In this era, streaming services have changed the way we are consuming entertainment, just like video streaming services we also have music streaming services. Whenever it comes to accessing music, it is difficult to resist the attraction of internet platforms. It has never been easier to track down old classics or discover fresh new bands and musicians, with the complete history of popular music collapsing into the present streaming period and connecting directly to hundreds of millions of records at the touch of a screen. There are so many streaming services to experience in which we can get access to a large number of music tracks. We can stream them online or download them to listen offline when we do not have internet. Streaming music is not just an easy and effortless way to listen to music, but it also sounds amazing.
Depending on the service, the quality of these streams’ changes. Those who are more concerned with getting the most value for their money can listen to compressed smooth experience streams from Spotify and other services. You do not, however, have to compromise quality. All of the services we found for you feature subscription packages that give you access to hi-res audio.
Best music streaming services you should know
We checked some of the best streaming services in order to compile this list. It is difficult to switch once you have subscribed. Not because these streaming services stop you from switching, but because switching takes effort. As a monthly subscription to music replaces absolute ownership, it makes more sense to properly go through your options before getting a membership. Let us go through some of the best streaming services you should know.
Spotify
When it comes to music streaming platforms, Spotify is the name that comes to everyone’s minds. This is the best music streaming platform one can ask for. It offers its users the full 320kbps quality music and also offers the most convenient way to search for music. Spotify has over 75 million songs that accessible on almost any device, Android, iOS, Smart TVs, and even on speakers and AV kits with the courtesy of “Spotify Connect”. The reason Spotify is the top streaming service is because of its algorithm, Spotify’s algorithm is incredibly well trained if you want to discover new music. What it does is that it compiles playlists which according to your taste of music. The more we will listen, the more the playlist will evolve and this we will discover new music according to our taste. As good a reason as any to recommend Spotify, right?
For students, Spotify is offering a 40% discount. Spotify’s user interface is also top-notch and is very user-friendly. Not to mention that they also have a family plan which you can share with your family members. Do not tell anyone though, but you can also share it with your friends. Last time we checked, Spotify does not ask for proof that the people you add are actually part of your family.
Spotify also has some drawbacks. For example, you cannot listen to podcasts in some countries. You have no choice but to use a service like VPN Proxy Master to bypass the geo-restrictions.
Apple Music
Apple was not the first company to come up with a streaming service. That does not mean they stopped pushing their streaming service though. If you are already an Apple user and are in the Apple ecosystem, then Apple Music might be very tempting for you. And rightfully so. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Apple Music. It has a lot of the same features that Spotify has and the only negative thing that we can think about is that it costs too much.
Actually, forget that. There is another negative aspect. Apple Music is not available in the entire world, and if you want access to it, you will have to use some alternate means. Since Apple uses geo-location to find out where you are currently located, you can easily just use VPN Proxy Master to show that you are in the United States instead.
Tidal
When it comes to high-quality streaming, Tidal is at the top. It offers remarkably high quality and interruption-free service. Tidal Hi-Fi Plus users get access to a wide range of high-quality audio songs, which are normally 24-bit/96kHz but can go up to 24-bit/192kHz. Tidal encrypts these music files, dubbed 'Tidal Masters,' with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) encryption, which according to their claims, enables for more effective packaging of hi-res data, though it is not without its critics. Those who are in the US can use the Tidal free plan, called “Tidal-Free,” this will offer up to 80 million tracks at 160kbps, but it will come with some occasional advertisements.
Unfortunately, tile is only available in 60 countries on the entire planet, meaning that if you want to listen to high quality music, you will have to circumvent these restrictions somehow. More on that at the end of this article.
YouTube Music
We were not impressed with YouTube Music when it first launched, but it is starting to appear like it is up to the task today. The interface is decent, and the search tool is fantastic, bringing forth long-lost musical treasures from its video archives.
Both Spotify and Apple Music are the main competitors of YouTube Music. But people often forget just how famous YouTube itself is. YouTube is more than capable of pushing YouTube Music to the rest of the world if it ever wants to. A similar problem exists here as well. YouTube Music is not yet available in the entire world, so most people who are in places where YouTube does not currently offer its music services simply have to wait. Or do they?
Deezer
Deezer has struggled over the years. Oftentimes changing things massively between one year and the next. It claimed 2017 as another year of considerable change. Renamed and re-priced its CD-quality level, as well as made it available on more platforms and applications.
In 2022, Deezer has partnered with MQA, a hi-res streaming partner, however, there are no high-quality audio streams available on Deezer currently, just the same old 16-bit CD quality. This leaves it at a disadvantage when competing with Tidal and Qobuz, both of which offer high-resolution music. Meanwhile, when it comes to accessibility, exploration, and appearance, its non-HiFi subscription falls just short of Spotify.
For people who love surround sound, 360 Reality Audio tracks are available on Deezer. It is similar to Dolby Atmos, except that it exists exclusively for streaming music. While it is a lovely perk, it is only accessible to premium subscribers. And even though Deezer was the first one to offer surround audio, other music streaming services quickly followed suit.
Qobuz
Although Qobuz may not be a famous streaming platform, it is the most developed in terms of production quality. It allows users to stream high-resolution albums and download tunes at a reasonable expense, but an annual subscription costs £150.
Qobuz is accessible on a wide range of platforms. There is a web player, PC, and mobile apps, as well as several networked streaming items that interact with the service. Users may view and play their favorite playlists and tunes directly from their car's integrated screen with Apple's 'Carplay Online' feature. Overall, Qobuz's layout is easy to use on both mobile and desktop, and its search engine has more filter choices than every service.
Qobuz has an AI recommendation system that automatically generates a list of the music track that you may like, based on some music you hear. When it comes to the collection though, Qobuz is not as good as its closest competitors. It has some huge weak points in its library, but there is still a good balance, and it is growing rapidly. Definitely try it out in the free trial.
How to access all streaming services?
These streaming services may not be available in some countries, it can be due to geo-restrictions or simply their service has not expanded yet. You can use VPN Proxy Master to access these services, even if they are not yet available in your country.
How do geo-restrictions work?
Websites, streaming services, and web applications all over the world, use your IP address to figure out where you are located. Streaming services use this information to cater content according to your location. Services like Netflix use geo-restrictions to limit their library. Meaning that if they do not have a license to show a movie in the United States, they will not display it in their library. Music streaming services also use a similar method. Tidal, for example, is only available in 60 countries. Depending on your country, you may not be able to listen to podcasts on Spotify.
Using VPN Proxy Master to bypass these restrictions
It does not matter what country you are currently located, and you can easily access any streaming service you want with VPN Proxy Master. You can connect to it even if you are behind the “Great Firewall of China,” or maybe you are just traveling to a country that your streaming service does not yet support. Who knows, maybe you just want to listen to the latest podcast, and you learn that Spotify does not allow podcasts in your country even though you have the premium subscription.
Thankfully, you can solve all of these problems and many more by using VPN Proxy Master. As an added bonus, you can also use it to bypass the jurisdictions set by Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+. Yep, you heard that right. You can access the entire American library of Netflix without ever stepping into the country. With VPN Proxy Master, you can get access to more streaming services.
