Exploring the Pros and Cons of Discovering New Songs and Artists on Two Music Streaming Platform Giants
In today’s digital age, a music listener can sometimes get lost wading through the endless sea of new songs and artists arriving on streaming apps every day. According to New Music Business Worldwide, there are an estimated 120,000 tracks uploaded to music streaming platforms daily. With consumers having an unlimited amount of options to choose from for music discovery, it can present a challenge for business and industry stakeholders who aim to understand the patterns and motivations behind the current music fans. From TikTok to Spotify and iHeartRadio, the algorithms can show music aficionados new songs and artists within seconds often leading to an all-night scroll hole.
Though there are many avenues for music fans to take in 2023, millions of free users and paid subscribers rely on YouTube and Spotify for their musical needs daily. By comparing the pros and cons of each platform, we will explore the impact of curated mixes based on moods and genres, the discoverability of mainstream and independent musicians, and the strength of sound quality on YouTube and Spotify.
Curated Mixes Based Upon Moods and Genres
From “Rap Caviar” to “Beast Mode” to “Songs to Sing in the Shower”, Spotify has become well-known for playlists that have a serious cult following on the platform and on social media. Spotify’s ability to reach the listeners on a personal level has stemmed from their user-focused playlists such as Release Radar which shows new music from artists they have engaged with and algorithmic mixes that track which artists and songs the user “hearts” or likes. Although Spotify boasts an endless music catalog free users can experience more music discovery than paid users due to the system’s automatic playlist curation feature. Paid users can find themselves listening to the same songs over and over unless they are seeking out new music or liking songs.
On the other hand, YouTube and YouTube Music offer two different experiences for finding curated playlists. YouTube Music functions similarly to Spotify for its free and paid users. However, YouTube Music’s homepage is a little more robust offering trending songs, music history spotlights, new releases, and top music from shorts. YouTube’s original app offers the most freedom with curated playlists that extend outside of your normal listening habits and can expose you to thousands of user-generated playlists that feature artists and songs you’ve never heard of.
Discoverability of Mainstream and Independent Musicians
YouTube has revolutionized the music industry by providing a platform for artists to share their music videos and gain exposure. One of the significant advantages of YouTube is its vast and diverse content. Artists from all backgrounds and genres can upload their music, allowing for a wide range of music discovery options. Additionally, YouTube’s recommendation algorithm suggests similar songs and artists based on users’ preferences, enhancing the discovery experience.
YouTube’s recommendation algorithm plays a crucial role in this aspect, suggesting similar artists and songs based on users’ preferences. By venturing beyond the mainstream, users can discover hidden gems and connect with artists who may not have received widespread recognition. This exposure to non-mainstream artists fosters a sense of discovery and excitement, making YouTube an ideal platform for music enthusiasts seeking new and innovative sounds. The algorithm also motivates the artists because they get to know that they must not depend on any company to go viral but what is important are the efforts they portray.
An artist is considered independent when the DIY acts upload the songs on iTunes, YouTube, and Spotify through services such as CD Baby, DistroKid, Ditto, and TuneCore. Some semi-independent artists can sign ‘label services’ to deal with organizations like Believe, Absolute, and Sawal. The companies act like record labels, spending on the agreed budget to promote, distribute, and market the artists’ songs. In such a set-up, the artists are not signed for a long-term deal, and they have ownership rights. Artists who get signed to smaller record labels enjoy independence. Most artists, such as Adele, started with small labels, and this helped them to grow independently.
Strength of Sound Quality
“Technically speaking, Spotify offers better sound quality than YouTube Music. For their free versions, YouTube Music’s maximum streaming quality is 128kbp, while Spotify’s is
160kbps (it maxes out at 128kbps if using the web player).”
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/spotify-vs-youtube-music/#:~:text=Technical ly%20speaking%2C%20Spotify%20offers%20better,if%20using%20the%20web%20pla yer
Bibliography
- https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/there-are-now-120000-new-tracks-hitting-mus ic-streaming-services-each-day
- https://musicalpursuits.com/music-streaming/
- https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/spotify-vs-youtube-music/#:~:text=Technicall y%20speaking%2C%20Spotify%20offers%20better,if%20using%20the%20web%20play er). 4.
