Not all streaming services are created equal. Not only do they vary by audio quality, pricing can vary and usability is a mixed bag. Some favour ease of use above all else, while others emphasise music curation.
The good news is that whether you want to listen to your current favourite album on repeat, dive back into classic records, explore the best classic rock albums from last year, explore a new genre of music, surf playlists or create your own, all the best streaming platforms will oblige.
But with so many music streaming services vying for your attention with different audio options and available for a range of different prices, where do you start? Here, I've brought you my picks of the bunch, rating each service in terms of audio quality, price and features. So whether you're new to music streaming or a veteran looking to switch things up a bit, hopefully you'll find something below to help you make the right decision for your streaming needs.
Steve is a home entertainment technology specialist who contributes to a variety of UK websites and mags, including Louder, Yahoo UK, Trusted Reviews, T3, The Luxe Review and Home Cinema Choice. Steve began his career as a music journo, writing for legendary rock weekly Sounds, under the nom de plume Steve Keaton. His coverage of post-punk music was cited in the 2015 British Library exhibition Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imagination, as a seminal influence on the Goth music scene.
The quick list
Qobuz might still be flying a bit under the radar, but it's edged ahead of the competition to take my top spot. There are approximately 100 million songs, two subscription plans offering FLAC 24-Bit up to 192 kHz - and you can buy albums too. The top tier sub also offers discounts on purchases.
Apple Music has been getting better and better in recent times and if you're rocking an Apple device and pair of AirPods, you should look no further. There are now plenty of albums in Spatial Audio, the wide selection of playlists are constantly updated and Apple Music Classical is also worth checking.
I think Amazon Music Unlimited is also a little bit overlooked, but it's a top-tier music streaming service. Spatial audio is where it’s at, with thousands of tracks in Dolby Atmos and 360 degree audio. If you're a Prime member, you get free access to Amazon Music Prime and its 2 million songs.
If you're after a some of the best audio options when it comes to streaming music, then Tidal is hard to ignore. Its top tier subscription boats 360° Reality Audio which is simply immense through a good set of headphones or hi-fi system, but be warned that it does come with a fairly hefty price tag. There's also a free 30-day trial so you can try it and see if it clicks with you.
Perhaps the most popular music streaming service out there, Spotify has become a household name. It's jam packed with music and podcasts and has an amazing number of fan-curated playlists. The only letsdown is audio quality which is locked at 320kbps. Improve this, and Spotify could be no.1.
Another music streaming site worth a closer look is Deezer. Sound quality and choice of sounds may not be quite on par with some on our list, but its easy to use and there's also the option to transfer your music library from another streaming service to Deezer. There's also a free tier.
The Louder choice
✅ Buy if you want premium audio at a great price: Qobuz offers excellent audio options at a very competitive price and shouldn't be overlooked if you're looking to change your current sub.
❌ Avoid if you're after 3D audio options: While Qobuz offers audio flexibility, there's no room for 3D audio - something other services offer.
Still my favourite high res audio service, Qobuz offers premium audio quality without a punishing price tag in the form of a single monthly hi-res streaming subscription plan using the Studio tier.
Music is streamed either in lossless CD-quality or High-Res (variable from 24-bit/44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz). A step-up plan, dubbed Sublime, available for $14.99/£14.99 a month, includes a 60 per cent discount on hi-res downloads you might want to purchase and keep. Each plan is also available in Duo (two accounts) or Family (six accounts), which come with escalating premiums.
The catalogue currently exceeds 100 million titles, so you can be confident your metal, rock, prog, punk and alt needs will be well catered for.
I should also note that comparable high res audio quality is available from Amazon Music HD, Tidal and Apple Music, however they can't match Qobuz for usability and value.
Best for Apple users
✅ Buy if you want top of the range audio and playlists: Apple Music has been climbing the ranks for a while thanks to its Spacial Audio features, choice of lossless music and excellent playlists.
❌ Avoid if don't rock Apple hardware: Apple Music is a solid choice, but it really comes into its own when paired with Apple headphones.
With the addition of Spatial Audio with dynamic head-tracking and lossless audio, Apple Music has become a top audiophile choice when it comes to streaming music - especially if you’re rocking a set of AirPods (3rd gen), AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
Fed through a pair of Apple headphones can be an amazing experience and even if many albums don’t boast Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, there are a huge amount of older albums now with lossless audio which really brings a studio grade listening experience home.
Dynamic head-tracking basically locks the music you’re listening to front and centre, so if you twist your noggin, you get a realistic sense of positioning. It’s worth noting that you’ll miss some of this refinement if you use Apple Music through non-Apple products, but overall audio quality remains impressive.
Apple’s user-friendly interface, excellent music curation and a choice of more than 100 million songs, and 30,000 playlists, make this an attractive option for all - and you can, of course, create and share your own playlists.
An Apple Music subscription also includes Apple Classical - home to old favourites, contemporary classical albums, a selection of video game soundtracks and film scores. This recent streaming channel was made possible after classical service Primephonic joined forces with Apple Music in 2021.
Best for Prime subs
✅ Take a look if you're an Amazon Prime member: Amazon Music Unlimited is another music streaming service which has been improving over the years and is a perfect fit for Prime members.
❌ Avoid if you want streamlined content: The interface remains a wee bit clunky and artist curation can be off the mark.
Amazon Music Unlimited isn't the most elegant music streaming service to use, but when it comes to value it’s well worth investigating, even with the upcoming February 21 price hike to $/£10.99 a month.
Audio quality is excellent, with high-res streams and 3D Dolby Atmos immersive audio on tap. I also like the fact the service is also available as a Fire TV streaming service, complete with album art and scrolling karaoke lyrics.
The user interface is a hot mess though, with precious little intelligent content curation. For example, the platform offers up random content for me, including sports and true crime podcasts - even though I’ve expressed little interest in them.
If you're an Amazon Prime member, you'll have access to Amazon Music Unlimited for free. This gives you access to millions of tracks in standard resolution, ad free, albeit with limited playback options. Not to be sniffed at.
Best high quality
✅ Buy if you want hi-res audio: Tidal sounds amazing through headphones and its top tier offering is superb.
❌ Avoid if you're on a budget: To unlock the full power of Tidal, be prepared to pay for it. It's not cheap, but it is fantastic.
The original premium quality streaming service is now also the most expensive, as rivals offer much the same for less - but I can still recommend Tidal thanks to its brilliant content curation.
The service boasts a range of options if you’re prepared to pay for its top tier Hi-Fi Plus, including better than CD quality 24-bit/48-192kHz HiRes FLAC and 24-bit/96kHz MQA encoded Tidal Masters. There’s even a healthy selection of immersive audio, both Dolby Atmos Music and Sony 360 Audio. Audiophile heaven.
But there is some devil in the detail. Listeners in the US have access to Tidal Free, which offers streams with ads in a low quality 160kbps format. For the rest of us, CD quality FLAC (16-bit, 44.1 kHz) is available for $9.99/ £9.99, while the really good stuff is reserved for Hi-Fi Plus (up to 24-bit, 192 kHz), which is priced at $19.99 /£19.99.
Best all-rounder
✅ Buy if you want no-fuss music delivery: Spotify is the go-to music streaming service for many due to its range of artists, ease of use and multitude of playlists.
❌ Avoid if you want to rock hi-res audio: Spotify may be popular, but it lacks the audio fidelity found in other streaming services.
It may be the world’s most popular music streaming service, but Spotify is beginning to show its age. Streaming quality remains locked at 320kbps and there's no current subscription option for Hi-Res Audio (although it’s rumoured that could soon change, so fingers crossed).
That said, it’s easy to see why it remains so popular. Spotify offers supreme catalogue depth with no shortage of rock, metal, prog and alternative artists, and great personalisation so you won't miss out on any new releases.
On the plus side, Spotify's price tag remains unchanged and the service can be used across a huge number of devices, from budget Bluetooth speakers to soundbars. With so many hours invested in personal playlists, it’s easy to see why Spotify regulars are prepared to stick with the service, even if it’s not the best sound quality.
Most user-friendly
✅ Buy if you simply want CD quality audio: Deezer works beautifully if you're after a casual streaming service that replicates the sound of your CD collection.
❌ Avoid if you a more in-depth music streaming service: Deezer works well as an easy option streaming service, but if you'd like more audio flexibility, you'll find it elsewhere.
While there’s nothing particularly wrong with French streaming service Deezer, it doesn’t offer enough to compete with the services higher up this list. For one thing, its streams are currently limited to 16-bit FLAC, which is CD clarity.
There is some support for 360 Reality Audio but this requires a separate app. 360 Reality Audio works with any stereo headphones creating an immersive surround experience and is quite a hoot. Subscribers can listen to live '360 Sessions' which have been mixed using Sony's object-based spatial audio technology.
What I do like about Deezer is its personalisation and curation talents which makes it easy to keep on top of new releases. If only it was more competitively priced it would rate higher.
Buying advice
If you want to hear every riff, backbeat and guttural gargle of your favourite bands, then a music subscription plan offering some level of high-res audio (24-bit upwards) definitely warrants investigation.
A high-res audio plan also makes sense if you stream music at home through your hi-fi system or headphones, rather than just for use with headphones while commuting. High-res audio always rewards those with high spec home systems.
Of course, cutting edge streaming isn’t just about sonic clarity, it’s about usability. To test the various services we put each catalogue under the microscope. It’s a racing certainty that you’ll find the likes of Kiss and Nirvana pretty much everywhere, but how do these services fare when it comes to more esoteric choices?
To check their metal credentials we went looking for Norwegian metal outfit Kvelertak, and Greek symphonic metal band Septicflesh, certain we’d find some failings. But with one notable example, we didn’t. While there are some differences in catalogue depth, we couldn’t catch them out.
Far more significant, it turns out, were their discovery and curation tools. Let’s take a closer look at the best music streaming services.
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