Photo courtesy of Bri Lowry.
Walk around campus and you’ll see students with large headband-style headphones or small peanut-sized ear buds. Whether doing homework or simply relaxing in a dorm room, music is a daily part of many college student’s experience. Top dogs Apple Music and Spotify dominate the music industry on phones, but who is the king of the hill? SAU and staff share their opinions on which app rules.
With so many features offered on Spotify, most SAU fans told The Buzz they clearly prefer this app. “I use Spotify for the ‘wrapped’ feature at the end of the year telling who and what you listen to most. It also gives you notifications for concerts near you for the artists you listen to,” mentions social work senior Arayah Westmoreland. While Apple Music also has an end of the year ‘wrapped’ feature, the app does not promote any types of concerts or tours.
Additionally, Spotify lovers point out that Apple Music is known to hold fewer songs than Spotify. “I use Spotify because Apple Music does not have all of the songs I like to listen to,” admits criminal justice junior Roselynn Martinez. A Spotify user may attempt to send a song to their friend who uses Apple Music only to have their friend receive a broken link resulting in a broken heart.
Long time Spotify users also highlight the perks they have gathered over the years as a user. Social work senior Grace Bickle recalls, “In high school, I got a free Google Home through Spotify. I also enjoy a Hulu subscription through it. I pay one price for the whole month with a student discount, which costs five dollars. I also like the customization of it and how it makes playlists based on genres I listen to.”
Even minor details such as the ambiance of the platform have an effect on its popularity. “The aesthetic of Spotify is much better than Apple Music. The end of the year ‘wrapped’ is also elite in comparison,” mentions social work senior Suveah Gritton. For some users, even major red flags of the platform are not enough to make them jump ship. Social work Professor Kyle Bennett mentions some of the app’s scandals. “I am a Spotify guy. Even though there are some social ramifications, mainly the Joe Rogan podcast spreading misinformation on the app and remaining up for some time…Spotify just has all of my things.”
While the crowd for Apple Music was not non-existent, at SAU it was near extinction. We did talk to a couple Apple Music fans who did not have solid feelings that tied them to Apple Music. Alumni Chase Calderwood puts it simply, “Apple Music came with my phone. I have over 7,000 songs through Apple Music, and I do not feel like switching them all over.” Speaking from experience, finance senior Brejze Lopez recalls her attempt to transfer from one app to the other. “I originally had Spotify and wanted to try Apple Music,” she says. “I hated Apple Music and shortly switched back to Spotify. I really enjoy the end of the year wrap that Spotify has.” Apple Music’s one saving force has been the energy it takes users to switch to another app.
With Spotify providing access to a plethora of more features than Apple Music, those who spend most of their days on campus with headphones say they would prefer this app. With insight into concert venues, a wider range of songs, free subscriptions and more, Spotify knows what it’s users want.
Bri Lowry is a staff writer for The Buzz.
