There is never too much music and it never gets boring. Here is a selection of the best music sites where you can listen to hundreds of your favorite albums.
Most of these sites provide completely free access to their music catalogs, although on some you will still have to put up with a bit of advertising. If you are faced with the fact that one of these services does not want to work due to regional restrictions, then use any browser extension that has proxy server functions. I usually use Hola.
SoundCloud
Some people also call SoundCloud “YouTube for audio.”
Indeed, the concept is very similar - authors can post their musical compositions here, and all users can freely listen to them. To the credit of the creators, they managed to protect their service from becoming a music dump thanks to a well-thought-out policy to attract talented performers. So today SoundCloud is perhaps the largest and most successful independent platform for promoting young talent.
Tidal | Best for audiophiles
Tidal differentiates itself from other popular music streaming services based on their highest resolution audio , designed for people who prefer great audio quality, even if they have to pay a little more. 10Kbps audio costs $320 per month. lossless 24-bit 1411 kbps costs $20 per month.
Tidal doesn't have the huge library of Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music, but that's not the point. It is aimed at users who care more about sound quality than a large number of songs or a user-friendly interface.
Additionally, the platform benefits from artist-owned releases earlier than other popular music streaming services. For example, Beyoncé's "Lemonade" was only released to Tidal subscribers for three years before it gained worldwide recognition.
Although Tidal claims to offer all kinds of music genres, you likely won't find metal bands there. However, hip-hop and R&B pop are on this music streaming service, so if you are a fan of both with a certain high-resolution audio requirement, you should choose Tidal.
Pros:
- Exclusive content from artists
- Includes video content and concert broadcasts
- Excellent sound quality
Minuses:
- Expensive compared to competitors
- Free version not available
Spotify Music
Spotify is the only online service that has so far managed to compete with products from Google and Apple. This is explained not only by the presence of a huge music catalog, but also by the boldness with which the developers introduce new functions.
It was here that thematic playlists, a music section for athletes, game soundtracks, a weekly review of acclaimed albums, and many other innovations first appeared. Therefore, we recommend this service to all music lovers who want to always be at the forefront of progress.
New products for 2022 - a selection of the best services for games
Here are the latest, most functional and popular streaming platforms. Among them:
- Nvidia GeForce Now;
- PlayStation Now;
- Google Stadia;
- Shadow;
- Hatch For mobile content.
Nvidia GeForce Now
This is the only cloud service that provides access to a wide range of free games. GeForce NOW makes it possible to use the cloud to join, meaning everyone can play PC games on any place and device that were not previously capable of it. The developers continue to expand the library of available games, which already includes more than 1,000 items. Games are added to the service weekly based on member requests, popularity and publisher contributions. If the game you want is not on the list, you should inform the publisher and just wait. Well-established communication is an undoubted advantage of the platform.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| Permission | FullHD/60fps |
| Free version | first 90 days |
| Paid subscription | 12 months $4.99 |
| Country of Origin | USA |
pros
- 90 days free;
- new games are added to the service weekly;
- the ability to create libraries;
- acceptable price;
- the platform allows gamers to become a member of the program and receive pleasant bonuses.
Minuses
- Sometimes the frame rate drops;
- on the cloud you have to wait for many popular games to be added.
PlayStation Now
PlayStation Now is a game streaming system that allows you to use PlayStation games on your PC, mobile devices, TVs, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4. It allows you to take part in gameplay developed for PS2, PS3 or PS4 consoles on a PlayStation 4 or The same PC that is capable of running the Windows operating system. There is also an offline mode that allows you to play without connecting to the network cloud. The list of more than 600 games includes simulators, shooters, RPGs and other games of absolutely all genres.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| Permission | 1080p/60fps (4K expected) |
| Free version | No |
| Paid subscription | 9.99 euro/month |
pros
- user-friendly interface;
- large base of games;
- access to exclusive games faster than on other services;
- the ability to play without connecting to the network;
- PS VR support.
Minuses
- subscription renewal;
- PS Now is only available on PS4 and PC.
Google Stadia
Google Stadia is considered one of the newest game streaming services that entered the gaming world not so long ago. It allows you to run games with maximum graphics from the “cloud” not only on a PC, but also on modern gadgets, namely phones, tablets and even TVs. Currently there is only one connection option available - Premiere Edition for $130. When you buy it, you get a subscription for a year and a lot of cool games that will captivate you for more than one evening. To start the game you will need the Google Chrome browser. In it, you can create a Stadia tab in the taskbar.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| Permission | 1080p/60 fps +4K |
| Free version | No |
| Paid subscription | $10/month (having previously purchased the entire package for $129) |
pros
- games work without interruption and at an Internet speed of 10-15 megabits per second, even if they are dynamic;
- very fast loading (23 sec);
- The game is easy to launch, no download required;
- works on all modern operating systems and devices;
- operates stably.
Minuses
- no achievement system, friends list, family access;
- high price.
Shadow
One of the key technical features of this platform is that each user is provided with a separate computer. While most competitors distribute the power of each server among several players, the service takes a personal approach. This helps speed up startup and increase fps in games. Shadow runs on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. Due to the fact that you only need to install one application to work, using the server is convenient.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| Permission | 4K |
| Free version | No |
| Paid subscription | 35$/month |
| Country of Origin | France |
pros
- relatively inexpensive;
- the ability to gain access to the SteamVR game library;
- iOS support;
- no need to buy new equipment;
- easy installation of the application.
Minuses
- inconvenient interface;
- high price.
Hatch for mobile content
An application for mobile devices from the author of the famous game Angry Birds. The utility created by the developers is not yet able to work in all countries. The advantage of the service is that it works properly on Android. There are plans to launch on iOS in the near future. The library is still far from complete, but it already has over 100 games available. The service confidently produces 50-60 fps, which is enough for comfortable play even in shooters.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| Permission | 4K |
| Free version | there are 20 trial games |
| Paid subscription | 6.49 pounds |
pros
- saving space on your smartphone;
- you can watch your friends and react to their play;
- a big library;
- Hatch Kids – a large database of quality games for children;
- There is a free mode.
Minuses
- available only on Android for now;
- doesn't work offline.
Last.fm
In the recent past, this service was very popular among music lovers due to the fact that it was able to track listening history in almost any music player and create recommendations and playlists based on it.
Thus, Last.fm has accumulated a huge database of listeners’ musical preferences and has learned to fairly accurately predict which track you’ll want to listen to next. So if you want good music to never end, this is the place for you.
BOOM
Subscription cost: 149 rubles / month
The official music application for VK and Odnoklassniki, owned by the Mail.ru holding. Duplicates all the main functions of other applications - its own collection, personal recommendations, various TOPs, exclusive releases, and so on. Because social networks are in Russian, then Russian-language music predominates. The fact that the number of units on Google Play tends to infinity is confusing - users have many complaints about Boom. Let's take a closer look
— A huge library of music, which is replenished by users, the artists themselves, labels, and so on. Music quality is not limited to any one codec
— The design of the application is excellent, there’s nothing to complain about. The theme can be changed, unlike YouTube Music.
— Many Russian musicians arrange premieres of their albums on VKontakte, i.e. they will be available immediately in Boom
— Thanks to integration with VK, you can repost your favorite playlists or individual tracks to your page (wall) or send to friends
— In the TOP, basically, only Russian-speaking performers of the new wave. The service is aimed at young people who prefer “freshmen”. Therefore, for foreign music it is better to use other services
— There are no categories “Artists”, “Albums”. You need to independently search for communities by artist and hope that the community administration has created playlists by album
— Some albums are simply unavailable for listening due to problems with copyright holders. The same thing that we can see on VKontakte. Also, more and more often there is a situation when a song does not correspond to the title and cover
— There is no rewind function for 5-10 seconds when holding the corresponding button for a long time
Pandora
Pandora is a place where you can not only listen to your favorite music, but also discover new artists that deserve your attention. First, you need to enter the names of several musicians whose work you like best.
After this, the service will start playing similar music, and you will be able to evaluate the selection of artists using your ratings. This way, the service will increasingly adapt to your tastes and, over time, will be able to create simply ideal playlists.
Pandora | Automatically curate personalized playlists
Pandora used to be my favorite music streaming service when other competitors like Spotify and Apple Music weren't available in the market. It has a 20-year history in the online music streaming industry and now reaches over 70 million monthly listeners. It is known for its "radio station" broadcasting style which allows you to play songs in random order only from the stations in your collection.
The greatest feature of Pandora is its ability to discover new music based on your musical tastes. Powered by its Music Gene Pool , Pandora can learn about your listening habits and recommend songs, artists, and stations that are similar to the ones you currently enjoy listening to.
Automatic playlist completion is another cool feature of Pandora. But this feature is only available for Pandora Premium users. If you have a Pandora Premium subscription, you can create a playlist with multiple songs and Pandora will automatically add the music to your playlist.
How much does Pandora cost?
- Pandora Free: $0, personalized ad-supported radio stations, podcasts, limited daily pass.
- Pandora Plus: $4.99/month, 30-day free trial, no ads, personalized stations, podcast, unlimited passes.
- Pandora Premium: $9.99/month, 60-day free trial, no ads, personalized stations, unlimited skips, unlimited offline listening, search and play any song.
- Other plans available: Pandora Premium Family Plan ($14.99), Pandora Premium Student Plan ($4.99), Pandora Premium Military Plan ($7.99).
If you're looking for the easiest way to discover new music, Pandora has to be the best option of all. With Pandora, you'll never know what song you're going to listen to next, and it will never disappoint you with music you'll love.
Pros:
- Radio music streaming service
- Free version available
- Multiple subscription plans
- The best music recommendation algorithm
- Automatically generated personalized playlists
- Song lyrics support
Minuses:
- Available in the USA only
- Small catalog of songs
- No Hi-Res audio (highest quality - 192 Kbps mp3)
Zvooq
One of our few services that, with proper promotion, could provide real competition to the leaders. Zvooq looks great, sounds good and provides timely information about new high-profile releases.
Visitors, even without registration, have the opportunity to listen for free to the service’s rich collection of music recordings, which is updated daily with new albums. In addition, here you can find genre channels, various charts and simply playlists for different moods.
8tracks
The 8tracks music collection was formed by numerous users of the resource, who were simply allowed to upload their favorite tracks and create playlists from them. This is how this unique catalog was created, which simply has no analogues.
In it you can easily find soundtracks for any activity and mood using a convenient filter system and a built-in search system. And if you want, you can also download your own favorite tunes so that you never have to part with them.
Music YouTube | Especially for lovers of visual content
While the music streaming market is dominated by services like Spotify and Apple Music, YouTube Music offers a free tier for everyone with visual content (with ads in between). If you want to choose an ad-free option, you should choose the Premium Plan for $9.99 per month. It also offers discounted plans for students and families at $4.99 and $14.99 per month, respectively.
People who are well-adapted to the Google ecosystem can easily choose YouTube Music over other music streaming services as it will sync with Google Assistant and Google Home devices. Moreover, since YouTube Music is the successor to Google Play Music, you can easily transfer libraries from there.
Pros:
- Versatile Search Functions
- Free version available
- Excellent integration with Google services
Minuses:
- Lossless audio option
- Google Play Music's continued existence is confusing users
DashRadio
DashRadio is an online radio station broadcasting 24/7 . Here you cannot listen to any single album or music track, but you can enjoy the endless sound of music from your favorite genres.
The choice of stations is very large and they cover almost all musical genres. If you take a few minutes to register, you can save your favorite stations for quick access the next time you visit the site.
RadioTuna
There are tens of thousands of different radio stations on the network, so it can be quite difficult to navigate this diversity. RadioTuna makes it easy to cope with this task, because it knows literally everything about network radios.
Using this site, you can not only filter stations by genre, but even select from them only those that broadcast your favorite songs most often. You can save your favorite streams in the service’s favorites and then easily switch between them. [Android]
Price policy
Let's move on to the topic of the cost of using music streaming collections. There is almost complete price uniformity here: the vast majority of services offer a basic subscription for 199 rubles per month. Unless Yandex.Music provides a decent discount when paying directly on the website, as a result of which a month of using the mobile application costs 150 rubles.
Zvooq service
Note that all services (with the exception of Google Music) allow you to use their web applications absolutely free, although in this case there are certain restrictions on the corresponding foreign sites (Deezer) or an abundance of advertising (Spotify). From this point of view, the democracy of domestic services is pleasantly surprising: Yandex.Music, Zvooq, and Trava provide users with full-fledged web applications without any restrictions.
In addition to streaming, on some sites you can download your favorite song or an entire album to your computer by paying a certain amount. Services Zvooq and Trava offer to buy your favorite music at a price of 150 rubles per album. You can also make a purchase on Google Music, but it will cost on average twice as much - about 300 rubles, and some albums cost larger amounts.
Payment for all services is made mainly through Visa and MasterCard payment cards. Foreign products can be paid for without any problems through the popular American PayPal system. Domestic services, in addition to the traditional card transaction, offer the possibility of payment using SMS messages, transfers in the WebMoney electronic money system, and through Qiwi terminals. Of course, Yandex.Music can be easily paid for using a proprietary service, but Zvooq, along with its foreign competitors, accepts PayPal.
Mixcloud
Mixcloud is created for fans of large format. In the sense that only long (an hour or more) mixes and DJ sets are posted here.
An ideal choice for those occasions when you do not have the opportunity to constantly switch tracks, for example for a dance party, a romantic date or meditative relaxation. Maximum music, minimum movement.
Dither | Comprehensive streaming service
Deezer sets itself apart from other music streaming services with its 360 Reality Audio Tracks , a format that uses Sony audio technology to provide full 360-degree audio. This allows the user to experience sound similar to a recording studio or live concert. However, this feature is only available to Deezer subscribers for $9.99 per month at the HiFi tier, given that it is used in a separate Android/iOS app.
Deezer has a library of over 55 million songs across genres including jazz and classic rock. The app also makes searching relatively easy as there are editors that constantly update the playlists with new songs created according to the user's preferences. What's more, the music streaming service also offers podcasts, which many big companies in the industry don't offer. That being said, if you are looking for a reliable music streaming service that will provide high-quality audio, you can certainly take a look at Deezer.
Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- CD quality audio resolution
- Supports a range of devices
- Free version (ad supported)
Minuses:
- Competitors have better detection capabilities
- HiFi level not available on mobile phones
Overview of pricing, free trials and music library size
| First and last name | Try it! | Music catalog | Individual plan Price | Free option |
| Apple Music | 3 months | 60 million | $9.99 | — |
| Spotify | 3 months | 50 million | $9.99 | ✔ |
| Amazon Music | 30 days | 60 million | $ 7.99 / $ 9.99 | ✔ |
| Tidal | 30 days | 60 million | $ 10 — $ 20 | — |
| YouTube Music | 30 days | 40 million + | $11.99 | ✔ |
| Pandora | 30 / 60 days | 30 million + | $ 4.99 — $ 9.99 | ✔ |
| SoundCloud | 30 days | 135 million + | $9.99 | ✔ |
| Deezer | 30 days | 56 million | $9.99 | — |
Highlighted Features Overview
| First and last name | Offline listening | Hi-Res audio | Streaming Quality | lyrics |
| Apple Music | ✔ | — | 256 Kbps | ✔ |
| Spotify | ✔ | — | 320 Kbps | — |
| Amazon Music | ✔ | ✔ | 256 Kbps | ✔ |
| Tidal | Mobile only | ✔ | 1,411 Kbps | ✔ |
| YouTube Music | ✔ | — | 320 Kbps | ✔ |
| Pandora | ✔ | — | 192 Kbps | ✔ |
| SoundCloud | ✔ | — | 256 Kbps | ✔ |
| Deezer | ✔ | — | 320 Kbps | ✔ |
Conclusion
Before music streaming services gained recognition, music experts were skeptical about choosing them instead of downloading them due to the limited number of songs available on such platforms. But now, most of these streaming services offer over 50 million songs, making them a popular option for music lovers.
Given its demand from millennials, it only seems to be expanding from here. Each of the music streaming services mentioned in this article caters to either app support or music taste, allowing you to choose one that meets these requirements and enjoy it conveniently.
Now you need to choose the perfect music streaming platform for your needs!
TuneIn
TuneIn is a huge catalog of online radio stations with tens of thousands of channels. In it you will find not only music stations for every taste, but also podcasts, sports, talk, news, and political programs.
All this wealth is neatly sorted by genre, language, country and category, so if you, for example, suddenly become interested in the Vietnamese underground, you can find that here too. Please note that there are even those stations here that usually do not allow you to listen to their streams anywhere except on their website.
Review of the best services for video streaming
Streaming video involves both watching TV series and getting acquainted with lectures, podcasts and TV shows, as well as watching gamers. Therefore, the following services are especially popular among users. The following describes in detail the advantages and disadvantages of all presented platforms.
Best streaming services:
- NETFLIX;
- Hulu;
- Amazon;
- Twitch;
- Vevo.
NETFLIX
Netflix is a popular service that offers viewing of media files. Since its creation and release, Netflix has attracted a lot of attention for releasing its own films and TV series. So the hallmark of Netflix is the creation and release of content that cannot be obtained legally anywhere else. It is also noteworthy that the company is making multiple remakes, which will be of interest to fans of cult films
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| content type | 11 genres of films and TV series |
| subscription price/month | from 8.7$ |
| trial period | 1 month |
| quality | Ultra HD (2160p) |
pros
- the ability to switch to a child account;
- the manufacturer takes into account the opinions of its fans and regularly improves the service;
- high-quality recommendation system;
- unlimited access to all films and TV series available in the library;
- no advertising;
- prompt replenishment of the library;
Minuses
- little Russian-language content;
- high subscription price.
Hulu
Hulu is a popular platform designed for releasing and watching movies and TV series in good quality. The platform is ad-sponsored, which is a disadvantage for some users, although it does not make browsing difficult. Moreover, advertising can be turned off - however, with an additional payment.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| content type | Flash video, movies, TV series, shows |
| subscription price/month | from 5.99$ |
| trial period | 1 month |
| where can I use it? | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| quality | 1080p HD |
pros
- browsing history helps you avoid losing content;
- prompt release of TV show episodes;
- the ability to watch more than 50 channels in real time;
- original content of the service;
- free access
Minuses
- no advertising only with additional payment;
- small selection of films.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a paid television service that provides any TV series and films for viewing. Subscription fees and terms generally may vary by country. The service is characterized by stable operation, high quality of reproduced content and a good range, but most of all English-language videos are represented here.
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| content type | films, series, shows |
| subscription price | from $8.99 |
| trial period | 7 days |
| where can I use it? | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| quality | 4k |
pros
- bonuses when purchasing goods on Amazon.com;
- very large film library;
- many languages available;
- high quality content;
- supported by different platforms.
Minuses
- inconvenient, old interface;
- There is no “continue watching” function.
Twitch
Twitch is a modern streaming service in the gaming and gadget world. All video tracks on this site can be watched online, and there is always a recording for re-watching. Twitch belongs to the well-known Amazon corporation. In addition to computer games, Twitch hosts music concerts and poker tournaments. The site is mainly aimed at an audience of computer game players, as a result of which it will not be easy for users with other preferences to find content to their taste. Its main advantage is free access, even registration is not required
| Characteristic | Meaning |
| content type | broadcasts, tournaments, cyber sports competitions |
| subscription price | pryme version 5.99 euro |
| trial period | Is not limited |
| where can I use it? | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS |
| quality | 4k |
pros
- in the mobile application you can view the feed in parallel with the stream;
- a lot of niche content about gaming;
- multilingual;
- a huge number of streamers;
- live, active audience.
Minuses
- archived video recordings are stored for a maximum of 14 days;
- a narrowly specialized topic that is not interesting to everyone.
Deezer
Deezer is very similar to its competitors Spotify and Last.fm, but it can’t get out of its role as a perpetual outsider. It seems that the music catalog is huge (35 million tracks), and the design is excellent, and there are applications for all popular platforms, but this streaming service cannot break into the first positions.
But you can listen to music here completely free of charge, if you don’t pay attention to the short advertising inserts between songs. And this service is available in our country without any tricks with anonymizers, which distinguishes it favorably from the same Spotify or Pandora.
Conclusion
To sum it up, we can confidently recommend Spotify first of all. Hundreds of thousands of available compositions, mobile and desktop clients, flexible settings make it the leader of our hit parade. Deezer is not far behind.
Against this background, domestic products look somewhat pale. However, do not rush to completely abandon the use of Russian online services, because here you will find a large selection of works from famous (and not only) performers from the post-Soviet space. Having an impressive collection of “our” music is a big advantage over foreign streaming services for those who appreciate, for example, Russian rock or chanson.
Therefore, as an optimal solution for music lovers, we recommend using a combination of modern music services, since a small payment for each of them allows you to consider this option.
Proxy for Spotify
For those who can't wait to try Spotify right now, we suggest using the third-party program TunnelBear. The latter allows you to create a VPN connection on your computer to a server in a particular country, thanks to which you can pretend to be, say, an ordinary Englishman or American who can freely enjoy all the benefits of Spotify. The TunnelBear application allows you to use up to 500 MB of traffic per month for free; to remove all restrictions you will need to pay about 1,500 rubles per year.
