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There are lots of music streaming services available today, and many of them are, at their core, indistinguishable from each other. However, for me personally, one music streaming service stands above the rest, thanks to its incredible range of features and unbeatable value for money.
In order not to bury the lede, my preferred streaming music service isSpotify, and I’ve been using it (and paying for it) for many years. However, I have also tried some of the other music streaming services to verify I’m not missing out. And I don’t think I am; Spotify is still number one.
1The Essential Elements Are All Solid
The first thing to note about Spotify is that all the essential elements are solid. Spotify boasts an incredible music library of around 100 million tracks, the user interface is well-designed and easy to navigate, and the audio quality is good enough that all but the pickiest of audiophiles will be satisfied.
If you want to listen to a song, it’s likely to be available on Spotify (unless it’s very old or niche). The UI is fluid and responsive, and the mobile app is especially well laid out, given how many features there are to explore. No, Spotify doesn’t yet boast high-fidelity audio like TIDAL and others, butmost people can’t even tell the difference, so justtweak Spotify’s equalizeruntil the sound suits you.
2The Range and Quality of Personalized Playlists
If there’s one thing that Spotify does sublimely well, it’s personalized playlists. While there are many ways to listen to music through streaming services, playlists are right up there. As well as allowing you to create your own playlists, Spotify creates them for you based on your listening habits.
Spotify boasts a whole section of playlists that are “Made for You,” and it’s here that you’ll find mixes based on artists, genres, and moods, playlists designed to help you discover new music, andthe ever-changing Daylist, which updates constantly, and features quirky titles.
3The AI Features Are Actually Useful
Generative AI is making its way into many different products and services these days, and Spotify is no exception. However, unlike AI features being added elsewhere, Spotify’s is actually useful.Spotify’s AI featuresrange from anAI DJ that provides links between songsto an AI Playlist Generator thatcreates playlists based on nothing but text prompts.
Spotify is clearly keen to experiment with AI and explore ways in which it will improve music streaming. However, every new AI feature is being tested and rolled out methodically to ensure it actually works. The aforementioned AI DJ is, at the time of writing, still in beta, for example.
4The Social Features Add an Extra Element
While you can choose whether to use them or not, Spotify’s social elements can add to the overall experience of using the app. You can share songs, albums, or playlists with others, create a playlist with friends, and even follow artists or podcasters.
Every Spotify user has a profile, so you’re able to choose to follow others, have them follow you back, and share your listening activity. These are all simple social features that can easily be used without interfering with the core Spotify experience.
5The Presence of Podcasts and Audiobooks
Spotify isn’t just about music anymore, and I think this is a good thing. While you may still use Spotify just to listen to music, you also have the option to listen to podcasts and/or audiobooks on it, too. The podcast player is so good thatI use Spotify to listen to podcastsrather than using a dedicated podcast app.
Not everyone likes the addition of other forms of media and would prefer Spotify to be all about music. However, each medium has different tabs, so if you only want to use Spotify to listen to music, you can. Just avoid clicking on thePodcastsandAudiobookssections of the app.
6The Ability to Listen Offline to Save Data
One of the best things about Spotify is the ability to download songs, podcasts, and audiobooks to listen offline. This means that you may prepare for a vacation ahead of time and then avoid using data completely while away. I have downloaded all of my Liked songs on Spotify, meaning I have a huge playlist to fall back on while away.
I also create specific playlists for trips and parties and then download them to avoid burning through data when I don’t have access to Wi-Fi. The latest innovation isa playlist called Offline Backup, which Spotify automatically populates with songs you’ve recently listened to in case you lose a connection.
7The Sheer Joy of Spotify Wrapped Every Year
Last but not least, Spotify is the best music streaming service around because of Spotify Wrapped. This annual roundup of your year spent on the app is genuinely exciting as you seehow much time you racked up listening to musicand what your preferred artists, songs, and genres have been over the past 12 months.
While other music streaming services offer similar roundups, none can compete with Spotify Wrapped. The joy of scrolling through your stats before sharing them with others is a highlight of my year and something I start looking forward to once summer ends. As sad as that may sound, it shows how well Spotify pulls this off.
