The State of Streaming Music Services
CD sales are plummeting, and vinyl sales have plateaued after rising to their greatest peak since the 1990s, but that doesn't mean that people have abandoned music. It's quite the contrary, really. With the rise of streaming music, people are listening to their favorite songs and compositions in their homes, offices, or any other location where their devices can connect to the internet. In fact, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry has stated that the music industry saw 5.9 percent growth in 2016, with music streaming services comprising the bulk of the surge.
Streaming music services are so vital to the industry that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) now factors music streaming into its Gold and Platinum album certifications. In fact, Kanye West's The Life of Pablo, a rather forgettable hip-hop album, is the first record to go platinum based entirely on online plays, streaming more than 3 billion times worldwide. Like Bob Dylan said, the times, they are a-changing. And for the better. Mostly.
The Music Streaming Features You'll Love
The RIAA's move is a wise one, as streaming music services have become a part of our everyday lives. Most streaming music services have some base-level commonality, such as letting you create customizable channels, but a handful stand out from the very crowded pack due to their unique feature sets. For example, Tidal prides itself on sound quality, delivering a premium Hi-Fi product that boasts uncompressed 1411Kbps FLAC audio streams that surpasses your typical stream or MP3 file.
Considering that most online music services' streams are in the 128Kbps and 320Kbps range, Tidal's audio quality is quite impressive. In fact, Tidal's new Masters Streams are even more impressive, offering studio-quality audio courtesy of the Master Quality Authenticated audio codec. These FLAC-based streams sound absolutely terrific.
Some services, such as Slacker Radio and Spotify, have free options that let you try before you subscribe, while others, such as Amazon Music Unlimited and Microsoft Groove, are strictly premium experiences (typically starting at the $10-per-month mark). Many services have lyrics, too, so you can sing along, word-for-word, with your favorite song.
There are many differences between the free and paid streaming music tiers in most services. Free accounts typically limit your ability to skip songs to just six per hour, and they feed you ads in either audio or video form. The free tiers are for more casual listeners or people who don't find it worth spending a dime on music. Premium accounts, however, offer unlimited song skips, on-demand playback, and other goodies. The for-pay levels of service are aimed at customers who really want to explore the depths of what a streaming music service offers.
In addition, each of the reviewed services offers mobile apps, so you needn't be tied to your PC to enjoy tunes. A valuable feature that you'll find in these services' mobile apps is the ability to cache music for offline playback, a feature generally reserved for premium subscribers. This is a technological godsend for folks who are frequently in locations that have spotty signal coverage.
You'll find even greater streaming music diversity should you dig deeper into the space. Slacker Radio, for example, differentiates itself with live ESPN Radio, so you can stay on top of sports happenings throughout the day. The service also has Stories, a hosted program that features interesting tales, ranging from love to horror. IHeartRadio specializes in local, over-the-air radio stations, as well as the playlists and recommendations associated with online music services. Tidal sells concert and sports tickets, and has an expert editorial staff that produces feature-length articles. Amazon Music Unlimited lets you upload your own audio files and stream them along wiht the songs in the company's catalog. Most services have a robust selection of comedy albums.
There's a lot of content to explore beyond simple music. These platforms are quickly transforming from streaming music services into overall streaming audio services.
Some Anti-Consumer Stumbles
Unfortunately, all isn't swell in this musical wild, wild west. Thanks to—you guessed it—money, some platforms have either gained or lost content. For example, pop idol Taylor Swift yanked her 1989 album from Spotify three years ago due to low royalty payments, and the record hasn't appeared on the service since then. In fact, there have been reports that Swift is pondering her own streaming music service. The issue of artist compensation has always dogged the recording industry, and it hasn't disappeared with the advent of streaming music—quite the contrary, in fact.
Tidal aimed to stand out from the crowd, as a platform built on the idea of properly paying artists. It was also the only service to host Prince's catalog for a hot minute (though that's no longer the case). In some cases, you're unable to play particular songs on demand; those tracks are only available within the scope of a themed channel. Content restrictions and missing artists and tracks are still a problem in the space, though—Swift notwithstanding—the situation has improved markedly in recent years.
Trying to figure out where things live and how you're able to access them can prove quite vexing to the uninitiated. It's one of the entertainment challenges that we face in the digital age.
It's Your Move
Thankfully, you don't need to wade through the numerous services to find the one that best suits your listening needs. PCMag has reviewed both popular and niche streaming music services to separate the musical wheat from the auditory chaff. Below, you'll find capsules that link to our full reviews of 10 streaming services; up top, you'll find a chart that highlights the features you should expect in a high-quality service. Check out the reviews and chart to discover which streaming music services are best suited for your music listening tastes.
If you're curious about why certain streaming music services aren't featured in this story, here's the skinny. It's very likely they've been surpassed by the 10 superior services highlighted here, absorbed by a rival, or gone out of business. For example, Jango Radio isn't very good, AOL Radio is nothing more than a reskinned Slacker Radio, and Rdio sold its tech to Pandora. I expect to see more shakeouts in the space in the next few years, as there are so many players providing broadly similar services.
That's not to say they are the same, however! Read on to find the pros and cons of the best online music streaming services we've reviewed. Put on a pair of headphones or crank up your speakers and explore the options below. Do you have a favorite music service, or is there one that particularly grinds your gears? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured Online Music Streaming Service Reviews:
SiriusXM Internet Radio Review
$10.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% SiriusXM Internet Radio's crisp audio, numerous live stations, and talk radio is a must-have for radio-streaming fans, despite a few niggles. Read the full review-
Slacker Radio Review
$3.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% Slacker Radio's deep music library, informative DJs and DNA stations, along with quality non-music content make the streaming audio service the big dog in a very crowded and competitive pack. Read the full review -
Amazon Music Unlimited Review
$9.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% Amazon's fully realized streaming music service provides an intriguing alternative to the many, many competing products on the market-especially for owners of Echo devices. Read the full review -
Spotify Review
$9.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% The feature-packed Spotify, available in both free and premium versions, is a top-notch streaming music service, despite a few quirks. Read the full review -
Tidal Review
$9.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% The continually evolving Tidal is an excellent streaming music service, especially for listeners who want high-quality audio and first dibs on tickets to hot concerts and sporting events. Read the full review -
Apple Music (for iPhone) Review
$9.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% Apple Music boasts exclusive albums and Siri and Apple Watch compatibility, but this well-rounded streaming music service falls short of toppling Slacker Radio and Spotify. Read the full review -
Google Play Music Review
$9.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% Google Play Music, with its music locker and YouTube integration, offers more unique features than your typical streaming music service, but it's surpassed by rivals that boast even greater capabilities. Read the full review -
Microsoft Groove Music Review
$9.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% Groove Music brings more than 40 million songs to your browser, but a few missing features keep it from competing with the streaming music service top dogs. Read the full review -
iHeartRadio Review
$4.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% iHeartRadio attempts to merge live radio and a curated catalog, but the streaming music service lacks many of the features found in its rivals and its interface is clunky in places. Read the full review -
Pandora Review
$4.99 MSRP
%displayPrice% at %seller% The once-pioneering streaming music platform finally offers unlimited skips, replays, and ad-free listening, but it still has a long way to go to catch up to the leaders in the category. Read the full review