Music streaming can be a very personal experience, which is why finding the right service that fits all your needs can be a bit challenging. However, there are many choices available to you beyond Spotify, Apple Music, and other mainstream services. Here are some underrated music streaming services that you might be missing out on.
1 Tidal
This music streaming service offers a range of enticing features that caught my attention. With high-fidelity (hi-fi) sound quality and an impressive catalog of over 100 million songs, Tidal’s sleek and minimalist interface offers more than just the looks.
You can discover new music easily with the service’s Explore tab which lets you filter songs by genres, decades, moods, HiRes, and staff picks. I also found that the suggested tracks you can see while playing a song bear some good recommendations.
You can also watch music videos and video playlists through Tidal, with options to watch MVs through picture-in-picture (PiP) and full screen. Although the video collection is not too exhaustive, this feature is a great addition to the high-quality music streaming.
With Tidal, you can create playlists and folders, follow others, and share your playlists. You can also get personalized mixes and artist radio stations. I find Tidal to be very artist-centric, with an emphasis on music discovery. You can download the Tidal mobile or web app and play music on a range of your favorite devices, including smart TVs, speakers, and streamers.
After a 30-day free trial, Tidal offers an individual plan ($10.99/month), a family plan for up to five members ($16.99/month), and a student plan ($5.49/month). You can also add a DJ extension to your individual or student plan for an additional $9 per month.
2 Bandcamp
If you want to make an impact on the artists you listen to, Bandcamp is where you need to stream music. This is a music streaming service that also serves as an online record store and music community platform.
Through Bandcamp, you can purchase or pre-order tracks and albums from artists directly. Music is free to listen to through the service’s radio and artist library (although you may have to pay for certain artists and songs). Still, you can choose to support and buy digital albums from your favorite artists for unlimited access.
I find the Radio feature to be a great way to discover hyper-local artists that I would normally not come across on major music streaming platforms.
Although I was a bit confused about how Bandcamp works at first glance, I quickly realized that this is a music lover’s paradise. You can join listening parties, buy CDs, cassettes, vinyl, and artist merch, and even see which albums or songs people are listening to in real-time.
You can also discover artists by location, time, and genre, with the first filter being a neat way for concert and live show fans to discover artists playing near them. You can download the Bandcamp app on Android or iPhone or access Bandcamp through your preferred web browser.
3 Deezer
Another music streaming service that offers a large catalog of songs with high-fidelity sound quality is Deezer. Beyond the funky design, this is a service that offers a lot more than meets the eye.
Deezer lets you explore music across a range of genres with mood-based playlists that let you personalize your streaming mix. You can access your listening history right from the Favorites tab and delete songs that you do not want to affect your future recommendations.
Recommendations are streamlined with Deezer’s automated recommendations and “Track Mix,” which creates a station based on your current song. There is also an option to stop the service from recommending certain tracks you are not a big fan of, as well as a small, sad face next to new songs in your station that you can click to give feedback. When you sign up as a new user, you are asked to pick your top twelve artists, which sets your Home page up with better artist and album suggestions.
One of the best features of Deezer is that it lets you transfer your playlists and favorite songs from other music streaming services, which makes the migration for new users very convenient.
Deezer lets you go beyond streaming with music quizzes, podcasts, and concerts near you. You can also find exclusive playlists, podcasts, and tracks with Deezer Originals.
The service offers monthly and annual plans with individual, duo, and family (up to six members) plans starting from $14.99/month.
4 IDAGIO
If you are an avid listener of classical music and not spoiled for choice, IDAGIO is the music streaming platform for you. With a collection of over 2.5 million classical tracks, high sound quality, and offline listening, this service lets you create a digital library of your favorite classical tracks.
IDAGIO offers expertly curated, handpicked playlists and highlights for your discovery. You can also choose to explore songs with the Mood Player and stay in the loop with personalized mixes that feature songs from both your listening history and potential favorites.
Beyond listening, IDAGIO also lets you watch classical music concerts, operas, and performances, international music competitions, and classical music talks by experts. IDAGIO concerts have an interesting “pay as you wish” structure, where you can either get access to the entire catalog of performances through the Premium+ Concerts subscription or buy single tickets for your top events. This is a hidden gem of a feature if you are a rookie classical music listener testing the waters.
With the free IDAGIO version, you can access the entire catalog with ads, the Mood Player, and create a personal collection. The Premium+ plan ($12.99/month) lets you stream music ad-free, with offline listening on mobile devices, lossless audio, and no limits on playlists. Finally, with the Premium+ Concert plan ($29.99/month), you get all the premium features, along with unlimited access to concert performances and a dedicated tvOS app.
5 Amazon Music
You might be missing out on a free music streaming service if you already have an Amazon Prime membership. With Amazon Music Prime, you can access ad-free songs and podcasts, seamless Alexa and Amazon Echo integration, and AI-generated playlists. While you would not get unlimited access to all the music that Amazon offers, unlike with an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription (starting at $9.99/month), this service is an add-on to your Prime subscription that you may not have noticed.
One disadvantage of Amazon Music Prime is that music is not on-demand. If you are looking for unlimited access to music, higher-resolution audio quality, and on-demand music streaming, the standalone service, Amazon Music Unlimited, is something to consider. With both services, you get playlists and stations with a wide collection of songs, Alexa compatibility, and easy integration with Amazon devices.
There are a good number of music streaming services out there that might serve your niche interests and listening habits. With any streaming service you wish to try out, a free trial is the best way to determine if it is the best fit for how you discover music.
