Apple is a company that strives for excellence in everything it does. From the wildly popular iPhone to the MacBook and AirPods, Apple consistently finds its way to the top of the leaderboard. Yet, there’s one area where Apple seems to fall short—music.
As Spotify Wrapped, created in 2015, has returned this year, it is seemingly all people can talk about. Within all these music-loving Spotify listeners, there is usually one person who will chime in to tell the group about their Apple Music Replay, which is Apple’s version of Spotify Wrapped, created in 2022. This proves the fact that Apple has fallen behind. This often leads to a clash of opinions over which is better: Spotify or Apple Music.
All of that banter got me wondering which of these streaming services is superior and the answer isn’t the one that is usually superior. Spotify offers everything that all of its music streaming app competitors have, including Apple Music, and more. Their bread and butter is a library of millions of songs (over 40 million) and a massive number of playlists. These playlists are created by mobile app users as well as Spotify’s algorithm system.
When it comes to choosing between Spotify and Apple Music, Spotify stands out as the better option for several reasons. One of Spotify’s key advantages is its free version, allowing users to listen to music with only occasional ads. Spotify has 640 million users, including 252 million subscribers in more than 180 markets, according to Spotify’s website. While both services are similarly priced for premium subscriptions, what Spotify offers at that price is an overall better music-listening experience.
Apple Music has its strengths, such as enhanced surround sound, a vast music catalog, and exclusive artist content. According to Enterprise today, Apple Music has around 121 million paid listeners globally. However, Spotify’s unique features, like curated playlists tailored to listening history, collaborative playlists for sharing with friends, and the ability to combine music, podcasts, and audiobooks in one app, making it a more versatile platform. By comparison, Apple Music’s approach, requiring separate apps for podcasts and books, can feel inconvenient and less user friendly.
Both platforms have things that could make someone lean in the other direction. Spotify’s cluttered interface and certain songs whose lyrics aren’t included can be irritating, while Apple Music’s interface makes discovering new music more difficult. However, Spotify’s shortcomings are less interrupting overall, and its ability to deliver a more enjoyable experience overcomes these minor flaws.
Ultimately, Spotify provides a more enjoyable way to explore music and beyond. Its innovative features and simplicity make it the superior choice for music streaming, whether you’re a casual listener or a dedicated one. For those seeking the most satisfying listening experience, Spotify is the clear winner.
