I have a confession to make:
When it comes to music, I am a complete n00b.
My 2001 Jeep Cherokee still has a cassette deck. My car doesn’t even have the ability to play CD’s. I completely missed that technological advancement. Whenever I drive, I toggle back and forth between two radio stations – both of which play “hit music.” This means that both stations are loaded with commercials and play the same four songs repeatedly. This isn’t too bothersome because I work from home so I’m not struggling through a daily commute.
Whenever I fly, I immediately power up my Kindle to read the most riveting personal finance book at the moment (currently reading “Flash Boys” by Michael Lewis).
Whenever I run, I either listen to the latest Austrian Economics YouTube video, recent stock market commentary through Bloomberg’s mobile app OR , occasionally, I’ll listen to a Pandora station. This may all sound like a joke, but I kid you not. I actually listen to dry YouTube videos through a spotty connection while I exercise. I fully recognize that, in terms of music, I have fallen far behind “the times.”
That’s my confession. I have a problem and I going to fix it.
Where and How Should I Listen to Music?
Clearly, I’m not an expert when it comes to music. What I am good at, though, is researching a specific subject, simplifying the seeming complexities and comparing any choices by relative value. Now, what does this mean?
It means that there are an endless number of choices if the question is “WHERE” and “HOW” one should listen to music. For example, the most fun and entertaining option would be to listen to an artist live. Unfortunately, concerts can be expensive and not everyone is a member of TD Music Access where the bank (TD), believe it or not, offers concert credits.
Another option is to download songs directly through a store such as iTunes and listen to the music through a computer, phone or iPod. This has been the most popular option since iTunes was dropped onto the world over a decade ago. Before then, most of you would probably download music and wonder about the whole legality of your actions. iTunes changed everything.
Enter On-Demand Streaming Services
In order to accumulate a library of 20 million songs on iTunes, a large investment must be made. With the introduction of music streaming services, such as Spotify, Rdio, and most recently Beats Music; being able to listen to a seemingly limitless library of music has never been more affordable.
According to my research, these services are the best of the best:
Spotify
- Free with ads
- $9.99/month for premium subscription
- (+): Large library, top quality, radio services, playlists, offline capability
Rdio
- Free with ads
- $9.99/month for premium subscription
- (+): Large library, radio stations, playlists, recommendations
Beats Music
- Free 7-day Trial
- $9.99/month for premium subscription (single)
- $14.99/month for premium subscription (family)
- (+): Large library, music discovery, recommendations, can mirror your mood
Conclusion
With the pricing and services being so similar, there isn’t a clear winner between the above on-demand music streaming services. I am going to download each of the services and I can report back soon on which provides the best user experience. Until then, it’s simply speculation on my part. If you would like more information regarding any of these services, I would recommend checking out this review or this one, too.
Listen wisely.
