YouTube Music vs. Spotify–Which Is Better?

If you’re trying to decide between Spotify or YouTube Music, it’s important to know the key differences between the two platforms. YouTube Music is newer but has the advantage of YouTube’s already established content. Spotify has been around longer and has a different approach to content. 

So, if you are torn between which one to use and for what, continue reading to see all the pros and cons of both platforms.

YouTube Music vs. Spotify

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There are now more options for music lovers than ever when it comes to streaming services. Two of the most popular choices are YouTube Music and Spotify, and both offer a vast selection of songs and other features such as artist profiles and custom playlists. Both YouTube Music and Spotify are accessible on Android, iOS, and Desktop, so what sets them apart from each other? 

What Is YouTube Music?

YouTube Music offers a comprehensive music experience. In addition to an extensive library of recorded songs, users can also watch official music videos, live performances, and fan-made compilations. YouTube Music is integrated with YouTube’s massive video library, which gives it an advantage over other streaming services. 

What Is Spotify?

Spotify has an extensive library of recorded songs from various artists. Users can create custom playlists, listen to editorialized playlists, and follow their favorite artists. Its excellent “Discover Weekly” playlist continuously expands its users’ music library with new songs Spotify knows they’ll like. 

Spotify vs. YouTube Music Premium

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YouTube Music Premium (previously known as YouTube Red) and Spotify Premium are paid subscription services that offer extra features for their premium users.

However, there are some key differences between the two services. YouTube Music Premium gives users access to YouTube Music’s library with ad-free listening, downloads (offline music), and the option to listen to music in the background when your phone is locked or you are using other apps. These features will cost you $6.99/month.

On the other hand, Spotify Premium gives its users unlimited skips, the option to play any song (even on mobile), ad-free music, and the ability to download and listen to music anywhere. Spotify has multiple paid plans starting from:

1. Individual – 1 account $9.99/month
2. Duo – 2 accounts $12.99/month
3. Family – 6 accounts $15.99/month
4. Student – 1 account $4.99/month

At the end of the day, choosing between the Spotify or Youtube Music plans depends on your preferences and needs. 

How Much Do YouTube Music and Spotify Pay Artists?

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YouTube Music and Spotify both pay artists based on the number of streams their songs receive. YouTube Music pays artists $0.002 per stream, while Spotify pays artists $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. This means that Spotify pays its artists slightly better than YouTube Music.

Content

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Another thing that sets Spotify and YouTube apart and will be the main reason someone chooses one or the other is the content on the platforms. So, knowing more about that will help you decide which platform to use because it will come down to your preferences and what you want out of a streaming service. 

YouTube Music Content

YouTube Music is a streaming app for music videos and songs. Although it’s a subset of the popular video-sharing site YouTube, YouTube Music offers a more streamlined experience focused on music content. So, how many songs are on YouTube Music? Well, users can browse through the library of over 60 million songs and videos. In addition, users can create custom playlists and listen to customized radio stations. Creating this was a natural step for YouTube since it has a wide and loyal global audience. 

Furthermore, YouTube Music offers ad-free listening and offline playback for premium subscribers. Whether you’re a casual listener or a diehard music fan, YouTube Music has something to offer.

Spotify Content

Spotify is a music streaming service with over 70 million tracks. It offers a free ad-supported service and a premium subscription service. The premium service removes ads, provides higher quality audio, and allows offline listening. 

On Spotify, you can find music, podcasts, and videos by browsing the featured content, searching for specific titles, or creating your own playlists. You can also follow other users to see what they’re listening to and follow artists so that you are informed when a new song comes out. Spotify is available on desktop and mobile devices.

YouTube Music vs. Spotify Sound Quality

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For music lovers, sound quality is essential. After all, what’s the point of listening to your favorite songs if they’re full of static or marred by other audio issues? Spotify and YouTube Music offer a range of features, but how do they stack up regarding sound quality?

In general, Spotify offers better sound quality than YouTube Music. Spotify’s audio quality ranges from 24kbps to 320kbps. By contrast, YouTube Music sound quality ranges from 48kbps to 256kbs. 

That being said, the difference in sound quality between the two platforms is relatively small, and both provide a good listening experience. Ultimately, the choice between YouTube Music and Spotify comes down to personal preference.

Music Discovery on Spotify vs. YouTube Music

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While both YouTube Music and Spotify offer a variety of ways to find new tunes, they have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to music discovery.

YouTube Music is great for finding new music through personalized recommendations, plus the platform uses an algorithm to suggest new songs and artists based on your listening history. YouTube Music also has a feature called “Explore,” which curates new music for you based on what’s trending on the site. 

On the other hand, Spotify offers a more social experience when it comes to music discovery, and the platform makes it easy to follow friends and family members to see what they listen to. Spotify also has a feature called “Discover Weekly” which curates new music based on your taste. However, some users have criticized Spotify for not doing enough to recommend new music outside of their users’ taste.

Both Spotify and YouTube Music platforms offer great ways to discover new music. YouTube Music is better for finding new tunes based on your personal listening history, while Spotify is better for discovering new music through friends and family members. Ultimately, the best way to discover new music is to use both platforms and see which one works better with your music taste.

Algorithm

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YouTube Music’s algorithm is designed to help users discover new music based on their listening habits. The algorithm takes into account a variety of factors, including the user’s location, the type of device they’re using, and their listening history. The algorithm produces a personalized playlist of recommended tracks based on this information. The algorithm is constantly being updated and refined, and YouTube has said that it will continue to invest in improving the musical experience for its users. While some have criticized the algorithm for not being perfect, it remains an essential tool for music discovery on YouTube.

Spotify’s algorithm is the key to its success as a music streaming service. The algorithm considers a combination of factors to personalize each user’s experience. Some of these factors include the user’s listening history, location, and activity (e.g., jogging, driving, etc.). The algorithm creates a unique profile for each user and then recommends songs that match their taste based on this data. The algorithm is constantly learning and evolving, which has led to its considerable success in recent years. Spotify now has over 420 million users worldwide with 182 million of them having Spotify Premium, showing that it’s one of the most popular music streaming services available.

Conclusion 

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YouTube Music and Spotify are both great platforms for streaming music. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. The choice comes down to personal preference. The best way to know which platform works better for you is to try them out. The free versions of both platforms give you enough insights to make an informed decision.

YouTube Music vs. Spotify FAQs