Apple Music is dying

[dogslobber]

With Google shutting down their music service now is the time for Apple to follow suit. Amazon and Spotify are the clear winners in this saga as consolidation is the key here. People are abandoning Apple Music as they do NOT want to rent music. They want to own it just like Steve said. Perhaps Apple wouldn't be in this embarrassing position if they had listened to Steve's voice in the first place.

 

[Abazigal]

With Google shutting down their music service now is the time for Apple to follow suit. Amazon and Spotify are the clear winners in this saga as consolidation is the key here. People are abandoning Apple Music as they do NOT want to rent music. They want to own it just like Steve said. Perhaps Apple wouldn't be in this embarrassing position if they had listened to Steve's voice in the first place.

People want an integrated experience and Apple is able to offer that because they own and control Apple Music in addition to the hardware and OS that Apple Music runs on, from their iPhone to the Apple Watch to the HomePod.

As I like to say, one bets against Apple to their own detriment. What I am observing is that Apple Music has market share in developed countries like the US where it’s more profitable, where Spotify is growing in developing nations which aren’t as profitable.

So it’s entirely possible that the more users Spotify gets, the more money they lose.

And amazon music isn’t even available in my country, so I am not sure what position they are in to consolidate anything.

 

[AustinIllini]

With Google shutting down their music service now is the time for Apple to follow suit. Amazon and Spotify are the clear winners in this saga as consolidation is the key here. People are abandoning Apple Music as they do NOT want to rent music. They want to own it just like Steve said. Perhaps Apple wouldn't be in this embarrassing position if they had listened to Steve's voice in the first place.

This is a bit, right? Apple Music has over 70 million users.

Apple Music subscriber base grew 36% in 2019, second only to Spotify | AppleInsider

Music streaming subscriptions were up 32% globally last year, with Apple Music maintaining a comfortable second place position behind Spotify, according to newly published estimates.

appleinsider.com

 

[-Gonzo-]

I didn’t even know Google had a music service

 

[Lee_Bo]

While Google is shutting down Google Music, they are transitioning current customers to YouTube Music:

Google killing Google Play Music for YouTube Music in 2020

New tab in Google Play Music app lets you transfer playlists, libraries, uploads and personal preferences over to YouTube Music.

www.usatoday.com

But isn’t that also “renting” music, if you subscribe? With Apple Music, I can buy songs and albums that remain in my library if I cancel my subscription. I believe the same is true with Google Music. And Spotify?

 

[Puonti]

With Google shutting down their music service now is the time for Apple to follow suit ... People are abandoning Apple Music as they do NOT want to rent music.

So much wrong with this, but fortunately I don't need to correct it!

Mostly I just wanted to comment that I subscribed to Google Play Music for years. When they recently made available transferring my account, playlists and data to Youtube Music I dropped GPM / YTM entirely. Despite losing the grandfathered subscription price. Despite having been happy with GPM.

It's a mix of reasons. Moving away from Google in general + YTM still being an inferior service and app compared to GPM + having good alternatives to switch to, even if they're going to be more expensive.

Google really screwed the pooch on this one.

 

[zhenya]

LOL.

I mean, I definitely want to go back to buying tracks at .99 each. Having a house full of HomePods which offer nearly anything I would ever want to hear at my beck and call is obviously a step backwards. ?

 

[kyussmondo]

Firstly, people are not abandoning Apple Music, it is growing. Second, you are renting music on Spotify and Amazon as well. It is obvious people don't buy music anymore, had Apple stuck with just the iTunes Store model they would be much less relevant and going against the mainstream grain of streaming, which is clearly the future.

 

[dogslobber]

The HomePod speaker thing is a flop. If Apple Music continues the trend line that saw Google Music canceled then Apple Music will be canned within 12 months.

 

[The Clark]

Apple music is worse than Spotify forsure.. The interface is convoluted, most devices are more likely to have a Spotify app than Apple music, music discovery has always been better (for me anyway) on Spotify, you get collaborative playlists on Spotify which is a great feature to use with for your friends/SO's, and overall better social experience on Spotify.

Apple gave me 3 months for $10 and within two weeks I renewed my Spotify premium, Apple music is awful.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Firstly, people are not abandoning Apple Music, it is growing. Second, you are renting music on Spotify and Amazon as well. It is obvious people don't buy music anymore, had Apple stuck with just the iTunes Store model they would be much less relevant and going against the mainstream grain of streaming, which is clearly the future.

Some of us still buy music, still want to own it, and deplore the rentier model of music consumption.

 

[kyussmondo]

Some of us still buy music, still want to own it, and deplore the rentier model of music consumption.

I am not saying some people don't buy music and I understand why people buy rather than stream, but it is a shrinking number as streaming continues to grow. iTunes Store is still available as an option and to say that Apple Music is dying is just factually incorrect.

For me personally, the convenience of being able to play any track from a selection of 60 million being able to listen to a whole range of songs that I never would have listened to had I had to buy each track individually. Also, people with massive owned music libraries probably listen to maybe 5% of the music in their library, and that is a generous guess.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am not saying some people don't buy music and I understand why people buy rather than stream, but it is a shrinking number as streaming continues to grow. iTunes Store is still available as an option and to say that Apple Music is dying is just factually incorrect.

For me personally, the convenience of being able to play any track from a selection of 60 million being able to listen to a whole range of songs that I never would have listened to had I had to buy each track individually. Also, people with massive owned music libraries probably listen to maybe 5% of the music in their library, and that is a generous guess.

Fair enough.

However, I don't use - and never have used - Apple music; as it happens, I'm even more old-school than that, for I still buy CDs, (and LPs).

 

[AustinIllini]

The HomePod speaker thing is a flop. If Apple Music continues the trend line that saw Google Music canceled then Apple Music will be canned within 12 months.

HomePod is pretty good. Good enough for Apple to make a second one.

And Sonos supports Apple Music, so...

You're still out to lunch on this.
[automerge]1596730298[/automerge]

Fair enough.

However, I don't use - and never have used - Apple music; as it happens, I'm even more old-school than that, for I still buy CDs, (and LPs).

I only buy vinyl

 

[artfossil]

I’ve lived through vinyl and cassette tapes and CDs and the iTunes Store (bought a song the first day!) and ripping all my CDs onto hard drives and wondering how to store all those jewel cases and spending days with iTunes Match uploading and downloading. And now, finally, with Apple Music, all my music—and so much more—is instantly available to me. Any time. Anywhere. I spend no time worrying about storing or indexing or finding music. I just listen to it. I am happy.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

I just subscribed to another year of Apple Music because I find it much better than Spotify. I just wish Apple would listen to it's users and improve some of their cosmetic features. It's not dying though. In fact, I think it's thriving.

 

[Killbynumbers]

I'll stick with Apple Music. It does everything I need it to. I have tried Spotify a few times and never could get into it. Tried Pandora free for a month here and there and never liked their format.

 

[TiggrToo]

With Google shutting down their music service now is the time for Apple to follow suit. Amazon and Spotify are the clear winners in this saga as consolidation is the key here. People are abandoning Apple Music as they do NOT want to rent music. They want to own it just like Steve said. Perhaps Apple wouldn't be in this embarrassing position if they had listened to Steve's voice in the first place.

Hello Clickbait post. Can we have some actual facts served with this dish, please?

 

[Apple_Robert]

I used to rip my own music. I decided I didn’t want to fill up the storage on my devices trying to make sure all of my music was available on each device with different genre playlist for different needs. Having to unload apps and data to make more room, or buying more storage with a new device on a regular basis got to be too frustrating over time. As such, I have found it is better for me to create and stream the playlist and music I want to listen to at any given time.

I have found that Apple Music (and Sirius XM at times) meets that need. I think Apple Music works for a lot of people.

 

[dogslobber]

What is your exit strategy once Apple Music is canned like Google Music? As with any business, the laggards lose momentum and share as the popular forms (Spotify and Amazon) continue to gain share. This leads to consolidation as those weaker demanded services close down (Google first then Apple). It'll also happen with video streaming too. Apple's video streaming service has no content of interest and will die like Netflix.

 

[Apple_Robert]

What is your exit strategy once Apple Music is canned like Google Music? As with any business, the laggards lose momentum and share as the popular forms (Spotify and Amazon) continue to gain share. This leads to consolidation as those weaker demanded services close down (Google first then Apple). It'll also happen with video streaming too. Apple's video streaming service has no content of interest and will die like Netflix.

If Apple Music closes shop, I will try Spotify, Pandora, use my Sirius XM, or listen to the radio for free. Plenty of choices. I am not chained to Apple Music in any way.

 

[dogslobber]

Hello Clickbait post. Can we have some actual facts served with this dish, please?

You sounds angry, @TiggrToo but here you go.

 

[infelix]

Considering that AM grew around 36% last year from the research I've seen, the chance of it being dropped is more or less zero.

 

[-Gonzo-]

You sounds angry, @TiggrToo but here you go.

View attachment 942440

Globally though apart from Spotify still being top things look slightly different.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Apple music is worse than Spotify forsure.. The interface is convoluted, most devices are more likely to have a Spotify app than Apple music, music discovery has always been better (for me anyway) on Spotify, you get collaborative playlists on Spotify which is a great feature to use with for your friends/SO's, and overall better social experience on Spotify.

Apple gave me 3 months for $10 and within two weeks I renewed my Spotify premium, Apple music is awful.

I changed from Apple Music to Spotify about 3 months ago but still prefer Apple Music. I just cannot understand why there is no “play all songs” with Spotify? When I did not know what to listed too I just used to “play all” on Apple Music and it shuffled all my songs. It just seems to me to be a basic feature that all streaming services should have.