Useful for looking up stuff like - An elite member's Avatar. I recognised the album but wanted to hear it again. What I don't get is the paid for service. If anyone does pay, how does it work? Do you get to download the music in a standard format like mp3? Or, can you only download it to use in their software? If that is the case, what do you do if you want to listen to your music in the car or from your phone? In the past, I bought stuff outright - lately, in mp3 format so that I own and I can do what I like with the music - copy to my car, phone or another computer. Lastly, if you leave, is that your music gone?
There are several such streaming services available; Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Google Play Music, Apple Music, YouTube Music etc. The benefits of paying are typically (but not exhaustively): No adverts Ability to download tracks for offline playing within the service provider's app Higher quality listening options available No (meaningful) limitation on number of playlists Compared to buying a CD a month it's about on par, and the libraries of music on most of the big ones are now pretty exhaustive. If you choose to nix your subscription then you lose the benefits but as the music doesn't go anywhere you only need to resubscribe to get access to that music once more. We get family subscription packages and share the cost in the family. £3 per person per month it works out at... or 10p a day each. No more CDs in the car, no more faffing about with torrents, or buying tracks through walled-gardens like iTunes, managing hard-drives full of MP3s bla bla. Doesn't mean that my existing digital music collection is null and void, but I'm not really expanding it any longer or curating it (managing tags and whatnot). In the car I stream via Bluetooth from my phone. Works well, and also shouts directions at me from Google Maps. You may have native Bluetooth in your car or you may need additional hardware to support this. There's always a way to enable this. Music is divisive, some people still like to own it... but for discovery and convenience the streaming services meet my requirements very well. .
Even if you buy a CD or a vinyl copy you only have a licence... streaming is just temporary licencing, subject to paying the recurring fees. Of course, just like every other method, if you want to download a copy there are ways and means. You will likely be in breach of terms of service if you do that, but we're all grown-ups and make our own decisions. I'm not advocating that, of course. Just saying it's possible.
I can bluetooth music/Google directions on my car radio now. So, can you get an Android app to have the music from Spotify/Whatever?
Yes, that's one of the good things. Works on iOS and Android, and there are Mac and PC apps too. So you're pretty much covered. I think there might even be a Windows phone version, failing that... web app via the browser. I was very sceptical until I started using it. It's pretty cool that I can be riding along on my bike with my phone in my pocket and my Sena attached to my helmet. Tap the phone button on the Sena to activate Siri (or Assistant) and shout "play Led Zeppelin" and the little voice says "playing Led Zeppelin". You're using data on your phone if you're streaming mobile, so make sure you've got a compatible data plan. It's not mega-friendly for PAYG.
Have a family (albeit a dysfunctional one) subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited. Self plus children and girlfriend have separate streaming accounts on that, all with separate playlists etc. Works well and allows adhoc music exploration for us all. Download music as required for off-line playing, Bluetooth to car, sena headset and the Bluetooth speakers around the house. Very happy with the service albeit at £150 a year. Amazon Music Unlimited is an expanded version of Amazon Music that you get as a regular Amazon Prime subscriber. Expansive selection that's right upto the minute.
Forgot about Amazon! Yep, £150 a year. It adds up but as you say if you get it with Prime and you order a bit of stuff, watch the Prime video and things as well then it’s good value.
Are you into pretty esoteric stuff? Or is it a few years since you tried? Personally I’ve found everything from obscure prog-rock to mainstream pop via sixties folk and 90s indie on there. Very rarely does Spotify come up short these days. There was a time when there were gaping holes (Pink Floyd, Beatles) but by and large it’s mostly there now. There is the odd thing to choose between them but by and large the major streaming services have got their libraries sorted now.
Amazon Music Unlimited has a significantly extended range over Amazon Prime Music, 50 million tracks vs. 2 million... or so they claim.
Wow. They have a lot of the obscure stuff now. Took me a few minutes to find one: Magician, by Amazing Friendly Apple (from 1969) If I roll up my sleeves, I'll find more but the point is, Spotify has come on leaps and bounds. Impressive.
Spotify still has some gaps due to copyright etc. but these can normally be filled by a Youtube search and rip - not that I'd advocate copying music without compensating the artist of course - things like KLF & early De La Soul complete albums can only be found this way
If I own a music CD which is how I get most of my music; I convert & copy it into mp3 or other formats & listen too it on my GPS's. High court quashes regulations allowing people to copy CDs "Under the new regulations, only the individual who purchased the original copy of the work, and not others such as a friend or family, is legally allowed to copy it"
google family subscription here, each person in the family (max 6) can set up there own individual playlists on their own phone or tablet. We also have chrome cast enabled speakers round the house (set up into groups on google home) and a google assistant, so i say "hey google, play some [insert music here] on kitchen" for example and it starts playing or you can open play music on a device and 'cast' it to an individual speaker or group of speakers. You can import mp3s to google music - i have imported my back catalogue. I also set up my Sena to my phone , i can select a playlist or i tend to pick a song and then click on 'start radio' before i set off and it creates a play list and streams similar songs. If you hear something you like you click the thumbs up button and it adds it to the thumbs up playlist so you can listen to it again later. I think you can 'pin'/download to the device so you can listen offline while roaming for example. It's all pretty neat really - certainly working out cheaper than buying CDs or paying for individual downloads. i have a Samsung s8+ (nice screen size) which fits to the bars with a quad lock and i can split the screen 50/50 with nav (waze or google maps) and music
