Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iHorseHead

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 1, 2021
1,302
1,563
Hey,
I used to use Vanced (which is why I defended Android for years), but now that it's gone I purchased YouTube Premium and still am using YouTube Music.
The recommendations are so good. It recommends the music that I actually like. Apple Music and Spotify don't do this. How come Google knows what I like so well? Is it because it takes the music and similar artists that I've been listening for the past 7 years from YouTube or what is it?
Why do people always compare Apple Music and Spotify but only few compare YouTube Music as well? The only reason I'm using Apple Music is because I need extra storage and I'm already paying for iCloud storage, so I chose Apple One, since it's almost the same price.

Why do people still use Spotify when you could get YouTube Music and YouTube Premium for the same price as Spotify? (Although I've heard it depends on your region) When I googled the only answer I got was that Spotify has better sound, but I don't notice any difference. You'd probably have to listen to it with headphones.

Why don't more people talk about YouTube Music?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jhowlett221

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,816
26,921
Hey,
I used to use Vanced (which is why I defended Android for years), but now that it's gone I purchased YouTube Premium and still am using YouTube Music.
The recommendations are so good. It recommends the music that I actually like. Apple Music and Spotify don't do this. How come Google knows what I like so well? Is it because it takes the music and similar artists that I've been listening for the past 7 years from YouTube or what is it?
Why do people always compare Apple Music and Spotify but only few compare YouTube Music as well? The only reason I'm using Apple Music is because I need extra storage and I'm already paying for iCloud storage, so I chose Apple One, since it's almost the same price.

Why do people still use Spotify when you could get YouTube Music and YouTube Premium for the same price as Spotify? (Although I've heard it depends on your region) When I googled the only answer I got was that Spotify has better sound, but I don't notice any difference. You'd probably have to listen to it with headphones.

Why don't more people talk about YouTube Music?
I much preferred Google Music, the service before YT Music.

Very simple. Open the app, select and play your music. A plugin on your Mac or PC would monitor your iTunes library and any changes you made (add/remove songs, create playlists, etc) would reflect up to Google Music. My entire home music library accessible anywhere on any device.

Now, if you want to get to your library on YT music, you can, but not as simple to get to it. The stuff you like is in the way of getting to my library. If I want music suggested to me (versus just streaming my own library) I open Pandora.
 

HDFan

macrumors 604
Jun 30, 2007
6,630
2,874
Why do people still use Spotify when you could get YouTube Music and YouTube Premium for the same price as Spotify?

Why don't more people talk about YouTube Music?

1. For music poor audio quality - 256 kbps.
2. Regular Youtube has one of the worst and most frustrating user interfaces around.
3. No Atmos
4.
Cause it’s cool to dislike Google

Google doesn't have a great privacy reputation. But they certainly have been a game changer in information searches.
 

wonderings

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2021
660
556
I use Amazon music. I don't want ai music suggestions. I have Amazon echo devices throughout my house and while other services work with it Amazon got me hooked into theirs with the free Amazon music that comes with Prime. Not as many songs but in the end it did get me paying for the full version. Sound quality is good, selection is great. No need for anything else.
 
  • Like
Reactions: phrehdd

Ruggy

macrumors 6502a
Jan 11, 2017
977
634
The recommendations on Youtube music are a lot better and a lot of the music actually sounds better than on Apple music whatever the specs are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iHorseHead

B/D

macrumors 68000
Mar 30, 2016
1,583
1,186
Sorry, very important to me.

@HDFan


AAC 256 is the same that Apple Music used until June last year (and its still the default quality option), and is transparent when compared to lossless in the 99% of use cases.

If you do a blind ABX test, you may be surprised.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: You’re not me

Paninnguaq

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2018
134
103
I don’t know my friend, do people who used Vance and were too cheap to pay for YouTube premium really get to lecture others about highly priced music players?
 

B/D

macrumors 68000
Mar 30, 2016
1,583
1,186
I only listen to full albums (not playlists, i am a little old fashioned in that regard), and I gather info about what to listen to in specialized music media and press. So I don't care about the recommendation algorithms.

I use Apple Music, besides the fact that I am deep into the apple ecosystem, mainly because its library management, which is unsurpassed when compared to the rest of streaming services. It allows you to merge and upload your local music alongside the apple music streaming catalog, and fully edit the metadata of everything, making it seamlessly available in all your devices.

In that sense it the most complete service. Google Music also had this, in comparison, the uploading feature and metadata editing capabilities of Youtube Music are much more pedestrian and not nearly as seamless.


Youtube Music is a good service though, and if you watch a lot of youtube content or have google hardware, is the way to go. It depends on your priorities, devices, and ways to listen and discover music.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

iHorseHead

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 1, 2021
1,302
1,563
I only listen to full albums (not playlists, i am a little old fashioned in that regard), and I gather info about what to listen to in specialized music media and press. So I don't care about the recommendation algorithms.

I use Apple Music, besides the fact that I am deep into the apple ecosystem, mainly because its library management, which is unsurpassed when compared to the rest of streaming services. It allows you to merge and upload your local music alongside the apple music streaming catalog, and fully edit the metadata of everything, making it seamlessly available in all your devices.

In that sense it the most complete service. Google Music also had this, in comparison, the uploading feature and metadata editing capabilities of Youtube Music are much more pedestrian and not nearly as seamless.


Youtube Music is a good service though, and if you watch a lot of youtube content or have google hardware, is the way to go. It depends on your priorities, devices, and ways to listen and discover music.
Don't you ever listen to the music recommended to you? Even Apple's "Favourites mix" sucks, while YouTube does a very great job at it. I often just go to YouTube to discover songs and add them on Playlist on Apple Music. It's not even about the ecosystem. Why is Apple Music so bad at making recommendations? I've found some great music for my taste on YouTube and even on Spotify, yet never on Apple Music. Every song Apple has recommended me is just awful and that's what I care about mostly. I don't really care for audio quality, since I use AirPods and they're known to be awful. AirPods Pro Max is a different story, but not the regular AirPods. My main complaint about Apple Music is the recommendations and I hope they'll vastly improve it. How does Google and Spotify do that?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: tonyr6

wonderings

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2021
660
556
Don't you ever listen to the music recommended to you? Even Apple's "Favourites mix" sucks, while YouTube does a very great job at it. I often just go to YouTube to discover songs and add them on Playlist on Apple Music. It's not even about the ecosystem. Why is Apple Music so bad at making recommendations? I've found some great music for my taste on YouTube and even on Spotify, yet never on Apple Music. Every song Apple has recommended me is just awful and that's what I care about mostly. I don't really care for audio quality, since I use AirPods and they're known to be awful. AirPods Pro Max is a different story, but not the regular AirPods. My main complaint about Apple Music is the recommendations and I hope they'll vastly improve it. How does Google and Spotify do that?
I would say not everyone is using a streaming service to find new music. I am not looking for new music in Amazon music. I play the albums, stations I want. I like having access to whatever I want when I want it.
 

B/D

macrumors 68000
Mar 30, 2016
1,583
1,186
Don't you ever listen to the music recommended to you? Even Apple's "Favourites mix" sucks, while YouTube does a very great job at it. I often just go to YouTube to discover songs and add them on Playlist on Apple Music. It's not even about the ecosystem. Why is Apple Music so bad at making recommendations? I've found some great music for my taste on YouTube and even on Spotify, yet never on Apple Music. Every song Apple has recommended me is just awful and that's what I care about mostly. I don't really care for audio quality, since I use AirPods and they're known to be awful. AirPods Pro Max is a different story, but not the regular AirPods. My main complaint about Apple Music is the recommendations and I hope they'll vastly improve it. How does Google and Spotify do that?

No I do not. I find what to listen elsewhere, then I search it directly on AM (or bought it and rip it), and that´s it.
 

wallaby

macrumors 6502a
Jun 5, 2007
510
137
Iowa
I stick with Spotify purely for the playlists. I rarely find myself using the skip button on curated playlists, and 9 times out of 10 the “song radio” gives me a great mix. When I have tried Apple Music, I am always disappointed in the first song played, usually when I am asking for LoFi music. I have not tried YouTube music much, but if they had this functionality, I’d switch since I already pay them for ad-less YouTube.
 

HDFan

macrumors 604
Jun 30, 2007
6,630
2,874
AAC 256 is the same that Apple Music used until June last year (and its still the default quality option), and is transparent when compared to lossless in the 99% of use cases.

If you do a blind ABX test, you may be surprised.

That's why I never listened to Apple Music until they added lossless.

With good equipment the differences are significant, at least for me.
 

thefriendshipmachine

macrumors 6502
Apr 14, 2017
300
210
the apple music app for MacOS though is AWFUL!

Ignoring all the bugs and times where it just gets stuck and nothing plays, but it doesn't even support the most basic of features such as resizing columns or the mini player that itunes had.
 
  • Like
Reactions: johnb300m

MisterSavage

macrumors 601
Nov 10, 2018
4,639
5,487
I actually found the Spotify suggestions pretty good for me. YouTube Music was something that finally convinced me to subscribe to YouTube Premium.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,642
13,143
UK
It’s disorganised and most of it is low quality rips. I have it included in my YouTube premium subscription. I would never use it. I much preferred google play music.
 
  • Like
Reactions: johnb300m

johnb300m

macrumors member
Dec 15, 2008
74
91
Chicago, IL
I was using YouTubeMusic from a friend's account. I was stoked for it, and it was cool for a while.
The variety was really great.
But then....I ran into how horribly inconsistent the audio quality, and VOLUME was.
It got very very annoying.
Then I tried Apple Music on a free sample from my new Beats buds, and .... it's better.
I get the same amounts of new music discovery as Pandora, the audio quality is better, and I like how I can integrate it with my old iTunes stuff.
Haven't touched YouTubeMusic for so long, my phone unloaded the app.
 

JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
the apple music app for MacOS though is AWFUL!
Not for long!
Judging from what sort of songs hit the charts nowadays, most people don’t even seem to care about music quality.
The younger generation seems to be more "open-minded" per se, especially in regards to music taste. They certainly aren't as stubborn as their parents and grandparents!
What app is everyone using on their PowerPC to listen to YouTube Music?
I don't think anybody in their right mind would want to use YouTube Music on a PowerPC computer.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,642
13,143
UK
I was using YouTubeMusic from a friend's account. I was stoked for it, and it was cool for a while.
The variety was really great.
But then....I ran into how horribly inconsistent the audio quality, and VOLUME was.
It got very very annoying.
Then I tried Apple Music on a free sample from my new Beats buds, and .... it's better.
I get the same amounts of new music discovery as Pandora, the audio quality is better, and I like how I can integrate it with my old iTunes stuff.
Haven't touched YouTubeMusic for so long, my phone unloaded the app.
It's just low quality garbage. I'm sorry to say it but it is. It's a shame because Google play music was actually quite good. YouTube music suits the crowd that don't want to pay for music and are happy to make MP3 rips from YouTube videos or actually consume music via music videos. I can't believe that people are willing to pay for a YouTube music subscription. I have YouTube premium and YouTube music is forced on me via that subscription but I wouldn't actually use it.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.