Key Takeaways
- Spotify’s algorithm-based recommendations cater specifically to individual preferences for better music discovery.
- Apple Music blends algorithm and human curation, offering a diverse mix tailored to personal tastes and broader trends.
- Spotify’s pinpoint recommendations based on specific genres make it ideal for those looking for accurate music suggestions.
One of my favorite music streaming service features are music discovery tools, which save me the hassle of sifting through content to find the music I like. As a longtime Spotify devotee and a recent Apple Music convert, I was eager to find out which service delivers the best recommendations.
How Do Apple Music and Spotify Recommendations Differ?
Apple Music and Spotify approach their recommendations in distinct ways, making it easier to decide which service’s recommendations we prefer. Spotify favors an algorithm-based system whereby bots regularly analyze our listening habits, personal playlists, and overall engagement. The data is then curated into playlists that it thinks will appeal to us as individuals.
Conversely, Apple Music takes a more hands-on approach using both an algorithm and a human-curated recommendation engine. Music experts compile playlists, drawing on their editorial insights alongside the algorithm’s data-driven analysis. This often results in a more diverse mix that reflects our individual tastes while introducing broader musical trends.
Apple Music and Spotify also present their recommendations differently. Spotify uses popular playlists, such as its Release Radar and Discover Weekly compilations, to introduce its users to new artists and tracks. Apple Music’s dedicated Home tab presents many recommendations based on your listening habits. I personally enjoy the Find Your Mood feature in the Listen Now menu, which offers recommendations based on various states of mind.
Who Would Benefit More From Apple Music Recommendations?
Those who frequently interact with their music streaming services might benefit more from Apple Music’s recommendations, which are curated according to your likes and dislikes. The more you tell it, the more it’ll listen and act accordingly. If you love to discover new genres, trends, or artists, its expert-driven recommendations will benefit you, as these will introduce you to more new music you like, especially the For You feature, which is based on your listening habits.
Who Would Benefit More From Spotify Recommendations?
If you have faith in algorithm-based music discovery, then Spotify’s recommendations are surprisingly accurate, and they quickly adapt to your recent tastes based on search history and listening habits. Spotify also boasts social media-like features that allow you to share your recommendations with friends and vice versa, further fuelling the algorithm as you do so. In short, Spotify is better if you prefer pinpoint recommendations based on specific genres you like instead of broad suggestions covering various musical styles.
Why I Prefer Spotify’s Recommendations
Our taste in music is as individual as our taste in clothes or food. While I’ll happily listen to someone’s recommendations regarding all these things, ultimately, the choice is down to me and what I like. Spotify’s purely data-driven analysis of what I might want to listen to appeals to me and makes more sense than Apple Music’s cyborg of a human/algo hybrid.
I find Spotify’s recommendations more on point than Apple Music’s. They not only belong to the genres that I prefer but also feature many of the same session musicians, producers, and arrangers that I enjoy and present new artists who the same people influence. I have also found a lot of new music via Spotify’s Discover Weekly feature, which presents me with many hours of content each week, and its curated playlists, which can be hit-or-miss but are nonetheless valuable to someone who doesn’t keep up with what’s new in the industry.
While Spotify may fall behind Apple Music in terms of value for money and audio quality, the world’s most popular music streaming service stands out for its intuitive user interface, superior content, and accurate recommendations.
