Many have recently taken issue with Spotify over its ties to AI weaponry, its low pay for artists and advertising for Immigration Customs and Enforcement. Whether you’ve cancelled your Spotify subscription or can’t part with it, many alternatives yield better and more ethical results for everyone.
Qobuz – My top pick and current streaming service.
Price:
- Student: $4.99 – verified with student email
- Individual: $12.99
- Family plan: 17.99
Quality – for you audiophiles
- Max of 24-bit, 192 kHz. For reference, Spotify’s audio is comparable to Qobuz’s CD option of 44.1 kHz
- Lowest of 320 kbps (MP3 quality)
Perks:
- Includes built-in music transfer to get your playlists from one streaming platform to the other
- Includes extensive artist biographies and a credit page on songs – perfect for music nerds looking to expand their knowledge of their favorite bands or artists
- The algorithm doesn’t consistently recommend the same song!
Downside:
- Does not include a lyric page for any song. Listeners will have to go old school and do a Google search
- Not all of your favorite artists or tracks are on Qobuz. Fortunately, you can fill out a form to request them to be.
Tidal – Vast selection, beautiful interface, and extensive artist profile, Tidal is a top pick for many music streamers.
Price:
- Student: $5.49
- Individual: $10.99
- Family plan: $16.99
Quality:
- Max of 24-bit, 192 kHz
- Lowest of 320 kbps (MP3 quality)
Perks:
- DJ extension add-on for $9: access to stem separation and over 110 million lossless-quality songs on DJ hardware and software
- Large catalog of songs
- Time-synced lyrics for most songs
Downside:
- Many complaints that the download/offline mode is anything but a smooth experience.
Bandcamp – Pay the artist, download in your desired format, and enjoy
Price: Artists set their prices for individual tracks, albums, and merchandise. The average price for a full album is $9, $4 for EP-length albums, and single tracks for $1.50. Because prices are still at the artist’s discretion, you may see them vary.
Quality/format:
- MP3 V0
- MP3 320
- FLAC
- AAC
- Ogg Vorbis
- ALAC
- WAV
- AIFF
Perks:
- Besides purchasing physical media or attending a show, Bandcamp is one of the best ways to financially support the artists you love.
- You may just find the next underground artist before your friends do.
- Some artists offer tracks completely free of charge or have a “name your price” feature for those who can’t afford a set price.
Downside:
- Bandcamp is for independent music labels and artists, so seeing your favorite famous artist on the site is unlikely.
- It’s a much different format than most Spotify or Apple Music users are used to, which may make it seem daunting to use. Having the app helps avoid confusion on the website.
Starting a collection of records, CDs, or even cassette tapes is also a fun option. Although definitely on the pricier side, doing so may encourage you to be more mindful of who you support. Understandably, buying CDs at full price all the time may be unattainable. Fortunately, thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace are stocked full of both obscure and well-known artists.
To support artists directly, attend local house shows, concerts at Chico’s favorite scene, Naked Lounge or encourage your musician friends. This can be the ultimate way to listen to music and maybe even find your new favorite song. Built into this subscription is the option for getting your favorite shoes dirty, ears ringing after a show, awesome pictures and endless good memories.
For those who have an extreme attachment to Spotify and just can’t let it go, you’re in luck! The Orion openly welcomes Spotify to host weekly podcasts, news updates, and playlists curated by the reporters. Unfortunately, this seemed to be the easiest option. Should The Orion focus on being more accessible to the majority who use Spotify or take a stand for more independent artists?
Maya DeHoyos can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected]
