Music Streaming - good or bad?

[WalshFan88]

I'm not impressed with Apple Music. The surface idea is on paper better than Spotify (better recommendations, more money to the right people, more artists on board, etc), but the UI and experience just isn't there. I'm running the trial on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac and I'm just not impressed.

I have Netflix and Hulu Plus, and likely might add Spotify Premium at some point so I can get rid of ads and more features on my phone. Ethics and money aside, it's a better music service IMO and is cross-platform. Android support for Apple Music is coming, but really I've never been impressed with Apple's software on platforms other than it's own. iTunes on a PC is atrocious. iTunes on a Mac needs reworking, but it's waaaay more usable.

It's as if Apple wants to give them as much as they have to but nothing more. TBH though, Google's Apps in iOS aren't anywhere near as full-featured as their Android apps. They don't want to give it all to iOS users. A shame because I'm all in with Google at this point (Search, Gmail, Calendar, Chrome, YouTube, Drive, Photos, Hangouts, Docs, Google Now, etc). I think Google Now on iOS is partially limited because Apple doesn't want competition, and part Google not wanting to give too much to iOS people. They did give the unlimited photo storage to iOS though, and I'm digging that.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I'm not impressed with Apple Music. The surface idea is on paper better than Spotify (better recommendations, more money to the right people, more artists on board, etc), but the UI and experience just isn't there. I'm running the trial on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac and I'm just not impressed.

I have Netflix and Hulu Plus, and likely might add Spotify Premium at some point so I can get rid of ads and more features on my phone. Ethics and money aside, it's a better music service IMO and is cross-platform. Android support for Apple Music is coming, but really I've never been impressed with Apple's software on platforms other than it's own. iTunes on a PC is atrocious. iTunes on a Mac needs reworking, but it's waaaay more usable.

It's as if Apple wants to give them as much as they have to but nothing more. TBH though, Google's Apps in iOS aren't anywhere near as full-featured as their Android apps. They don't want to give it all to iOS users. A shame because I'm all in with Google at this point (Search, Gmail, Calendar, Chrome, YouTube, Drive, Photos, Hangouts, Docs, Google Now, etc). I think Google Now on iOS is partially limited because Apple doesn't want competition, and part Google not wanting to give too much to iOS people. They did give the unlimited photo storage to iOS though, and I'm digging that.

I used iTunes on PC (I had a Touch at one time), and when I downloaded an iTunes update, my hard drive crashed. Two people I work with downloaded an update the same week and their hard drives crashed. That was about four years ago, but I've not used iTunes since, so I'm not familiar with Apple products at all. I will say that perhaps this first release for Apple Music was the bare minimum and they'll make it better based on feedback for a next release.

I've mentioned, I have SiriusXM Internet (I also have two full subscriptions, one for home stereo and one for my truck). The internet version allows On Demand and of course there's no ads. Besides OnDemand, I get all the radio stations, and even a few stations that aren't available on their radios. I think what I pay for it (I think $2.95/month or $3.95/month) is worth it considering the content, sports, music, talk shows, traffic/weather, etc.) So I really doubt I'll ever use or subscribe to anything else.

[Freypower]

I have never, ever, had a problem with iTunes updates on my computer.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I have never, ever, had a problem with iTunes updates on my computer.

My coworkers had their work PCs crash, mine was my home computer, but I used it for work. We determined it must not play nicely with software we had to use for work. I had a full Oracle client and lots of database tools, along with some other specialized software. Since I still use my computer for work, needing the same tools, I've never taken the risk again. After their computer crashed, my company outlawed iTunes on the computers there. Security risk and bandwidth issues, and the customer site where I work now will not allow any software that does not have a government approved Certificate of Networthiness.

[Freypower]

Fair enough, I was just pointing out my own experience with it.

[Brooke]

I use itunes on my home pc and it works ok for me. I probably don't know what I'm missing. It did crash a few years ago when I did an update and I lost all of my music. Itunes support helped me find it and I got most of it back. I still remember a song once in a while that I used to have and now don't though. It could have been a song that had been downloaded from another site though.

I have a new smartphone (android) and I guess I should put some music on it but I'm still trying to figure out how to use some of the apps.

[WalshFan88]

Looks like Facebook is getting in on the streaming service bandwagon...this could be very tempting but will have to see the features. I LOVE Facebook and I think they could incorporate a social aspect way better than Apple is trying to do with Connect.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/09/f...eaming-report/

ETA: Facebook is now denying the above statement..

[WalshFan88]

AC/DC finally gave the go ahead for being on all of the big streaming sites including the ones that offer free on-demand streaming.

I'm LOVING having AC/DC on Spotify.

I pay for Netflix and Hulu Plus and am trying to talk myself into a third and final subscription - Spotify. But I'm gonna wait and give Apple Music a couple of months to come into it's own.

Most of my faves are on Spotify. Some aren't, like Jason Aldean and Bob Seger, but I'd 9 out of 10 artists I like are on there.

Apple Music would be nice, but Spotify offers crossplatform support with no bias, and they have a good selection. But the way they handle discovery and social following makes more sense.

Apple is pushing Connect, their music social network with artists posting stuff for fans, but why on earth would an artist spend their time posting to a closed off network when everyone uses platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc and they can blast posts to Facebook and Twitter and post cool pics and short video clips to Instagram. And with Twitter's new app, Periscope, they can interact with fans live with a video stream and do Q&As and backstage bits and all of it.

I follow everyone I like on all four (FB, Twitter, IG, and Periscope) and I never miss an update. Couple that with something like Google Alerts for big news items and an app like Bandsintown to tell you when they are coming nearby, and you don't need a closed off social network.

I think Apple needs to tighten up a few bolts, make a web-based player, offer better discovery or one that actually works and I'm all in. I love the fact I also can access Spotify on my Smart TV and such. It's truly cross platform, and I don't mean just Mac and PC or iOS and Android.

I'm only going to pay for one music service. And as much as I hate to say it, Spotify is winning this tug-of-war.

[WalshFan88]

Neil Young is removing all of his music from streaming because his music is "too good" to be streamed....

http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/15/n...sic-streaming/

Neil, you're too much. For one, I've never agreed with the man's views on much of anything and not just music. I read his book. I just do not agree with him on much of anything. Some of his music is ok to me, others are not my thing.

It's one thing to say you don't agree with streaming's quality of music or the royalties. It's another to say your music is too good for streaming. That's not for you to decide Neil.

Neil, how is your Pono player going? The one that is supposed to be an iTunes/iPod killer that offers "high fidelity" music. You know, the one that no one ever talks about? LOL.

As the late great Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd said, a southern man don't need him around anyhow.

Sometimes I think I should start a blog with all of my thoughts on music, concerts, and streaming. See my other rant in the "phone cameras at concerts" thread directed to Sebastian Bach.

[AlreadyGone95]

I'd read that blog, Austin!

As for Neil, I have a love/hate thing with him. I love most of his music (I own a lot of his stuff on cd and vinyl. Heck, I even have my dad's cassette copy of the best of Buffalo Springfield lol). However, I don't agree or like most of his views. I need to read his book, though. I forgot that he wrote one!

Now, if I understand this right, he doesn't think that the sound quality of streaming is good enough for his fans?
Neil, I'm a fan. As stated above, I own a lot of your stuff (ok, your older pre 1990 stuff). I play your music alot, and *gasp* even on Spotify!
Shouldn't it be up to his fans to decide what medium to play his music on? Him saying that it's not good enough sound quality is basically like saying "screw my fans" in a roundabout way, imo.