks
A recommendation system that adapts to what you already like
Numerous thematic playlists based on moods, genres, music similar to what you are currently listening to…
The Connect social network, where users can follow the profile of their favorite artists with exclusive content
It is possible to add music to playlists from third-party applications like Shazam
It is very easy to reorganize tracks within playlists
The ability to share playlists very easily
Many social features
A personal subscription as well as a family subscription and a student subscription
Surprisingly, the service is not exclusive to Apple and is also available on Android
Available on all media except consoles[/i2pros][i2cons]There is no free offer apart from the first three months offered
No web player: you have to use iTunes or the Apple Music app on Android
It is not possible to create a collaborative playlist
Player not very ergonomic
Podcasts are located on another application to which you must also subscribe in order to access all content
The maximum quality is 256Kb/s[/i2cons][/i2pc]

6. Qobuz: The service for audiophiles

Music is an art, and you intend to treat it with the reverence it deserves.

If you want to enjoy music in its best quality with a service designed for true sound lovers, Qobuz is for you!

With an honorable catalog of more than 70 million tracks, its offer remains relatively limited compared to other services like Spotify or Youtube Music.

However, Qobuz makes up for it with an impressive sound quality!

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]A growing library of over 70 million tracks
Sound quality far superior to other platforms in 24-bit up to 192kHz
Two subscriptions, Studio Premier and Studio Sublime, for preferential rates on hi-res purchases
The possibility to buy albums or tracks to own them on all your devices
It is possible to pre-order tracks and download them on the day of release
The possibility to download the booklets of your albums
An offline mode
The possibility to import playlists from another service with the Soundiiz tool
The web player and all applications, whatever your device, are compatible with 24 bit hi-res streaming
A personal or family subscription for 6 accounts
A smart interface designed for audiophiles[/i2pros][i2cons]The libraries are not very well arranged and it is easy to get lost
Its price, with double the price of a classic personal offer from a competitor for a monthly subscription
No free offer and only one month trial
No social features
Qobuz doesn’t seem to be making much progress in its negotiations with labels, resulting in a lot of missing content
Amazon Music and Apple Music now offer similar sound quality at a lower price[/i2cons][/i2pc]

7. Tidal: Another service for music lovers

Tidal also prides itself on allowing you to listen to your music the way the artist intended: without loss of quality, and in total immersion.

But Tidal goes further: several artists are shareholders of the platform, making it a music streaming platform for artists, by artists, offering them a fairer remuneration.

If the platform has sometimes had a bad press because of exclusivity on some releases, it remains a platform with a large library that offers options such as offline mode, more than 200,000 clips available, but also and especially uncompressed quality.

[i2pc show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]A library of over 70 million titles
A very good listening quality
A platform by the artists, for the artists, with a remuneration 2 to 3 times higher than that offered by competing platforms
The My Mix service which proposes tracks based on your listening
Numerous thematic playlists based on moods, genres, music similar to what you are currently listening to…
Editorialized playlists created by artists
Exclusive releases, that you’ll only find on Tidal, from artists like Beyoncé or Rihanna
Easy-to-navigate web player and apps that are compatible with multiple devices
A premium subscription, and a hi-fi subscription for the best listening quality
A personal subscription as well as a student subscription and a family offer[/i2pros][i2cons]Exclusive releases are accused of encouraging illegal downloading
A rather high price if you want to enjoy the songs in maximum quality
No free version beyond the 30 day trial
No social features
Doesn’t allow adding tracks to the catalog, nor play local tracks[/i2cons][/i2pc]

What criteria to choose your music streaming service?

As you’ve seen, music streaming services are similar in many ways in what they try to achieve: having the largest library, with features that make you want to opt for a paid version, while making sure that their free version remains better than their competitors’.

To choose the service that would be best for you, you can rely on certain criteria: the offer provided by the service, the quality of the experience, the paid subscription options, as well as the personalization and social options, but also the small technical details that can make all the difference.

The proposed offer

Of course, the most important thing is that you can find your favorite artists and their entire discography! So the first thing to do is to check that all your favorite artists and bands are available on the service you are interested in.

But these applications are also about discovery, so the larger the library, the more likely you are to find your future favorite!

Also, if you’re interested in podcasts, you should know that not all applications offer this category of program and stick mostly to music streaming.

The quality of the experience

A streaming service is nothing without a good listening quality and a flawless ergonomics: nobody wants to struggle with his device to simply launch a playlist before making a trip or starting a sport session.

So it’s crucial that the interface is fluid, that managing playlists is simple, that navigating the artist pages and their discography is enjoyable, and that the widget is well done so you can control the player even when the phone is locked.

Of course, the highest quality listening in terms of Kb/s will always win, but beware! It should be followed by a good equalizer for the best experience.

Paid subscription

The principle of the paid subscription is that it gives you more than the free version, when there is one.

It doesn’t matter if you choose to subscribe to eliminate ads, for the offline mode or for a better listening quality as long as you feel you are getting a good deal and especially that the technical support is reactive and communicates about bugs and other changes on the applications.

Customization options

Receiving recommendations specially designed for you and based on your tastes may seem superfluous, but once you’ve tried it, you can’t live without it.

Being able to launch a playlist blindly and knowing in advance that you will enjoy the new tracks and possibly discover artists that will be among your favorites is priceless!

The quality of the recommendations is therefore very important so that you don’t end up with content that doesn’t fit your style at all.

Social options

Music is also a social matter: being able to share your music is very important for many people, so it is necessary to have options to do it easily.

Sharing playlists on any social network, collaborative playlists, recap of favorites from previous years…

Many options are available and will allow you to learn more about your loved ones and to see a retrospective of your musical evolution and all the new tracks you discovered and enjoyed.

The little details

In your relationship with your music streaming service, it’s the little things that make all the difference.

The possibility, for example, to change the sound quality like on Spotify in order to save your mobile data, the possibility to subscribe to your friends’ profiles, the presence of clips, the display of song lyrics, the editorialized playlists, which are therefore made by real team members or even celebrities, and not by an algorithm…

All these additional features can really change your user experience and should be taken into account.

With the months of trials offered by all these platforms, you can see which features are most important to you and make your choice based on which service you enjoyed the most.

Conclusion

While all of these services seem to be fighting over a single audience, companies have quickly realized that they need a strong argument to get out of the game without dramatically lowering their prices.

Huge library, unmatched sound quality, sophisticated sharing options, cutting-edge interface… Each of these services offers a very different experience, so your choice will come down to what’s most important to you when listening to music.

Don’t neglect the emerging platforms: it is thanks to your support that they will be able to start negotiations with labels and thus expand their offer and perfect their player until they become THE service that combines all the positive points mentioned in this top!

All of these services are constantly innovating to bring you the best offer, so keep up to date with the latest news and upcoming features like Spotify’s CD-quality option that can finally tip the scales.