Streaming services are the number one way people listen to music today, and it’s important as an independent artist that you know exactly where your fans are hearing you. Several years ago, the main options for streaming were Apple Music and Spotify. But with Amazon Music and YouTube Music as additional platform competition and new services emerging like Tidal and Qobuz, listeners have an abundance of streaming options. We’ve compiled a list of the world’s biggest music streaming platforms of 2022, including their pros, cons, and statistics so you can better connect with your audience.
Spotify
Spotify is at the forefront of music streaming and is currently the most widely used streaming platform. Offering numerous ways to discover new music tailored toward the listener, including customized ‘Discover Weekly’ playlists and daily mixes, Spotify is easily the best platform for exploring new artists and genres. Spotify has recently begun to promote its non-music content with podcasts carving out a new niche in the streaming world and last week’s addition of audio books further broadening the platform. Spotify’s streamlined, intuitive interface is simple to use and its extensive catalog and device compatibility have helped it become the most popular music service in the world. But despite having more than 350 million global users and 150 million global subscribers, Apple Music still has more U.S. listeners than Spotify.
Currently Spotify has the best free tier among major streaming services: for zero dollars and no payment info, listeners can access millions of tracks. The catch is that ‘shuffle’ is the only listening option and ads are interspersed throughout the listening experience. Another consideration is that while competitors are now offering high quality lossless audio options for no additional cost, Spotify’s planned HiFi (lossless) tier has yet to be released, and there’s no information on when it might arrive. If the best sound quality is something you and your fans care about, Spotify should probably only be one of several places fans can find your music.
Statistics:
- Most popular globally.
- Second most popular in the U.S.
- 82 million tracks
-
Artist pay: $0.004/stream
- Free tier sound quality: 160kbps
- Max sound quality: 320kbps
Pros:
- Free tier gives access to millions of tracks.
- Spotify Connect simplifies connecting to Bluetooth speakers.
- Easily build playlists and sync them for offline listening.
- Listeners can follow you and get alerts for all your new releases or upcoming shows.
- Listeners can also access podcasts.
Cons:
- Ads in the free tier can be intrusive.
- Listeners can’t choose specific songs in the free tier, the only option is ‘shuffle’.
- No lossless audio options.
- Podcasts and audiobooks are beginning to overshadow music.
Apple Music
Apple Music is second in popularity to Spotify globally, but ahead of them in the U.S. This is largely due to it having hi-res lossless and spatial audio with no extra charge. However it’s not publicly known how many tracks are available with lossless and spatial audio despite Apple Music having a larger overall audio library than Spotify. Apple Music has an intuitive, simple interface and is compatible with iOS and Android devices. While it does work with non-Apple devices, it’s easiest to use with Apple products like their HomePod or Nest.
Like Spotify there’s an abundance of curated playlists, but it lacks the diverse sharing options. If listeners want to buy their own digital music in addition to streaming it, Apple Music is the best option for doing so with its digital locker where they can store their personal song library. This means more money to you, the artist, whereas with Spotify you only get paid based on streams.
Demographics:
- Second most popular globally.
- Most popular in the U.S.
- 90 million tracks.
- Artist pay: $0.0078/stream and $0.09/download
- Paying tier sound quality: 256kbps
- Max sound quality: 24bit/192kHz
Pros:
- Lossless and spatial audio available to all subscribers.
- Combines listeners’ iTunes libraries with streamed music; music lockers are offered but optional.
- Both human music experts and algorithms suggest music based on what listeners like.
- Use Siri, Apple HomePod or other Apple devices to control what plays.
Cons:
- Technically compatible with non-Apple devices, but not as user-friendly.
- Lack of sharing options.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is the third most popular streaming service globally. This makes sense, considering it’s comparable to Apple Music and Spotify while also being included in a Prime membership. Users can upgrade to Music Unlimited for access to an expanded music catalog, millions of lossless tracks, and over 1,000 spatial remixes that can be played on Dolby Atmos soundbars, Android and iOS devices, and the Amazon Echo Studio. Amazon Music’s interface and usability have improved with playlists, genres, and podcasts available on the main page. Overall, Amazon Music is likely the best option for Prime members who want to save money on a decent music library and higher quality sound.
Statistics:
- Third most popular music streaming platform.
- 90 million tracks.
- Artist Pay: $0.004/stream
- Paying tier sound quality: 3730kbps
- Max sound quality: 24bit/192kHz
Pros:
- Cheaper than the best streaming services if you’re a Prime member.
- Lyrics automatically appear on the “now playing” screen.
- Lossless and spatial audio available at no extra cost.
- Free music stations with ads for Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Amazon Tap.
Cons:
- Artist profiles don’t include bios.
- Digital music lockers are no longer available.
YouTube Music
While behind the three top services as far as users go, YouTube Music is still an impressive service. Access to over 60 million songs is included with the ad-free YouTube Premium subscription as well as a digital music locker. The sound quality is lacking compared to the competition at only 256kbps, but YouTube Music does offer well-curated radio stations that play indefinitely and are regularly updated. This is a good streaming option for those who use YouTube regularly and subscribe to YouTube Premium.
Statistics:
- Most popular overall, but fourth most popular in subscribers.
- 60 million tracks
- Artist pay: $0.008/stream
- Sound quality: 256kbps
Pros:
- Decent music library.
- Subscription included with YouTube Premium.
- Offers digital music lockers.
- Excellent radio stations.
Cons:
- Not as extensive a music library as Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Spotify.
- Lacking sound quality.
- No recommended playlists.
Tidal
Tidal has emerged as a new music streaming platform that’s unique in that the higher subscription prices mean better artist payouts. Tidal pays 10% of high-tier subscription fees directly to their subscribers’ favorite artists. This is huge for smaller artists with dedicated followings when compared to the payouts from other streaming services. Not only do artists make more money, sound quality is higher than almost anywhere else.
Tidal’s main downside is that most of their high-res music uses MQA which needs a specialized decoder, something Qobuz and others have been able to work around. The interface is generally intuitive, but could be better. However, Tidal does offer a broader music selection than Qobuz and will likely continue to improve in the future.
Statistics:
- 80 million tracks
- Artist Pay: $0.0128/stream (plus payouts for listener’s favorite artists)
- Free tier sound quality: 160 kbps
- Paying tier sound quality: 1411kbps
- Max sound quality: 24bit/192kHz (4608kbps)
Pros:
- Lossless and spatial audio, plus higher quality sound for paid subscribers than other streaming platforms.
- Video content, such as concert live-streams.
- Indie artists spotlights and artist profiles easily accessible.
- Offers a free tier, while the top tier gives payouts to listener’s favorite artists.
Cons:
- Shuffled radios are the only listening option for the free tier.
- The interface isn’t as intuitive as other platforms.
- Smaller catalog than the top music streaming platforms.
- Most high-res music needs a specialized MQA decoder.
Qobuz
Recently Qobuz has risen up as a competitor to Tidal, offering hi-res audio streams that don’t require a specialized decoder and giving even more money to artists. These lossless audio tracks can be listened to on a phone or a high-end sound system, making this streaming service more flexible for those who care about having the best sound quality wherever they are.
With 70 million tracks, Qobuz’s music library rivals Tidal as well as the top streaming services, although it’s lacking in some more obscure artists. Uniquely, it also offers a hi-res download store and with the higher subscription tier listeners can get discounts on purchases. Qobuz is primarily designed for lossless recordings, making it best suited for jazz and classical fans. Being cheaper than Tidal and requiring no special equipment to listen to the highest quality sound has made it a favorite of serious music lovers.
Statistics:
- 70 million tracks
- Artist Pay: $0.0439/stream
- Paying tier sound quality: 1411kbps
- Max sound quality: 24bit/192kHz
Pros:
- Well designed app.
- No decoder needed for 24-bit music.
- Download store for additional high-res tracks.
- More affordable than Tidal.
- More money to artists.
Cons:
- Catalog is not as expansive as other streaming platforms.
- No spatial tracks.
- No customized music recommendations.
Connect to Your Fans
While music streaming options are growing and there are many more out there, these are the most popular, easiest to use, and offer the best sound quality. When deciding where to stream your music it’s important to know where your fans are most likely to be. Some might prefer Spotify for its usability and affordable tiers, others might prefer Amazon Music if they already subscribe to Amazon Prime. And if much of your audience are audiophiles, Qobuz or Tidal might be right for you. It’s likely that several streaming services will fit your fanbase and it’s a great idea to diversify where your music can be found. At Intercept Music, we distribute your music to over 80 service providers in over 230 countries. From your artist dashboard you can see reports on your streaming performance by region and provider so you can know where your fans are listening. We hope this breakdown of the world’s biggest streaming platforms will help you rise above the noise!