For the previous few years, I’ve been fairly fortunately subscribed to YouTube Music through YouTube Premium. Not solely does it save me from advertisements on both platform, however Google has slowly turned YouTube Music into a fairly first rate streaming service. There’s rather a lot to love about it.
Nevertheless, I have not used Spotify since we had been within the consider the Covid-19 pandemic, and even then, I wasn’t subscribed to it. So, I assumed it is perhaps good to revisit the app and really make the most of Spotify Premium to see what I’ve been lacking out on.
Most of my family and friends use Spotify, and it appears rather more omnipresent than the opposite music streaming apps with regards to third-party integration. It’s fairly laborious to flee Spotify, and utilizing YouTube Music, I typically really feel a bit neglected when new options are launched or when anybody shares hyperlinks to songs that I can’t hearken to as a result of I’m not subscribed.
After utilizing Spotify solely for the previous month, listed below are the issues I like in regards to the app, the issues I nonetheless miss about YouTube Music, and whether or not or not I might see myself making the change everlasting.
The options that made me change
The choice to change didn’t come to me in a single day. It’s one thing that I first thought of doing throughout a New Yr’s Eve journey in 2023 after I was in Hawaii with my pals. Somebody is normally taking part in music for us to get pleasure from whereas we’re stress-free, taking part in video games, or driving back and forth. Everybody else had Spotify, which I didn’t usually take into consideration a lot previous to the journey, however there was one characteristic particularly that made me notice simply how a lot I used to be lacking out.
Spotify Jam is an extremely helpful characteristic that launched within the fall of 2023. It lets one particular person arrange a “Jam,” which is actually a queue of tunes that they’ll invite others to hitch in on. Anybody within the Jam can add songs and handle the order of songs, making it a collaborative DJing effort.
I like this characteristic as a result of it lets everybody combine up the music queue and showcase every others’ music preferences. I’ve a fairly eclectic style in music, and whereas my pals get pleasure from it after I DJ, I do know my tastes don’t at all times agree with everybody within the room, and there are specific genres or songs that I is probably not too aware of that others could love.
Due to this, I made some extent to make the change to Spotify Premium forward of our 2024 New Yr’s Eve journey in order that I might a Jam myself since I used to be the principle one DJing this time round with my new Sony ULT Area 1. Spotify Jam additionally made it so I didn’t should arrange a playlist beforehand, which saved me lots of time as we might simply create a queue in actual time. This characteristic alone made it price subscribing to Premium, and for those who’re late to the social gathering and haven’t tried this characteristic out but, I like to recommend it the following time you and your mates get collectively.
One other characteristic I completely love is a bit much less flashy however virtually as essential to me. Spotify has a Sensible Shuffle characteristic that may insert songs it thinks you’ll like whenever you shuffle a playlist you’ve created.
I generally discover it tough to find new music, as I typically turn into comfy with what I do know and like. I’ve a number of playlists that I cycle by means of relying on my temper, and so I’m very aware of nearly each music. I’ll typically add a music on occasion, however my playlists have a tendency to remain fairly stagnant. For this reason I just like the Sensible Shuffle characteristic a lot; it retains me in acquainted territory whereas giving me one thing new to hearken to that matches the opposite tunes in my playlist; that method, it doesn’t stick out a lot or destroy the vibe.
Spotify’s AI DJ was additionally a characteristic I used to be actually intrigued by, because it’s seemingly yet one more approach to uncover tunes based mostly on the music you want. The AI-generated DJ interjects each few songs to arrange your listening expertise, altering the vibe on occasion with songs you’re aware of or could like. It’s a singular characteristic that I discover fairly music, because it virtually feels such as you’re listening to the radio, one thing I don’t do a lot of as of late.
That stated, the execution is much from excellent. The DJ will typically change to genres or artists that I’ve zero curiosity in, and I really feel like it should leap in to vary the vibe of the tunes just a little too typically. Typically, I simply wish to keep in the identical vibe or feeling for some time, and the DJ will change issues up at a whim, which feels fairly jarring at instances.
Little question it’s a cool characteristic, one I believe Spotify ought to tweak a bit. Nevertheless, it does spotlight one in all my greatest issues with switching to Spotify, one which makes me miss YouTube Music.
Issues I miss about YouTube Music
Among the best issues about YouTube Music is that the app appeared to know me earlier than I even began utilizing it. After I first subscribed to YouTube Premium over the pandemic, I used to be stunned at how properly the app was in a position to guess my tastes by recommending songs that I ended up loving. It’s because YouTube Music is tied to the principle YouTube app, and so my music searches all through the years would affect YouTube Music’s data of me.
That is one thing I’m battling with regards to Spotify. The app’s music suggestions simply really feel subpar in comparison with my expertise with YouTube Music, and I discover myself skipping songs most of the time. That’s to not say it’s all dangerous, and the songs that present up in Sensible Shuffle are sometimes nice. However whether or not it’s through a music radio or the AI DJ, Spotify doesn’t appear to actually get me.
In fact, I acknowledge that that is extra of a rising pains scenario and that the app must take a while to get used to my tastes. My earlier experiences with Spotify had been fairly restricted, so it doesn’t have a lot to go on, which is obvious at any time when I examine my Spotify Wrapped and YouTube Music Recap yearly. I can not be too laborious on the app for not absolutely understanding my tastes, however I discover that that is one thing that always makes me wish to return to YouTube Music.
One other factor that I discover missing on Spotify is the choice of music, however not a lot in the best way you would possibly assume. I’m an enormous fan of remixes and infrequently choose them over the unique combine. Spotify has an unlimited choice of music and remixes, however I’ve discovered fairly shortly that that is nonetheless fairly restricted in comparison with YouTube Music.
The factor about YouTube Music is that its connection to YouTube makes it a a lot stronger music streaming platform, for my part. I discover a number of the coolest remixes fully out of the blue, and even when a specific music or combine isn’t out there as a music monitor, I nonetheless have immediate entry to the music through a YouTube video with out ever having to depart the app. And as a pleasant bonus, I can watch full music movies if I wish to, which turns out to be useful after I’m on the treadmill and wish visible stimulation.
I’ve already turn into fairly upset at the truth that I can’t discover a lot of my favourite mixes on Spotify, however the lack of music movies proper now can also be fairly disappointing. Spotify could also be a music streaming service with a concentrate on audio, however music movies are a fairly elementary a part of the music listening expertise.
Will I keep or will I’m going?
After utilizing Spotify for a few months, it is clear to me why it is such a preferred platform. The app expertise feels rather more mature, for lack of a greater phrase, and Spotify has rather a lot going for it regardless of the lengthy look ahead to its long-awaited Hello-Fi tier.
In the meantime, Google is repeatedly tweaking the YouTube Music UI on what appears like a each day foundation. It appears like Google is making an attempt to slowly flip YouTube Music right into a Spotify clone, which is not a nasty factor, but it surely speaks volumes to only how good of an app expertise it’s.
That stated, whereas Spotify is a favourite of ours right here at Android Central, with some genuinely enjoyable and helpful options, the most important factor protecting me from staying within the precise music expertise. Spotify simply does not know me in addition to YouTube Music, and I am undecided I wish to put in rather more effort instructing Spotify to find out about my likes and dislikes. In any case, I am right here to hearken to music that I wish to hear, and proper now, YouTube Music is aware of precisely what that’s.
For now, I will proceed utilizing Spotify to see how issues enhance, however there is a good probability I will return to YouTube Music for my music wants.
