Polls

Apple Music, Google Play Music, Spotify, or Tidal: which one do you use?

by Preslav Kateliev / Mar 08, 2017, 8:23 AM

Apple Music, Google Play Music, Spotify, or Tidal: which one do you use?

Music streaming services have really picked up lately. The convenience of being able to listen to absolutely any song no matter where you are is definitely worth the $10-ish per month. Even devout audiophiles can get lossless quality if they pay for a $20 per-month Tidal subscription, and keeping a bunch of mp3s stored on your phone seems to be a thing of the past.

But is it really? We thought we'd ask you, our smartphone-savvy readers, whether you make use of such services. A couple of years ago, 36% of people who voted on a similar poll said they don't use such services. Has that trend changed? Let's see!

What is your music-streaming service of choice?

Spotify

33.52%

Apple Music

12.29%

Google Play Music

33.05%

Tidal

3.42%

I am subscribed to a different one (comment)

3.48%

I am subscribed to more than one (comment)

3.04%

Not subscribed to any

11.2%

Options

36 Comments

1. DavMor0069

Posts: 266; Member since: Dec 09, 2015

Play Music subscription = YouTube Red= No ads, offline storage,YT music,and youtube red originals shows(if you are into those..)

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:29 AM 10

15. tedkord

Posts: 17307; Member since: Jun 17, 2009

Best deal going. Plus, I'm paid through 2021 for about $5 month.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:58 AM 1

19. Nathan_ingx

Posts: 4769; Member since: Mar 07, 2012

Not subscribed to any... Spotify not available where I am at and Google don't support most of the my country's payment methods. So I'm happily listening to illegal downloads.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 10:27 AM 9

22. trojan_horse

Posts: 5868; Member since: May 06, 2016

You're a great pirate ninja...aren't you!

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 11:17 AM 2

26. Nathan_ingx

Nay, ninja I am not...I'm just a torrent slinger.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 11:59 AM 1

34. Valdomero

Posts: 666; Member since: Nov 13, 2012

You sire deserve my upvote, for I do the same as you. Cheers.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 4:33 PM 3

35. Nathan_ingx

Thanks. There goes one for you too. Cheers!

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 7:48 PM 1

36. w1000i

Posts: 242; Member since: Jul 22, 2015

Tidal will work any where ( but you need to sign first using VPN ) then you can use it without vpn.

posted on Mar 09, 2017, 1:02 AM 1

2. thxultra

Posts: 446; Member since: Oct 16, 2014

I use Deezer Elite so I get FLAC cd quality support through Sonos. I also really like their flow feature. Use flow as kind of a personal radio station at work. May look at Spotify next year if they offer lossless streaming.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:36 AM 0

3. LebronJamesFanboy

Posts: 671; Member since: Mar 23, 2013

Google Play Music all day long. However, I don't pay for a subscription and just use it as my main music app. But if I did, I'd choose Google Play.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:37 AM 8

14. Settings

Posts: 2943; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

I would choose Google too but it isn't available in Philippines, so Spotify for me. For offline, I use Walkman.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:56 AM 1

4. libra89

Posts: 2271; Member since: Apr 15, 2016

I only subscribe to Spotify because aside from it having most of the music I listen to, it is the only one on the list that works on iOS, Android and Windows phone. The idea that I can pick up whatever phone I decide to use that day (or week) and have what I want to listen to awesome.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:49 AM 0

9. darkoman4

Posts: 183; Member since: May 30, 2014

Microsoft Groove will work on all of them. Of course I would choose Spotify over it, but it is on all 3 platforms nevertheless.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:03 AM 1

12. libra89

That's true too but Groove lacks a lot of what I listen to sadly. :( I have looked into it and found myself disappointed by the selection.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:27 AM 1

5. miketer

Posts: 513; Member since: Apr 02, 2015

Deezer for me

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:50 AM 0

6. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

google play. now if the stupid google home would get proper (non subscription) GPM hooks, I would think about buying one. What a silly thing to be missing from an automated google product.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:52 AM 2

8. Eclectech

Posts: 346; Member since: May 01, 2013

I've grown to love Tidal. It's improved by leaps and bounds.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 8:58 AM 1

27. thetcmbway

Posts: 30; Member since: Mar 15, 2016

You would.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 12:15 PM 0

32. Eclectech

what's that supposed to mean?

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 4:23 PM 2

33. kiko007

Posts: 7493; Member since: Feb 17, 2016

Ignore the obvious bait bro.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 4:29 PM 2

10. ph00ny

Posts: 2026; Member since: May 26, 2011

Subscribed to Google Music and Spotify Premium (family)

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:08 AM 1

11. 23nikki1 unregistered

Spotify and Google Play Music. Best combo

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:22 AM 0

13. FlySheikh

Posts: 444; Member since: Oct 02, 2015

Good'ol offline storage.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 9:42 AM 2

16. sip1995

Posts: 1771; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

Google Play, since i can pay it directly from my phone bill.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 10:22 AM 1

17. lallolu

Posts: 732; Member since: Sep 18, 2012

I use spotify because it is free.

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 10:26 AM 1

24. trojan_horse

Free... but with intrusive ads!

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 11:22 AM 2

18. Blest42188

Posts: 55; Member since: Aug 05, 2015

I use Google Music and Tidal. If Google ever gets a Hifi option im ditching Tidal

posted on Mar 08, 2017, 10:27 AM 0

20. benzb

Posts: 81; Member since: Jan 19, 2012

Apple Music for some reason has the LARGEST selection of Israeli music (I have tried all of them.) Not sure why. This is why I am subscribed to Apple Music. I am also subscribed to Google Play Music only because of YouTube Red. We like to watch a lot of stuff on Youtube and its nice to not have annoying ads. Spotify is great because of its fan base and it works the best with the Amazon Echo, my Yamaha audio receiver, etc so I like them too. This is how I would rate it (in my experience). (1) Google Play Music - YouTube Red ad-free videos! (2) Apple Music - largest music selection (3) Spotify - Best integration with 3rd party devices (Yamaha receiver, Amazon Echo, etc.)