What is music streaming?
From buying vinyl records from the local record store to downloading songs on iTunes, the music world sure has undergone a lot of change over the last five decades. And now, thanks to music streaming, the way you buy and listen to your favourite songs is changing again, for the best!
Here, we explain what music streaming is, and how you can give it a go.
What is music streaming?
Music streaming lets you play a huge variety of songs via the internet. There are a number of big platforms who allow you to access their music collection online. Rather than buy individual songs, you create a profile and can search for the songs on their library, then play them without actually downloading the song to your computer or device.
Who are the main players?
There are two major players in music streaming. Spotify is a platform that allows users to browse from their library of millions of tunes. They also offer playlists to suit your taste in music, or help you discover new artists and songs you might like.
The other big player is Pandora, which is an internet radio. Pandora allows you to type in what songs you like, and uses an algorithm to suggest a string of similar songs and artists. It’s a great tool for discovery.
What music can I listen to?
There are millions of songs on these streaming platforms. From classical music to your favourite 80s hits and today’s pop songs, there’s a huge selection available. Smaller independent artists can be harder to find.
How is it different from buying CDs or downloading songs?
When you buy a CD or download a song from iTunes, you have to pay for it individually. For example, if you want to listen to 10 songs by different artists, you’d have to buy multiple CDs or each of their songs online.
Music streaming is different because you can access a huge variety of music without paying for each song. The music is streamed via the internet so unlike downloading songs or buying CDs, you don’t own any track.
How much does it cost?
Both Pandora and Spotify offer free versions, where you can listen to any song without paying, but every now and then you’ll hear an advertisement. To avoid ads, it will cost you $11.99 per month on Spotify.
How do I get started?
The best way to get started is to head to Spotify or Pandora and make a free profile. Have a play with the song search tool and create some playlists. If you find that you use the platform a lot it might be worth upgrading to a paid version, but that’s your choice. You’ll be amazing by what old favourites can be unearthed!
Image credit: Shutterstock / Denys Prykhodov
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