The completely objective Lovejoy review of Spotify
- Ceres
- Nov 4, 2015
- 2 min read
We (I) recently published the unofficial Lovejoy review of Spotify, which was brief and criticized the laptop version of the app for blocking part of my playlists with its banner ads. This review, however, is considerably more official, and represents Lovejoy's (my) views on Spotify and its performance across both the mobile and PC-based platforms. It would do you well to keep in mind that regardless of the opinions expressed in this piece, Spotify remains an acclaimed streaming service and shouldn't be doubted. Onward.
SPOTIFY HAS A MUSIC LIBRARY SIZED AT 30 MILLION SONGS
Spotify is good at what it does. Through the years, it's risen through a crowd of dying streaming services and it's so well-known that it actually sparked a controversy on Twitter regarding its new logo color (which is a lighter shade of green than before and apparently an eyesore). Spotify has a collective music library sized at approximately 30 million songs, which is significant, rivaling Apple Music at a measly 30 million and Tidal at an impressive 30 million. I assume I need to mention Google Play as well, which has a weighty library comprised of about 30 million songs. Figures.
The basic-versus-premium deal with Spotify is simple and standard. For free, you can stream music as long as you have an internet connection, but you can't skip or choose which songs you want to play at any given time on your mobile device. The desktop app is significantly more lenient. If you choose to pay $9.99 per month for Spotify Premium, and this figure varies depending on whether or not they have promotions going on, you get a lot more freedom between you and your music. On your desktop and mobile, you're freed from the clammy grasp of advertisements, and you also have the ability to "download" music to listen offline. Also, the sound quality is allegedly better. I tried out Spotify Premium for a month. I've set out the pros and cons for this offer.
PROS:
It's good for hikes and jogs when you don't want to use up valuable data for streaming.
Downloading your favorite playlists is quick and easily accessible.
Ads are annoying. Now you're free!
Skipping.
Better sound quality.
CONS:
It costs money.
I don't have a way to easily prove that the sound quality is actually better with Premium.
"Downloaded" tracks can't be accessed offline after you stop paying for Premium. But really, this should be obvious.
Buggy.
Due to the fact that I simply don't have a lot of money to waste, I've opted for the Spotify Free plan instead of Premium. However, $9.99/m isn't steep, and the fluorescent green of that logo should be enough to rope people in. What's the Lovejoy Rating for Spotify? The answer lies below.
VERDICT:
8/10. Good music variety, good playlist management, access on both mobile and desktop, and there's an (eternally) free option. That's more than Apple Music or Tidal can offer. I had to take away two points because the ads are headache-inducing. Sorry, Spotify guy.
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