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Apple Music Review
Recent industry tracking shows Spotify leading paid music subscriptions in the U.S., with Apple Music in second place; globally, Spotify reported 239 million Premium subscribers in Q3 2024, and independent analysts place Apple Music second worldwide by paid subscribers (CIRP; MIDiA). Apple Music’s appeal centers on over 100 million songs, human‑curated playlists, high‑quality audio (Lossless/Hi‑Res Lossless and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos), and live radio programming across Apple Music 1, Hits, and Country. You’ll also see big editorial moments like Apple Music’s “100 Best Albums” project that pair playlists with live radio specials (Apple Newsroom). It’s a strong contender among music streaming services if you value audio fidelity, curation, and Apple ecosystem integration.
Core features include time‑synced lyrics and lyric search, Apple Music Sing, and deep device support across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, CarPlay, HomePod, Android, Windows, and more (Apple Music). Live radio programming is available 24/7 via Apple Music Radio, and classical fans get a dedicated companion app, Apple Music Classical (learn more).
The Claim
Apple positions the service around breadth and quality — “over 100 million songs,” with playlists, music videos, live radio, and premium audio formats included (Apple Music).
Is it true?
Yes. Apple promotes a catalog exceeding 100 million tracks along with time‑synced lyrics, editorial playlists, and live radio across Apple Music 1/Hits/Country (Apple; Apple Music Radio). High‑fidelity options — Lossless and Hi‑Res Lossless up to 24‑bit/192 kHz in ALAC — are included, and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is available on compatible devices (Apple support: Lossless; Apple support: Dolby Atmos).
Discovery is both human and algorithmic: you’ll find genre/mood sets and personal mixes alongside unique, highly specific playlists — including niche sets like “The 3 a.m. Drive Home” and “Getting Parents to Like Noise.” Editorial franchises (for example, Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums) add interviews, countdowns, and radio takeovers to deepen the experience (Apple Newsroom).
For fidelity seekers: Hi‑Res Lossless playback requires a wired external DAC on many devices; Bluetooth does not transmit ALAC Hi‑Res Lossless, and availability of Spatial mixes depends on device and content (Lossless requirements; Dolby Atmos compatibility).
Product Overview
Best for
Listeners in the Apple ecosystem, audiophiles (Lossless/Hi‑Res Lossless, Spatial Audio), album‑first listening, and fans of live radio/editorial curation
Not for
Anyone needing a permanent free tier or an all‑in‑one podcasts/audiobooks bundle; users whose top priority is maximum social features across all platforms
Features
| Price | U.S. plans include Student, Individual, and Family; Lossless/Spatial included. Apple One bundles available — see Apple Music for current pricing. |
| Standout features | Lossless and Hi‑Res Lossless (ALAC up to 24‑bit/192 kHz), Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Apple Music 1/Hits/Country live radio, Apple Music Sing, Apple Music Classical, lyric search & time‑synced lyrics, collaborative playlists, upload/sync your library, deep Apple device integration |
| Free trial | Typically 1 month for new subscribers; offers vary (details) |
| No. of tracks | 100 million+ |
| Compatible with | Amazon Alexa devices, Sonos, Google Nest (in supported regions), Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Apple HomePod, iPhone, iMac/Macbook, iPad, Windows PCs, Android, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Roku, web player |
| Offline listening | ✔ |
Optimized for hosting your music library
Apple Music’s Sync Library makes it easy to merge purchased, ripped, and uploaded tracks with your streaming library so they appear across devices. If you keep large album‑oriented collections, Apple’s library tools and album‑first editorial make organization and full‑record listening straightforward (Apple Music).
Search by lyric
Type a line you remember and Apple Music will often find the track — even if you can’t recall the title or artist. Time‑synced lyrics and Apple Music Sing bring karaoke‑style highlighting and adjustable vocals on supported devices (feature overview). Try it with a line like “Look at this photograph,” which pulls up Nickelback’s “Photograph.”
Integrates with the Apple ecosystem
Apple Music is built into iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch (including offline playback), Apple TV, CarPlay, and HomePod, and is also available on Android and the web. Non‑Apple integrations include Amazon Echo/Alexa (Apple support), Sonos (Sonos support), Google Nest in supported regions (Google Nest help), Windows PCs (Apple Music for Windows), PlayStation 5 (PS5 support), Xbox (Xbox support), and Roku (Roku support). Regional availability may vary, particularly for Google Nest.
Exclusive and unique content
Apple’s exclusives now focus on music‑first programming: Apple Music Radio’s 24/7 shows (Apple Music 1, Hits, Country), editorial franchises, and event tie‑ins. For example, Apple’s “100 Best Albums of All Time” rollout included special shows and daily radio content inside Apple Music (Apple Newsroom; Apple Music Radio). As Super Bowl Halftime Show title sponsor, Apple Music also streams the official pre‑show press conference and related programming each season (Hollywood Reporter).
Apple Music Classical is included with most Apple Music plans and provides a dedicated experience tailored to classical metadata, with Lossless and some Spatial Audio recordings where available (Apple Music Classical). Long‑form video series and feature documentaries (including “Carpool Karaoke: The Series”) are now housed in the Apple TV app; Carpool Karaoke concluded its run in 2024 (Apple TV Press).
Playlists still target ultra‑specific moments, moods, and genres — from “In My Room”‑style mood sets to behind‑the‑scenes curations — with a balance of editorial and personalized discovery.
Beats 1 Radio
Beats 1 was rebranded to Apple Music 1, and Apple added two more 24/7 global stations: Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country. These are human‑hosted with premieres, interviews, and artist‑run shows (Apple Newsroom; anchored by popular DJs and artists). You can also tune in to thousands of live broadcast stations via the Music app and Siri (Apple support). Annie Clark (of St. Vincent) even hosts “St. Vincent’s Mixtape Delivery Service,” assembling playlists to suit fan stories.
Possible Drawbacks
No free version
Apple Music doesn’t offer a permanent free tier. New users typically get a one‑month trial (offers can vary by promotion), after which streaming access ends unless you subscribe (Apple Music). If you prefer ad‑supported free listening, competitors like Spotify provide that option.
Timothy J. Trudeau, CEO of Syntax Creative, offered some direction here when we spoke with him: “There are essentially two types of music consumers, active and passive. The active listener is the type of person that knows what they like. They attend concerts and wear their favorite artists’ merch. Inside of a digital service provider, they know what they are looking for and they make their own playlists for just the right time and moods. The passive listener likes music, but can’t remember what band sings what song and doesn’t really have the time to seek out music directly. They would rather be served music by just pushing a button and then letting the service do all of the work.” The active listener is more suited to Apple Music, while passive listeners will probably be fine with a free version of Pandora or Spotify.
Limited third-party integration
Apple Music works widely beyond Apple’s own devices, but there are caveats. Alexa and Sonos integrations are broadly available (Alexa; Sonos), while Google Nest support is region‑dependent (Google Nest help). There’s no native Wear OS app. For audio quality, note that Hi‑Res Lossless requires a wired DAC and Bluetooth won’t deliver ALAC Hi‑Res; Spatial availability varies by device and content (Lossless requirements; Dolby Atmos compatibility).
The Competition
| Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal | |
| Price | $10 – $20 /mo. | $0 – $17 /mo. | $11 – $30 /mo. |
| Free trial | Typically 1 month | Varies | 1 month |
| Unlimited free version | ✔ | ||
| Offline listening | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Student discount | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hi-fi audio | ✔ | ✔ | |
| View plans | View plans | View plans |
Apple Music vs. Spotify
Spotify’s standout advantage is its free tier and breadth of third‑party integrations. In the U.S., current panel data show Spotify with the largest share of paid music subscribers, ahead of Apple Music (CIRP). Globally, Spotify publicly reported 239 million Premium subscribers and 601 million MAUs in Q3 2024, far ahead of rivals. Apple Music, by contrast, emphasizes audio fidelity — Lossless and Hi‑Res Lossless (ALAC up to 24‑bit/192 kHz) and Spatial Audio are included at no extra cost (Lossless; Dolby Atmos). Spotify bundles audiobooks in many U.S. Premium plans, typically including 15 hours of audiobooks monthly, and offers a lower‑priced Basic plan without audiobooks. Choose Spotify for cross‑platform ubiquity and bundled formats; choose Apple Music for integrated high‑fidelity audio and live radio/editorial programming.
Apple Music vs. Tidal
Both Apple Music and Tidal include lossless and hi‑res audio by default. Tidal simplified its plans in 2024, standardizing on Hi‑Res FLAC (up to 24‑bit/192 kHz) and Dolby Atmos in its plan family and discontinuing MQA/360 Reality Audio (Tidal support; Tidal pricing). Apple Music includes Lossless and Spatial at no extra cost (Apple Music). Spotify Premium still tops out at 320 kbps with no widely launched lossless tier as of late 2024/2025 (Spotify support). Audiophiles should weigh Tidal’s hi‑fi hardware ecosystem and Tidal Connect against Apple’s tight device integration and expansive Spatial catalog.
Apple Music FAQ
Does Apple Music work on Android and Windows?
Yes. Apple offers a native Windows app via the Microsoft Store (Apple Music for Windows), an Android app with Android Auto support (Google Play), and a web player at music.apple.com. You’ll need an Apple ID, but setup is straightforward.
How does the end of iTunes affect my Apple Music?
Apple split iTunes into dedicated apps for Music, TV, and Podcasts. Your purchased, downloaded, or CD‑imported music appears in the Apple Music app, even without an Apple Music streaming subscription. TV and movie purchases live in the Apple TV app. On Windows, Apple provides a dedicated Apple Music app (LA Times; Windows app).
Can you keep downloaded music from Apple Music?
Downloaded tracks from the Apple Music subscription play offline only while you’re subscribed. They’re DRM‑protected streams — not purchases — so access ends if you cancel. This does not affect songs and albums you’ve purchased outright.
The Bottom Line
Apple Music delivers a massive catalog; high‑fidelity audio (Lossless/Hi‑Res Lossless and Spatial Audio) included in the base plan; and 24/7, human‑hosted radio via Apple Music 1, Hits, and Country. It integrates across Apple devices and works widely on non‑Apple platforms (Alexa, Sonos, Android, Windows, PS5/Xbox, Roku). There’s no permanent free tier, but new users typically get a one‑month trial (Apple Music). If you value editorial curation, audio quality, and tight Apple integration, it remains one of the strongest music streaming services, while Spotify leads on free listening and bundled audiobooks hours in many U.S. plans (Spotify Premium).
