Music Streaming Services

[Wa10]

They've come a long way since Spotify was launched nearly 9 years ago, and I think it's fair to say they've transformed both the way we consume music and also the music industry as a whole. 

For a long time there was only really Spotify, and their offering was limited at best, however now they've been joined by Amazon, Apple, Napster (in a legal form!) and Tidal amongst many others.

Pricing has remained incredibly keen, with most offering a "premium" service for around the price of 1 album, and many even offer a way to listen for free so long as you don't mind a few adverts. Then there are the Family Plan options, allowing multiple members of a household to benefit from a greatly reduced cost - as low as £2.50 per person for unlimited music streaming, that's cheaper than a handful of songs on the pub jukebox!

The question is, do you stream your music? And if so, which service do you use and why? Is there a "best" service out there, or is it a case of different services suiting different people/scenario's? Maybe there's not much to choose between them at all.

For me, I've been a Spotify user pretty much since it launched here in the UK. Back in the day I only really used it on my PC in work, however that quickly changed to my mobile - which I now use when working, in the car and also when out and about on foot. I've also recently paired my account with Amazon's Echo, so that I have instant access at home without having to use my phone or tablet to play via a separate bluetooth speaker.

It was this recent development which got me thinking about the options, as Amazon of course offer their own music services - I can access Prime Music as I'm a Prime member anyway, and they were quick to try and sell me an "Echo" subscription to the Music Unlimited service for just £3.99 per month which sounds like an absolute bargain, although not much use to me as I use extensively on my phone as well.

Seriosuly thinking about upgrading to a family plan offering, either via Spotify or Amazon, so that the family can benefit too - part of the reason for me posting this, as I'm wondering which way to go and looking for any obvious advantage to one over the other, as the cost is the same. I know that with Amazon I could ask Alexa to play a song based on it's lyrics, but then is that really something I'm ever going to use - and if so, why would I not just ask Alexa to Google the title for me instead?

Thoughts?

[jonsie]

I'm just having a beer now @Wa10 strangely enough. My friends brought me a 4 pack on Saturday 😁

[Wa10]

Nice, enjoy!  

In a moment of madness, this seems to have happened along with the Boyce Avenue  Somebody please confiscate my credit card, it's becoming an expensive afternoon  

:

[jonsie]

I'll take it.... 😂 😂 

[Wa10]

Massive thanks @Anonymous for the mention of Boyce Avenue some time back on this thread - I saw them live last night at the Albert Hall in Manchester, and was very impressed! Fantastic show, a great party with a great crowd, and the support act (the amazingly talented Martha Phillips) was sensational too. 

Long time since I've been to a gig at the Albert Hall, and still love it as a venue...I was a little less enamoured with the £7.50 cost of a pint though! 

[Cleoriff]

£7.50 for a pint?? Was it a pint of blood @Wa10? Good grief I must go and have a lie down....

[MI5]

Pint of whiskey for that money!

[jonsie]

I couldn't live with myself if I paid that much for a pint. You could get a decent bottle of wine for that.. 

[Wa10]

Haha, tell me about it!

A double Jameson was the same price, so that's what I ended up drinking after the first pint.

Glad I'd had a couple of £1.79 pints in Wetherspoons before hand, to help bring the average down a bit.

I'm off to the MTV EMA's next Sunday, and seriously worried that I may need to take a second mortgage if I want a drink there 

[MI5]

Hip flask

[Cleoriff]

Now if you carried a handbag it's quite easy. Put a Sprite bottle in the bag filled with alcohol ..then just pay for the mixers...Or the same is easily hidden in a pocket if wearing a heavy jacket. As you will realise, I am a master at this sort of malarkey...