If there's one thing you should know about me is that I am way too obsessed with my music. As an introvert that is also a huge ball of anxiety, music with my earphones on helps me navigate the world better.
And if you are a huge music enjoyer, you either have a wide local library of songs on your devices (physical or digital copies). And if you're lazy (like me) to keep track of saving music, you are most likely have an active subscription to any music streaming services—namely Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, among others.
During my teenage years (Think early 2010s), mp3 players were the hype, or at least that's when we were introduced to computers, internet, and saving music. We didn't have an mp3 player (my cousins did), but we learned to burn disks or download converted YouTube to mp3. Back when our phones are not today's smartphones yet.
Years later, during my senior high school, I was introduced to having my own android phone. There also goes streaming, specifically Spotify. I've saved up my weekly allowance so I can pay monthly. It was one of the easiest way I could enjoy music everywhere without all the extra work of listing down what songs I need to check out and download when I get home or find the time to do so. Unlike YouTube where you have to keep playing the video for it to work and the music pauses when you accidentally lock the screen, Spotify allows you to have the song playing on the background while you're doing anything else or when your phone is locked. Trust me, I have me and my earphones against the world.
I've used Spotify through the years, and paid around PHP149 monthly, so it was understandable to have most of my life and my history on there, so switching to a new platform will be a huge work for me. In fact, I was also able to try out Apple Music as well—but I was not able to stick around despite it being in the same price point because it feels like a new thing I have to build from scratch (I don't know any workaround back then to transfer my music from one platform to another unlike now). And since it is an Apple product, I was under the impression that it works better if you're deep into the Apple ecosystem and if you're an Apple power-user (I am not, I only had a family hand-me-down iPhone 6s at the time) (I realized that this might be a mistake and I am now starting to rethink about Apple Music as of writing this).
When I started college, I was also opted in for Spotify student plan, which is PHP75 per month, and I have been fine after that. I have saved thousands of my listening history whether some songs I just searched or listened on time or the ones I liked so much to add to my library. My main playlist alone have 1700+ songs, plus other playlists saved form somewhere else or I made by mistake. I also like their yearly Spotify Wrapped and AI DJ. The thing is, in recent days, it's the only entertainment subscription I have. Not really a fan of movies and series, and if I do, I have ways of watching (borrowing someone's streaming account).
Few months ago, my sister signed up for YouTube Premium. Even if I have been seeing positive reception on social media, I was skeptical to do it at first because even if let's say it's ad-free YouTube and it lets you play videos on the background (considering I am also on YouTube all the time listening to video essays, comedic videos and long-form stuff while working), it feels like I'm also getting myself into another music streaming platform with YouTube Music (I don't really like duplicating music subscriptions, especially now I don't listen to music that often like before). But I still did it. I have 2 months free trial and PHP189 after that—which a PHP40 more than Spotify regular and PHP114 more than the Spotify student I currently pay for, but I can still see it a steal because of the 2 months trial and it's technically a 2in1 bundle. Although I can also opt in for YouTube Premium student plan which is PHP115 per month, but I couldn't waste the 2 months free, YT Premium student only offer 1, maybe I'll opt in days before my trial ends. That's Girl Math 101, I guess.
I was also able to find a tool to transfer my Spotify music to YouTube Music—a website called TuneMyMusic. I paid PHP329; which as I think about it, is like the cost of the 2 months trial. To it's credit, it is easy and smooth to use and my transfer was done successfully and with less work compared to if I do it manually, even if it's only hundreds from thousands of my saved music. Of course I cannot avoid that there will be songs that is not available to the other platforms.
Key Features and Preference
I would like to talk about some features that I like or found interesting from these platforms and discuss how those were executed.
- Music Selection - YouTube Music prides itself to having a wider selection of music, maybe thanks to being more accessible for artists and users to upload their songs and music videos in. If you're also in the mood to listen to live versions, songs that artist don't regularly put on Spotify, it's also a good place to look for. And for some reason, since it also plays music content from YouTube (I think), I can also access some unofficial releases, fan remixes/mashups, istrumentals and artist compilations.
- Algorithm/Recommendation - I'm not really someone who looks forward to recommendation; I like settling to the music I curated and manually searching for the ones I saw online. I barely even use Spotify's recommendations but I see how handy these are every now and then especially if you're looking for anything new. I believe YouTube Music's algorithm is more defined since it also gathers your YouTube activity, especially if you watch a specific artist, trending songs, or music videos often.
- Download and Quality - Both are just fine on downloads. Although when I was using YouTube Music early on, I'm having issues with downloading offline for my phone (Must be a me problem, not the app itself) On quality, it has been said from sources I found that YouTube Music has slightly better music quality than Spotify. I don't know, but both sounds fantastic to me. I don't have a critical ear so I can't point out the differences, but I think nothing really drastic, just on almost the same level.
- Sync to Other Devices - As someone who has several device, I like to hop from one device to another. A useful scenario is that when my phone is almost on low battery or if I have to do something else on my phone and let my music play on my tablet on the background, I would continue my listening to my tablet. Spotify has their "Spotify Connect" feature. I tried to do this on YouTube music but I can't (or maybe I haven't figured out the work around yet). I can even control the music as remote.
- App UI Accessibility - Both are clean, organized, and friendly to a simple user like me. Even though there's Spotify's recent decision making "miss" with the "Create" button, I still find it to be a less-cluttered interface. YouTube Music is a bit cluttered and all over the place (this is subjective) yet but the UI looks very pretty, and easy to navigate since it's pretty much designed similar to YouTube at some parts. Personally, Spotify has a sleeker design.
- DJ/Radio - Both have radio feature for when you're on the mood to shake things up and explore beyond your playlist. I don't use it often, but when I do, it is because the playlist/album has ended and the app just gives me whatever. What I like more recently is that AI DJ from Spotify. It's more interactive and the DJ feels like a fun touch; a silly little reminder that I am not in my little playlist but rather with a friend that feeds me some jams based on my listening activity.
- Sharing to Social Media - I'm a huge social media girlie, maybe you can say one of those people that overshares like anyone would care. With this, I really like to share what I listen on any social media app I could get, especially on my Instagram/Facebook story, whether it is the song itself, or a chunk of lyrics (that may or may not tell a message). Although I use Instagram music for this sometimes, I enjoy the Spotify feature to share to Instagram stories more often. YouTube Music also have these as well.
- Wrapped/Yearly Recap - Based on my research, YouTube music also have this, but it's too early for me to try it out. But being a Spotify user, I look forward to this as well (even if... let's say... it's the same 3 artists every year). It's just a fun thing to have and have no general bearing to app experience, but I see almost everyone and their dogs sharing those wrappeds to their instagram and the as the FOMO girlie, I like to chime in.
- Collaborative Listening - Months ago, me and my sister tried a "Jam" on Spotify which is a feature for us to have a little listening room session even with the distance. We had a little live-react session while on Facetime for when a certain album that we (especially me) really waited for finally came out. I really liked it. It's also good for listening sessions with family, friends, or with your long distance relationship. Unfortunately, I can't find the same feature for YouTube Music (yet).
- Comments - Sticking to their YouTube's roots, YouTube Music lets you read comments on a track. Although an interesting feature, I am not really a fan. I really don't care for the general consensus for a track I listen to. I don't want to let comments influence the way I listen to a song. I just want to listen to music. I don't find it useful either since I play music, while I do other things on the background. But well, some people may have enjoy an interactive listening—as they read other people's thinkpieces.
So... What now?
Maybe it's the familarity bias, but I don't see myself ditching Spotify anytime soon. It has served me well all these years and if it ain't broke, don't replace it I guess. That doesn't mean I will definitely be cancelling my YouTube Premium after 2 months; maybe I will, but maybe I won't. Again, YouTube is like one of my most-used apps so I don't see the waste if in return I will have no ads and it will allow me playing videos in the background. Besides, even if it's not my preferred app, I can still see myself going to YouTube Music whenever I feel like it or if in the mood to find new and trending music. For now, the 2 months free trial is worth it (although the TuneMyMusic pay is a bit hurtful). I don't know, the pressure of having to use the thing it bundled with is there, but it's a learning curve to think that i don't have to force myself. PHP189 for YouTube itself is not bad at all especially at the rate I use YouTube, it will give me a run for my buck in the next few months, I guess.
Disclaimer: Not an expert or qualified review/thinkpiece on technology and music streaming apps. All are personal opinions from personal use with limited research.
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