While Spotify may still hold the title of “world’s largest music streaming platform,” Apple Music is quickly gaining ground. Nearly 80 million people have signed up for it since its 2015 debut. And now that it has largely replaced iTunes in 2019, it plays an even larger role in Apple’s subscription service initiative.
The platform is accessible on more than just Apple products, unlike some of Apple’s other offerings. It also has plans to expand into areas other than music streaming, and it has the money and the vision to do so. Is it really worth it to sign up for Apple Music? Read on to learn about the platform’s key features, pricing structure, and main rivals. You can begin your no-risk trial immediately by clicking the button below.
What is Apple Music?
More than 90 million songs can be streamed instantly from the cloud with Apple Music, a premium music streaming service. Several of its free internet radio stations can be heard around the clock in over 160 different countries. After Apple bought Beats in 2015, the service was released to replace Beats Music. The service is promoted as a one-stop-shop for all of your music streaming requirements, giving you access to a wide variety of songs as well as your own music collection via iCloud integration with iTunes. With the release of macOS Catalina in the middle of 2019, Apple Music replaced iTunes as the company’s default music player.
Even though Apple Music’s user interface was criticised when it first launched, the service has since become a major player in the field of music streaming. With its addition to Apple One, alongside Apple TV Plus and others, Apple Music is poised to play an even more important role in Apple’s overall plan for its subscription services.
What does Apple Music for Artists entail?
After an initial rocky start caused by Apple Songs’s announcement that it wouldn’t pay royalties for music played during a user’s free trial period, the service’s relationship with musicians has swiftly improved. Musicians may now access Apple’s statistics and learn about their songs’ global success with Apple Music for Artists.
The musician-centric service provides insights into things like audience makeup, milestones, the most Shazamed tracks, and more. You may also submit a personalised artist portrait that will appear next to your music while it is being played, making it a potent tool for determining where to tour or promote your music.
How does it function?
Apple Music’s interface has been simplified significantly since its 2015 debut. To put it simply, if you’re using an Apple product, you already have it. It’s also likely the programme you use most often to play music. The software is available on the Play Store for Android devices, but Windows users are stuck with iTunes.
When you first use the app after installation, you’ll see the Library tab, followed by For You, Browse, and Radio. Instantly accessible material is tiled over all of them. There is a second search button in the bottom right corner on iOS devices, but it’s higher up on Android. The Library tab stores all of the artists and songs that you have saved to the service, as well as your local and iCloud Music libraries. Your personal playlists and favourites can be found here as well.
If you’re looking to expand your musical horizons, head on over to the For You section. Apple Music uses sophisticated algorithms to learn your taste in music based on your playback history and ratings, and then makes personalised recommendations based on that information. In contrast to your listening history, the Browse method relies on things like Top 100 lists, new releases, and featured playlists to help you discover new music.
Last but not least, the Radio feature is one of the most well-liked aspects of the service. One can tune in to the live stream of any one of several 24-hour internet radio programmes featuring a live DJ from anywhere in the world, or listen to previously recorded episodes. Additionally, a schedule of forthcoming live content is provided to ensure that viewers never miss their preferred shows.
Is Apple Music compatible with Lossless or HiFi audio?
Audiophiles, who value sound quality above all else, can benefit greatly from the streaming music industry thanks to the inclusion of lossless or HiFi audio. Until recently, Tidal was the only service to provide it, and they charged a premium for the privilege. Fortunately, that is no longer the case.
Apple Music does, in fact, feature Lossless audio, which means that the quality of your streams will exceed that of a CD. One more plus is that it doesn’t cost any extra money. This is included in the base subscription, giving you access to broadcast-quality streams at a cost more typical of a regular subscriber.
Is Apple Music worth the price?
There is no shortage of excellent music streaming services, but Apple Music is among the best. With 60 million songs, it has a wider selection than its rivals. It’s also competitively priced. It’s a no-brainer to try out Apple Music if you’re already immersed in the Apple ecosystem and have your library synced in iTunes. With iCloud Music Library, you can add up to 100,000 songs to the app’s streaming catalogue. It’s incredibly handy for music fans to have access to both their personal collection of purchased songs and an extensive streaming library.
All of Apple Music’s features, including access to your own music library and a variety of online radio stations, are available without cost at any time. Finding new music this way may be quite exciting. But if you aren’t connected to Wi-Fi, it will use up your data quickly. The For You area is a better method to find new music for paying subscribers, however it lags somewhat behind the algorithms of Spotify and YouTube Music. Even yet, if you’re not seeking anything too out of the ordinary, the suggestions might be spot on.
Even while the streaming quality is high, it may not be the best choice for a genuine audiophile. While Tidal, Amazon Music HD, and Deezer provide superior sound quality, they do so at the expense of functionality and ecosystem connectivity.
How much does Apple Music cost?
As previously stated, Apple Music is priced similarly to other streaming services, with the individual subscription costing $10.99. This is just $1 more than Spotify and YouTube Music, as well as Tidal and Deezer’s lower-resolution subscriptions. A new lower tier was just added. “Voice” costs $4.99 per month and provides basic access for one user on one device. This subscription does not include features such as lyrics viewing, lossless audio, and others.
If you’re a student, you can also get a student discount of $5.99 per month for up to four years. The student plan is the same as the individual plan, but at a cheaper cost. Sharing a single membership for a whole family is very hard, which is why the family plan costs $16.99 per month. It supports up to six users, which should be plenty for even big households.
Apple Music is also included in all Apple One plans, with individual subscriptions beginning at $16.95. In addition, this package includes Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage. A family package, similar to Apple Music, is offered for $22.95 per month. The most expensive Premier plan, which costs $32.95 per month, includes family access, Apple News Plus, and Apple Fitness Plus.
Pricing for Apple Music
- Voice: $4.99 per month
- Individual: $10.99 per month
- Family plan: $16.99 per month
- Student: $5.99 per month
How to Get Free Access to Apple Music?
The good news for new subscribers is that getting Apple Music for free isn’t too difficult. For starters, the paid service comes with a generous three-month free trial. That should be more than enough time for you to determine whether the service is worthwhile for you.
The app can also be downloaded for free to get Apple Music. The basic service is completely free and includes several internet radio stations as well as access to your local music files. It is important to note that you may need to use a cable to transfer your music to your device, and the process is facilitated by a paid subscription. If you have an iOS device, the app should already be installed. Click the button below for Android users to download the app and begin your free trial.
