Top free music apps

The top free music apps guarantee millions of songs in your palm of your hand, no storage issues, and no need to pay. The only difficult part is determining which streaming service is most deserving of your attention. Don’t worry, though; we’re here to assist you.

With the exception of Tidal (unless you’re lucky enough to live in the US), Qobuz, and Apple Music, most major music streaming services offer a free tier, and while free services inevitably include advertisements and have less functionality and audio quality than their paid-for counterparts, they’re still quite appealing. Keep your eyes peeled for one, two, three, or even six month free (or almost free) promotions on paid-for tiers of streaming services.

Apple Music

Key features: When it was first debuted last summer, Apple’s much-anticipated streaming service underperformed. one of the top free music apps Apple Music’s stock may rise in the streaming wars as a result of major upgrades to the app coming this fall, including a more user-friendly interface. Apple Music’s current version has some great features, such as human-made playlists rather than algorithms and a knack for attracting anti-streaming artists to the platform (Apple Music ad star Taylor Swift’s entire catalogue is only on Apple Music, and Gwen Stefani and Pharrell gave Apple Music exclusives on their latest releases before they went on other streaming platforms).

Spotify

The following are the highlights: Spotify music app continually outperforms its music app rivals for a reason: It provides free access to 30 million tunes for listening and adding to playlists. Spotify’s ability to help consumers discover new music, though, is where it really shines. Every Monday, its enormously popular Discover Weekly feature sends customers custom-curated music. Spotify also provides a collection of additional pre-made playlists that are suitable for any occasion, such as a pregame, morning commute, or a nasty break-up.

Flaws: Some well-known musicians have chastised Spotify, claiming that the streaming service underpays musicians for making their work freely available. As a result, several musicians have removed some or all of their songs from the platform. You won’t be able to listen to Taylor Swift’s full discography or Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed “Lemonade” album.

Pandora

Highlights: Pandora, once a streaming behemoth, has struggled in recent years and is under pressure to sell. Pandora, on the other hand, has a few advantages: It’s quite easy to use, and it’s a great way to find new music based on your favourite artists or songs. Pandora has also added some new features that aren’t half awful in order to compete with Apple and Spotify. Thumbprint Radio, a personalised radio station similar to Spotify’s Discover Weekly, plays music based on what you’ve liked on Pandora in the past.

Flaws: Pandora is a simple service, and its completely random channels don’t always provide the ideal listening experience. There are just 1 million songs on it.

Tidal

Tidal has had its share of reported issues, including shuffled executives and site crashes worthy of Saturday Night Live parodies, but Jay Z’s streaming service has two major selling points: sound quality and celebrity. It is soared to the top of the App Store after Beyoncé launched “Lemonade” exclusively on Tidal. (“Lemonade” is now on iTunes and Pandora.) Tidal was the first place where Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo” and Rihanna’s “ANTI” were available. Prince’s discography is solely available on Tidal.

Flaws: Tidal’s UI is prone to glitches, and there aren’t many ways to discover new music.