The Guide to Music Streaming

Before our iPhones, there was iPod. It revolutionized the way we listen to music, and changed the music industry itself. Since then, music has become an ever-increasing part of our lives. With further technological evolutions, we can now stream music wirelessly using devices like Sonos and Bluetooth speakers (such as the Beats Pill).

An even bigger change now, though, is how we buy music. The days of paying .99 cents per song are waning. Services such as Spotify, Google Play and the newest Beats Music are the new way people get their music fix. By paying a subscription fee, usually as low as $10 per month, users can stream all the music they want, whenever they want. With so many options, though, how do you know which one is for you?

"[The record companies] won in court. Do you want to buy a Tower Records, Eduardo?" - Sean Parker (as played by Justin Timberlake) in The Social Network. 

Spotify (Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Ubuntu Touch, PC, Mac, Linux)
When Spotify started in 2008, it was initially available by invite-only. I was elated when I received my invitation back in 2009. Accounts were available for free, and allowed ad-supported playback on your computer. The basic premise was you could listen to any album by any artist, as well as curate specific playlists or even shuffle through genres, artists, etc. For $9.99/month, you could add offline downloaded playback and streaming on your mobile device. Though competitors from Google and Beats have arisen, Spotify is still my favorite.

Pandora Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Ubuntu Touch, Web)

Pandora is the original ubiquitous streaming service. This is the one that broke into the mainstream. Create a Pandora account, tell it what kind of music (specific artist, song, genre, etc) you want to listen to, and Pandora would immediately begin playing  a "station" of music that matched it. By employing the Music Genome Project, their playlists were smooth. My Matchbox Twenty station included Goo Goo Dolls, Vertical Horizon, Creed and U2 to name a few. Pandora is free, but ad-supported and you can't specify what song or full album you want to listen to. Just hit play and let it do its thing.

Google (Platforms: Android, PC, Web)
Last year, Google got into the streaming business with its Google Play offering. Available only on Android devices, this is basically Google's answer to Spotify. You can stream or download any album available in the Google Play store with a $9.99 subscription fee. iPhone with Google accounts are out of luck, though. However, iOS devices can take advantage of...


iTunes Radio (Platforms: iOS)

iTunes Radio is baked right into iOS 7, and is an iTunes-specific streaming service more akin to Pandora than Spotify. You specify what artist, genre you want, or the mood you are in, and iTunes Radio will begin playing a playlist that matches. It it culled and created from your purchase history from iTunes, so the artists you like are featured. Free of charge, with ads.

Beats Music (Platforms: iOS, Android)

Beats Music is the newest addition. The conceit of this streaming service is that the playlists are curated by music professionals. The service began as the project between Dr. Dre and Trent Reznor. As a user, you input your favorite artists, and Beats Music creates a playlist culled from your musical tastes. Its $15/month gives you access on several devices or for several family members.

OUTLIER: Songza

Songza is a bit different. It's a free app for iOS and Android. You can't specify what album or artist you want to listen to. You can't even curate your own playlists. Songza's playlist are offered as a music "concierge." You tell Songza what mood you're in or what you're currently doing, and you can choose a playlist that fits the mood. It's free, it's cool and it always offers something different depending on what you're doing.