Spotify........convert me. v.I guess I'm converted.

[wolfking]

Now, since my days as a young teenager discovering all the great bands I know and love, CD's were my go to media, I've made that no secret.  I've fought for the last few years staying true to the format.  There was something about owning the CD that just felt right and for a long period, I couldn't enjoy an album unless I had a copy on CD, a bit crazy, I know.

That's obviously changing and as time goes on, priorities change and you get to points in your life where you weigh everything up more, music isn't as an integral part that it once was and I've slowly moved away from CD's the last 12 months.  The ones I have purchased get ripped to the computer and they go in the rack with the other couple of thousand.  I guess paying $30 for that per album, I simply cannot justify anymore.

My go to have been this site https://www.mp3va.com/ where you purchase an album for like $1.00 and you're able to download it and use the mp3s.  I like that, but even that, I pay for an album, download it, listen to it and nine times out of ten, that's it.  So.........maybe I'm coming around to this whole streaming thing.  So, convert me, get me onboard.  These are my question;

1.  Are there any capabilities to download tracks and use them afterwards?  I like the files and using them on a USB in the car.  Now, for now I'll be more on my PC but getting the files and using them how I want has always been the biggest thing for me for avoiding these services.  Can Spotify do this with say it's premium package which for me would be $13 a month.

2. How much data does say an hour or using Spotify consume.  I'm looking to be changing phone plans and I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this.  So yeah, if I'm out running for an hour with an album playing, how much of my data will this use?

3.  Is Spotify the best option?  Are there any better options out there?  Is there a more cost effective approach to what I want?  My main sampling lately has been Youtube but I don't see that an viable option.

4.  Is there anything I need to know before going in?  Lack of certain material, extra fees, things it can't do, bonuses it can do to sway me even more?

Cheers all, discuss, convert me.  I see I can get a month free of the premium before committing so I guess that answers my own questions as I can try before I commit but you guys are the experts, I want to hear from you.

[ZKX-2099]

 

[Bolsters]

1.  Are there any capabilities to download tracks and use them afterwards?  I like the files and using them on a USB in the car.  Now, for now I'll be more on my PC but getting the files and using them how I want has always been the biggest thing for me for avoiding these services.  Can Spotify do this with say it's premium package which for me would be $13 a month.

With premium you can download songs (unless it's changed, up to 3333 per device or 10000 across multiple devices on one account) but they can only be played in the Spotify app; you don't get a bunch of MP3s you can play on anything. So for in the car you'd have to use a 3.5mm cable or Bluetooth with your phone or other smart device.

2. How much data does say an hour or using Spotify consume.  I'm looking to be changing phone plans and I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this.  So yeah, if I'm out running for an hour with an album playing, how much of my data will this use?

At max quality (320kbps) it's about 140MB per hour, but there's several quality options if that is too high.

3.  Is Spotify the best option?  Are there any better options out there?  Is there a more cost effective approach to what I want?  My main sampling lately has been Youtube but I don't see that an viable option.

There's a bunch, Apple has one, Amazon has one, there's more niche things like Tidal. Personally I have only ever bothered with Spotify, mostly because it has the free option and I don't feel the need to constantly be subscribed to it.

4.  Is there anything I need to know before going in?  Lack of certain material, extra fees, things it can't do, bonuses it can do to sway me even more?

There's some 100 million songs in its library but you will definitely find things missing on occasion, whether it is an entire band or only specific albums. As far as bonuses, you can add any of your existing MP3 files into a local library on it so that you can still have some of that unavailable music within the app.

[MinistroRaven]

So, you're thinking about jumping into the music streaming pool, huh? Awesome! Let's dive into your questions:

Downloading tunes: Totally get wanting your music on-the-go. With Spotify's Premium plan (and similar plans on other services), you can download your fave tracks and playlists to jam out offline. Perfect for car trips or when you're out of WiFi range. Just a heads-up, these downloads are kinda like borrowing - you can play them in the app but can't transfer them as MP3s.

Data munching: Streaming can nibble on your data, but not like crazy. On Spotify, think around 50MB per hour for normal quality, and about double that for higher quality. If you're gonna stream on your runs, maybe check your data plan, but remember, if you download while connected to WiFi, you're golden – no data used!

Service scouting: Spotify's cool and all, but there's a bunch of other fish in the sea like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. They all have their own vibes and libraries. Best part? Most offer free trials, so you can take 'em for a spin and see which one grooves with you the best.

Heads-up on the switch: Just so you know, most of these services are pretty loaded with tunes, but you might not find every single track or artist (licensing and all that jazz). And the price you see is usually what you get, no sneaky fees at all. Some services throw in cool extras like podcasts, music videos, or special features.

That free trial of Spotify Premium you mentioned sounds like a perfect test run. Give it a whirl, see how it feels, and enjoy exploring this new music adventure! Keep rocking bud! 🎶🤘

[wolfking]

1.  Are there any capabilities to download tracks and use them afterwards?  I like the files and using them on a USB in the car.  Now, for now I'll be more on my PC but getting the files and using them how I want has always been the biggest thing for me for avoiding these services.  Can Spotify do this with say it's premium package which for me would be $13 a month.

With premium you can download songs (unless it's changed, up to 3333 per device or 10000 across multiple devices on one account) but they can only be played in the Spotify app; you don't get a bunch of MP3s you can play on anything. So for in the car you'd have to use a 3.5mm cable or Bluetooth with your phone or other smart device.

2. How much data does say an hour or using Spotify consume.  I'm looking to be changing phone plans and I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this.  So yeah, if I'm out running for an hour with an album playing, how much of my data will this use?

At max quality (320kbps) it's about 140MB per hour, but there's several quality options if that is too high.

3.  Is Spotify the best option?  Are there any better options out there?  Is there a more cost effective approach to what I want?  My main sampling lately has been Youtube but I don't see that an viable option.

There's a bunch, Apple has one, Amazon has one, there's more niche things like Tidal. Personally I have only ever bothered with Spotify, mostly because it has the free option and I don't feel the need to constantly be subscribed to it.

4.  Is there anything I need to know before going in?  Lack of certain material, extra fees, things it can't do, bonuses it can do to sway me even more?

There's some 100 million songs in its library but you will definitely find things missing on occasion, whether it is an entire band or only specific albums. As far as bonuses, you can add any of your existing MP3 files into a local library on it so that you can still have some of that unavailable music within the app.

Thanks Dave, very insightful.  A bit of a bummer with the downloading thing, but makes sense, would be too good to be true getting actual files.

The feature of adding your own mp3s on there is pretty cool.

[wolfking]

So, you're thinking about jumping into the music streaming pool, huh? Awesome! Let's dive into your questions:

Downloading tunes: Totally get wanting your music on-the-go. With Spotify's Premium plan (and similar plans on other services), you can download your fave tracks and playlists to jam out offline. Perfect for car trips or when you're out of WiFi range. Just a heads-up, these downloads are kinda like borrowing - you can play them in the app but can't transfer them as MP3s.

Data munching: Streaming can nibble on your data, but not like crazy. On Spotify, think around 50MB per hour for normal quality, and about double that for higher quality. If you're gonna stream on your runs, maybe check your data plan, but remember, if you download while connected to WiFi, you're golden – no data used!

Service scouting: Spotify's cool and all, but there's a bunch of other fish in the sea like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. They all have their own vibes and libraries. Best part? Most offer free trials, so you can take 'em for a spin and see which one grooves with you the best.

Heads-up on the switch: Just so you know, most of these services are pretty loaded with tunes, but you might not find every single track or artist (licensing and all that jazz). And the price you see is usually what you get, no sneaky fees at all. Some services throw in cool extras like podcasts, music videos, or special features.

That free trial of Spotify Premium you mentioned sounds like a perfect test run. Give it a whirl, see how it feels, and enjoy exploring this new music adventure! Keep rocking bud! 🎶🤘

Thanks heaps Jorge.  50m per hour sounds very good.  I don't need good quality when I'm out running, I don't use ear buds, just the music from the phone which sounds like shit anyway.

Yes.....maybe I can hop on all of them for a few months to save some coin lol.

Only downloading the tunes to play in the app though seems a bit useless though but maybe I'm missing something.

[wolfking]

This is possibly the most helpful response out of the three so far, thanks mate! 

[MinistroRaven]

So, you're thinking about jumping into the music streaming pool, huh? Awesome! Let's dive into your questions:

Downloading tunes: Totally get wanting your music on-the-go. With Spotify's Premium plan (and similar plans on other services), you can download your fave tracks and playlists to jam out offline. Perfect for car trips or when you're out of WiFi range. Just a heads-up, these downloads are kinda like borrowing - you can play them in the app but can't transfer them as MP3s.

Data munching: Streaming can nibble on your data, but not like crazy. On Spotify, think around 50MB per hour for normal quality, and about double that for higher quality. If you're gonna stream on your runs, maybe check your data plan, but remember, if you download while connected to WiFi, you're golden – no data used!

Service scouting: Spotify's cool and all, but there's a bunch of other fish in the sea like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. They all have their own vibes and libraries. Best part? Most offer free trials, so you can take 'em for a spin and see which one grooves with you the best.

Heads-up on the switch: Just so you know, most of these services are pretty loaded with tunes, but you might not find every single track or artist (licensing and all that jazz). And the price you see is usually what you get, no sneaky fees at all. Some services throw in cool extras like podcasts, music videos, or special features.

That free trial of Spotify Premium you mentioned sounds like a perfect test run. Give it a whirl, see how it feels, and enjoy exploring this new music adventure! Keep rocking bud! 🎶🤘

Thanks heaps Jorge.  50m per hour sounds very good.  I don't need good quality when I'm out running, I don't use ear buds, just the music from the phone which sounds like shit anyway.

Yes.....maybe I can hop on all of them for a few months to save some coin lol.

Only downloading the tunes to play in the app though seems a bit useless though but maybe I'm missing something.

An interesting feature of Spotify is that at the close of each year, it provides users with a summary of their listening habits. This includes the total hours they've spent listening, their most frequently played genre, band, or artist, along with other relevant data.

[wolfking]

So, you're thinking about jumping into the music streaming pool, huh? Awesome! Let's dive into your questions:

Downloading tunes: Totally get wanting your music on-the-go. With Spotify's Premium plan (and similar plans on other services), you can download your fave tracks and playlists to jam out offline. Perfect for car trips or when you're out of WiFi range. Just a heads-up, these downloads are kinda like borrowing - you can play them in the app but can't transfer them as MP3s.

Data munching: Streaming can nibble on your data, but not like crazy. On Spotify, think around 50MB per hour for normal quality, and about double that for higher quality. If you're gonna stream on your runs, maybe check your data plan, but remember, if you download while connected to WiFi, you're golden – no data used!

Service scouting: Spotify's cool and all, but there's a bunch of other fish in the sea like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. They all have their own vibes and libraries. Best part? Most offer free trials, so you can take 'em for a spin and see which one grooves with you the best.

Heads-up on the switch: Just so you know, most of these services are pretty loaded with tunes, but you might not find every single track or artist (licensing and all that jazz). And the price you see is usually what you get, no sneaky fees at all. Some services throw in cool extras like podcasts, music videos, or special features.

That free trial of Spotify Premium you mentioned sounds like a perfect test run. Give it a whirl, see how it feels, and enjoy exploring this new music adventure! Keep rocking bud! 🎶🤘

Thanks heaps Jorge.  50m per hour sounds very good.  I don't need good quality when I'm out running, I don't use ear buds, just the music from the phone which sounds like shit anyway.

Yes.....maybe I can hop on all of them for a few months to save some coin lol.

Only downloading the tunes to play in the app though seems a bit useless though but maybe I'm missing something.

An interesting feature of Spotify is that at the close of each year, it provides users with a summary of their listening habits. This includes the total hours they've spent listening, their most frequently played genre, band, or artist, along with other relevant data.

That is a nice feature for those interested, but unfortunately not something that will influence my decision. 

[Indiscipline]

"Dear wolfking, our data show your listening habits are 99% focking orcs"

[wolfking]

"Dear wolfking, our data show your listening habits are 99% focking orcs"

So sorry, I'm mistaken, this is actually the most helpful response out of them all.

[HOF]

Free Spotify is practically useless on a phone from what I can tell, whether you use the browser or the app. It works ok on desktop, but you do have to listen to an ad every few songs.

I already pay for Amazon Music Unlimited which comes at a slight discount for being a Prime member, so I don’t have a need to pay for Spotify. I only really use it for roulettes.

I still buy CDs mainly because I hate my ability to listen to music being at the whim of whatever streaming platform. For instance, while Amazon is supposed to be unlimited, there are times when some songs aren’t available on an album. New versions of albums get added and old ones deleted, which can completely break old playlists. Sometimes artists take an album off the platform for some reason. Sometimes a new mix of an album replaces an original and there is no way to access the original. Sometimes bands flood their catalog with random “releases” that are just individual songs or compilations or random live releases, and it can be really hard to just pull up the album or song you want to listen to. You don’t have much if any control over how the music is cataloged or choice in the interface. If you don’t like Windows Media Player, at least there are alternative media players. If you don’t like Spotify or Amazon’s format, you’re stuck with it.

There’s also the issue of access if you don’t have a good internet connection. You can download songs to your phone apparently, but obviously not a whole collection’s worth of stuff. I haven’t really used that function, but it would be of limited utility if, say, your wi-fi went down at home and you still wanted to listen to some random song or album that you don’t have downloaded. 

Beyond that, you also have less information about the music on streaming platforms. You can sometimes get album credits, but rarely a full accounting of who plays what on which tracks. You can sometimes get lyrics, but on Spotify at least they are often wrong. And to the extent you enjoy the tangible aspect of physical media, that’s lacking too of course.

I too am at a point where physical space has me questioning continuing to buy physical CDs, but I really don’t like the alternative.

[TAC]

Now, since my days as a young teenager discovering all the great bands I know and love, CD's were my go to media, I've made that no secret.  I've fought for the last few years staying true to the format.  There was something about owning the CD that just felt right and for a long period, I couldn't enjoy an album unless I had a copy on CD, a bit crazy, I know.

That's obviously changing and as time goes on, priorities change and you get to points in your life where you weigh everything up more, music isn't as an integral part that it once was and I've slowly moved away from CD's the last 12 months.  The ones I have purchased get ripped to the computer and they go in the rack with the other couple of thousand.  I guess paying $30 for that per album, I simply cannot justify anymore.

My go to have been this site https://www.mp3va.com/ where you purchase an album for like $1.00 and you're able to download it and use the mp3s.  I like that, but even that, I pay for an album, download it, listen to it and nine times out of ten, that's it.  So.........maybe I'm coming around to this whole streaming thing.  So, convert me, get me onboard.  These are my question;

I only buy CDs of my favorite bands these days. In fact, I've stopped buying Amazon mp3 albums too. The CDs get ripped to my iPod and then get tucked downstairs, or I may listen to them in the car when they're new. In the end, it does seem like a waste of money.

I have a Spotify account and it's only $15 a month, and well worth it if you ask me. Not sure exactly what the benefits are other than no commercials being played between songs, but hell that's worth it alone.

1.  Are there any capabilities to download tracks and use them afterwards?  I like the files and using them on a USB in the car.  Now, for now I'll be more on my PC but getting the files and using them how I want has always been the biggest thing for me for avoiding these services.  Can Spotify do this with say it's premium package which for me would be $13 a month.

You really can't download them and "own" them outside of the Spotify app. You can "download" songs or an album or a playlist within the app that you can access even if you don't have an internet connection.

2. How much data does say an hour or using Spotify consume.  I'm looking to be changing phone plans and I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this.  So yeah, if I'm out running for an hour with an album playing, how much of my data will this use?

No clue, but I'd go with whatever Bolsters said. That said though, I only use Spotify on my phone if I'm working in the yard, or a few times a week in my car driving to work. If I'm in my house, I use my laptop, and I have wireless headphones so if I'm doing chores or something, I'm listening. I use it at the gym, but I connect to the gym's wifi anyway.

3.  Is Spotify the best option?  Are there any better options out there?  Is there a more cost effective approach to what I want?  My main sampling lately has been Youtube but I don't see that an viable option.

I haven't tried any other service, but it's easily the most popular and likely accessible.  But I'm good and see no need to try anything else. I'm on Spotify everyday listening to music, and there isn't much to complain about. You have pretty much EVERYTHING at your fingertips, it's easy to create playlists, and makes rouletting and sampling a whole lot easier.

4.  Is there anything I need to know before going in?  Lack of certain material, extra fees, things it can't do, bonuses it can do to sway me even more?

It's pretty rare that I can't find something I'm looking for, and if that's the case, I can always pull it up on youtube.

[wolfking]

Free Spotify is practically useless on a phone from what I can tell, whether you use the browser or the app. It works ok on desktop, but you do have to listen to an ad every few songs.

I already pay for Amazon Music Unlimited which comes at a slight discount for being a Prime member, so I don’t have a need to pay for Spotify. I only really use it for roulettes.

I still buy CDs mainly because I hate my ability to listen to music being at the whim of whatever streaming platform. For instance, while Amazon is supposed to be unlimited, there are times when some songs aren’t available on an album. New versions of albums get added and old ones deleted, which can completely break old playlists. Sometimes artists take an album off the platform for some reason. Sometimes a new mix of an album replaces an original and there is no way to access the original. Sometimes bands flood their catalog with random “releases” that are just individual songs or compilations or random live releases, and it can be really hard to just pull up the album or song you want to listen to. You don’t have much if any control over how the music is cataloged or choice in the interface. If you don’t like Windows Media Player, at least there are alternative media players. If you don’t like Spotify or Amazon’s format, you’re stuck with it.

There’s also the issue of access if you don’t have a good internet connection. You can download songs to your phone apparently, but obviously not a whole collection’s worth of stuff. I haven’t really used that function, but it would be of limited utility if, say, your wi-fi went down at home and you still wanted to listen to some random song or album that you don’t have downloaded. 

Beyond that, you also have less information about the music on streaming platforms. You can sometimes get album credits, but rarely a full accounting of who plays what on which tracks. You can sometimes get lyrics, but on Spotify at least they are often wrong. And to the extent you enjoy the tangible aspect of physical media, that’s lacking too of course.

I too am at a point where physical space has me questioning continuing to buy physical CDs, but I really don’t like the alternative.

Good response mate, thanks.  That mention of album credits and whatnot is a very good point that I didn't think of.  Well worth mentioning and yes, that last line is pretty much the reason for making the thread.  Basically, it's coming down to cost for me.  I don't like the alternates, but as mentioned, I can't justify paying the cost per CD anymore.

[wolfking]

Now, since my days as a young teenager discovering all the great bands I know and love, CD's were my go to media, I've made that no secret.  I've fought for the last few years staying true to the format.  There was something about owning the CD that just felt right and for a long period, I couldn't enjoy an album unless I had a copy on CD, a bit crazy, I know.

That's obviously changing and as time goes on, priorities change and you get to points in your life where you weigh everything up more, music isn't as an integral part that it once was and I've slowly moved away from CD's the last 12 months.  The ones I have purchased get ripped to the computer and they go in the rack with the other couple of thousand.  I guess paying $30 for that per album, I simply cannot justify anymore.

My go to have been this site https://www.mp3va.com/ where you purchase an album for like $1.00 and you're able to download it and use the mp3s.  I like that, but even that, I pay for an album, download it, listen to it and nine times out of ten, that's it.  So.........maybe I'm coming around to this whole streaming thing.  So, convert me, get me onboard.  These are my question;

I only buy CDs of my favorite bands these days. In fact, I've stopped buying Amazon mp3 albums too. The CDs get ripped to my iPod and then get tucked downstairs, or I may listen to them in the car when they're new. In the end, it does seem like a waste of money.

I have a Spotify account and it's only $15 a month, and well worth it if you ask me. Not sure exactly what the benefits are other than no commercials being played between songs, but hell that's worth it alone.

1.  Are there any capabilities to download tracks and use them afterwards?  I like the files and using them on a USB in the car.  Now, for now I'll be more on my PC but getting the files and using them how I want has always been the biggest thing for me for avoiding these services.  Can Spotify do this with say it's premium package which for me would be $13 a month.

You really can't download them and "own" them outside of the Spotify app. You can "download" songs or an album or a playlist within the app that you can access even if you don't have an internet connection.

2. How much data does say an hour or using Spotify consume.  I'm looking to be changing phone plans and I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this.  So yeah, if I'm out running for an hour with an album playing, how much of my data will this use?

No clue, but I'd go with whatever Bolsters said. That said though, I only use Spotify on my phone if I'm working in the yard, or a few times a week in my car driving to work. If I'm in my house, I use my laptop, and I have wireless headphones so if I'm doing chores or something, I'm listening. I use it at the gym, but I connect to the gym's wifi anyway.

3.  Is Spotify the best option?  Are there any better options out there?  Is there a more cost effective approach to what I want?  My main sampling lately has been Youtube but I don't see that an viable option.

I haven't tried any other service, but it's easily the most popular and likely accessible.  But I'm good and see no need to try anything else. I'm on Spotify everyday listening to music, and there isn't much to complain about. You have pretty much EVERYTHING at your fingertips, it's easy to create playlists, and makes rouletting and sampling a whole lot easier.

4.  Is there anything I need to know before going in?  Lack of certain material, extra fees, things it can't do, bonuses it can do to sway me even more?

It's pretty rare that I can't find something I'm looking for, and if that's the case, I can always pull it up on youtube.

Thanks Tim.  It's hard to see the download option even worth while if you have mobile data anyway but that's being picky for the price of the service I guess.  The ads probably is the major beneficiary of paying for a subscription.  I guess making playlists and shit would be nice too at times.  Hmmm......

[TAC]

Yeah, losing the liner notes, credits, lyrics...that seems to be a casualty of streaming, but I have this site in my favorites and consult it a couple of times a day..
https://www.metal-archives.com/

I suppose discogs has the info too, but I don't really go to that site.

[Jamesman42]

Do the free month trial and see if they are missing anything you really care about. The only thing they are missing for me is Neal Morse stuff, which is a big pain in the butt, but otherwise it has literally everything else I ever want (that is officially released - looking at you unreleased SOAD tracks).

Having all the music in one spot is awesome. It has also helped me find podcasts that are relevant to my interests.

Oh, also the money you will be saving buying CDs can be justified to getting a phone service to have unlimited data to stream Spotify, I think. And you would still probably save money at that rate.

[King Postwhore]

I'm converted to Spotify. I but CD'S of the bands I love for support  but Spotify opena me to find new music which is my mantra.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

You don't need to subscribe to use playlists.

There is a lot of music they don't have (it's definitely much more often than "rare" in my experience), but between the various platforms you can generally find most things (still not quite everything, some music is just really obscure, or the creators don't want it on streaming services). 

Not having production info seems hardly a major deal to me.  Perhaps an inconvenience, but if you're really curious there are generally plenty of other places online you can find it. 

[wolfking]

Do the free month trial and see if they are missing anything you really care about. The only thing they are missing for me is Neal Morse stuff, which is a big pain in the butt, but otherwise it has literally everything else I ever want (that is officially released - looking at you unreleased SOAD tracks).

Having all the music in one spot is awesome. It has also helped me find podcasts that are relevant to my interests.

Oh, also the money you will be saving buying CDs can be justified to getting a phone service to have unlimited data to stream Spotify, I think. And you would still probably save money at that rate.

This is actually a point that goes in the 'pro' column for me. 

[HOF]

I'm converted to Spotify. I but CD'S of the bands I love for support  but Spotify opena me to find new music which is my mantra.

I will probably start shifting this way eventually, but I still find that owning a CD and popping it into the car CD player (... for now, this will almost certainly be my last car with a factory CD player) is the best way for me to commit to listening to a whole CD and really getting to know it. I buy a ton of used stuff on Discogs for as cheap as I can, but I still try to buy new releases by the current bands I want to support.

I am also starting to buy more downloads for stuff I feel like I'm less likely to care about the physical product from Amazon or Bandcamp, which is usually a good bit cheaper than the CD especially after shipping. That's kind of a middle road where at least you still own the mp3 and can import it to your computer or other devices without relying on having access to a streaming platform.

[TAC]

Do the free month trial and see if they are missing anything you really care about. The only thing they are missing for me is Neal Morse stuff, which is a big pain in the butt, but otherwise it has literally everything else I ever want (that is officially released - looking at you unreleased SOAD tracks).

Having all the music in one spot is awesome. It has also helped me find podcasts that are relevant to my interests.

Oh, also the money you will be saving buying CDs can be justified to getting a phone service to have unlimited data to stream Spotify, I think. And you would still probably save money at that rate.

This is actually a point that goes in the 'pro' column for me. 

I knew that was coming.

[wolfking]

I'm converted to Spotify. I but CD'S of the bands I love for support  but Spotify opena me to find new music which is my mantra.

I will probably start shifting this way eventually, but I still find that owning a CD and popping it into the car CD player (... for now, this will almost certainly be my last car with a factory CD player) is the best way for me to commit to listening to a whole CD and really getting to know it. I buy a ton of used stuff on Discogs for as cheap as I can, but I still try to buy new releases by the current bands I want to support.

I am also starting to buy more downloads for stuff I feel like I'm less likely to care about the physical product from Amazon or Bandcamp, which is usually a good bit cheaper than the CD especially after shipping. That's kind of a middle road where at least you still own the mp3 and can import it to your computer or other devices without relying on having access to a streaming platform.

Exactly.  That's why I at least use mp3va.

[Jamesman42]

Sorry that your tastes are wrong, guys

[wolfking]

Do the free month trial and see if they are missing anything you really care about. The only thing they are missing for me is Neal Morse stuff, which is a big pain in the butt, but otherwise it has literally everything else I ever want (that is officially released - looking at you unreleased SOAD tracks).

Having all the music in one spot is awesome. It has also helped me find podcasts that are relevant to my interests.

Oh, also the money you will be saving buying CDs can be justified to getting a phone service to have unlimited data to stream Spotify, I think. And you would still probably save money at that rate.

This is actually a point that goes in the 'pro' column for me. 

I knew that was coming.

I knew you'd appreciate that one. 

[TAC]

I am also starting to buy more downloads for stuff I feel like I'm less likely to care about the physical product from Amazon or Bandcamp, which is usually a good bit cheaper than the CD especially after shipping. That's kind of a middle road where at least you still own the mp3 and can import it to your computer or other devices without relying on having access to a streaming platform.

Exactly.  That's why I at least use mp3va.

I have tons of cds and a couple of iPods if I don't have access, but really how often does that happen?

[wolfking]

I am also starting to buy more downloads for stuff I feel like I'm less likely to care about the physical product from Amazon or Bandcamp, which is usually a good bit cheaper than the CD especially after shipping. That's kind of a middle road where at least you still own the mp3 and can import it to your computer or other devices without relying on having access to a streaming platform.

Exactly.  That's why I at least use mp3va.

I have tons of cds and a couple of iPods if I don't have access, but really how often does that happen?

He means buying something new in mp3 format as a comprimise to not buy the CD but still have the album in mp3 format.

[TAC]

I am also starting to buy more downloads for stuff I feel like I'm less likely to care about the physical product from Amazon or Bandcamp, which is usually a good bit cheaper than the CD especially after shipping. That's kind of a middle road where at least you still own the mp3 and can import it to your computer or other devices without relying on having access to a streaming platform.

Exactly.  That's why I at least use mp3va.

I have tons of cds and a couple of iPods if I don't have access, but really how often does that happen?

He means buying something new in mp3 format as a comprimise to not buy the CD but still have the album in mp3 format.

No, I understood, but I've even stopped buying downloads. Mybe on that $1 site you go to, it's worth it, but the Amazon mp3's are getting more and more expensive. It's not worth spending that much money and having nothing physical in hand anymore. I've pretty much moved past that completely.

[wolfking]

I am also starting to buy more downloads for stuff I feel like I'm less likely to care about the physical product from Amazon or Bandcamp, which is usually a good bit cheaper than the CD especially after shipping. That's kind of a middle road where at least you still own the mp3 and can import it to your computer or other devices without relying on having access to a streaming platform.

Exactly.  That's why I at least use mp3va.

I have tons of cds and a couple of iPods if I don't have access, but really how often does that happen?

He means buying something new in mp3 format as a comprimise to not buy the CD but still have the album in mp3 format.

No, I understood, but I've even stopped buying downloads. Mybe on that $1 site you go to, it's worth it, but the Amazon mp3's are getting more and more expensive. It's not worth spending that much money and having nothing physical in hand anymore. I've pretty much moved past that completely.

As you mentioned, you don't really have the need for the physical files I guess.  I still love having the files on my computer and being able to put them on a USB for the car.

[WardySI]

Hey mate everyone has already answered your questions perfectly but as a fellow Aussie Spotify user, I can confirm and suggest a couple things...

1. You will absolutely find some artists and/or albums aren't on Spotify (it's a licensing region thing) so I am often dragging mp3's from the music file on my laptop into Spotify (it's called your Local Folder) where they get converted to play in Spotify.  The good thing is from there you can Add them to any Playlist you create so you can create say an 80's best of with those included in whatever Spotify already has on hand. 

Sounds confusing but it's not and once you get your head around how to use, along with ease of access wherever you go it's a HUGE reason why I continue to enjoy Spotify.

2. One of the best features about these streaming apps is the number of new bands you can discover.  When you go to a band you know there's often suggestions below that relate to whatever genre you're in.  Or there's now some options on the Homepage if you want them, where you can scroll through samples of Goth Metal, Classic Metal, Pop Rock whatever you choose. 

You can also opt to have the App set up to continue playing its own suggestions of your chosen genre after your album or playlist finishes.  I've been caught plenty times hearing something thinking 'what is that?' to then go down the rabbit hole of a new artist 

Anyway these are the extras that keep me using the app.  I still buy my favorite artists/albums on CD and the odd one on vinyl but like you cannot justify the costs like I used to and find streaming a nice alternative to keep the pockets from being too empty.  I have a family subscription so kinda stuck with it anyway


Happy exploring mate \m/

[wolfking]

Hey mate everyone has already answered your questions perfectly but as a fellow Aussie Spotify user, I can confirm and suggest a couple things...

1. You will absolutely find some artists and/or albums aren't on Spotify (it's a licensing region thing) so I am often dragging mp3's from the music file on my laptop into Spotify (it's called your Local Folder) where they get converted to play in Spotify.  The good thing is from there you can Add them to any Playlist you create so you can create say an 80's best of with those included in whatever Spotify already has on hand. 

Sounds confusing but it's not and once you get your head around how to use, along with ease of access wherever you go it's a HUGE reason why I continue to enjoy Spotify.

2. One of the best features about these streaming apps is the number of new bands you can discover.  When you go to a band you know there's often suggestions below that relate to whatever genre you're in.  Or there's now some options on the Homepage if you want them, where you can scroll through samples of Goth Metal, Classic Metal, Pop Rock whatever you choose. 

You can also opt to have the App set up to continue playing its own suggestions of your chosen genre after your album or playlist finishes.  I've been caught plenty times hearing something thinking 'what is that?' to then go down the rabbit hole of a new artist 

Anyway these are the extras that keep me using the app.  I still buy my favorite artists/albums on CD and the odd one on vinyl but like you cannot justify the costs like I used to and find streaming a nice alternative to keep the pockets from being too empty.  I have a family subscription so kinda stuck with it anyway


Happy exploring mate \m/

Thanks mate, yeah, that does sound like a nice feature and certainly a way to discover new stuff. 

I mean, I know I'm cheap, but it's ONLY $13 a month.  I guess I'll just give a trial a go.  Nothing to lose.

[King Postwhore]

Everybody gives you details.  I'm going to tell you it's worth it and it's ols user friendly.

Old dudes, the power of an old jukebox!

[kaos2900]

Do people actually still buy music who use these streaming sites? Considering they basically fuck over the artists, I still can't get on board these.

[ReaperKK]

4.  Is there anything I need to know before going in?  Lack of certain material, extra fees, things it can't do, bonuses it can do to sway me even more?

There's some 100 million songs in its library but you will definitely find things missing on occasion, whether it is an entire band or only specific albums. As far as bonuses, you can add any of your existing MP3 files into a local library on it so that you can still have some of that unavailable music within the app.
[/quote]

One additional thing is if you save your local library within the app you can then populate your playlists with songs that aren't in Spotify but saved locally.

For example I have a prog rock playlist and for the longest time Porcupine Tree wasn't on the app, I had a "Local" playlist on my desktop where I pointed to a directory that stored my mp3's on my pc. I then downloaded that playlist on my phone. I can then put Porcupine Tree songs in my prog rock playlist and have the songs available to listen to in Spotify. It sounds more cumbersome than it actually is.

[wolfking]

Do people actually still buy music who use these streaming sites? Considering they basically fuck over the artists, I still can't get on board these.

You mean you can't get on board with the streaming?

Do artists make any money from CD's anyway these days?  I mean, wouldn't they get most of the money with the contract of the album.  Wouldn't the record label own it after that?  Not sure who it all works these days.