Subscription YouTube Premium has recently gone up in price, and Google has also focused on catching users who were cunningly using other localizations, for example, to be able to negotiate a cheaper Lebanese subscription instead of the twice as expensive French one. But even though it is YouTube Music, at a price of "free", remains only second-rate for the demanding listener. And in my opinion, there are significantly better music platforms.
While Spotify defines the term platform agnostic, YouTube Music still struggles with fragmentation. Spotify has well-tuned native apps for the vast majority of operating systems and hardware. YTM is available on desktop (macOS/Windows) relies on a web-only version, which limits integration with the system.
Critical gaps in the ecosystem include:
- Gaming console: Absence of native app for PlayStation disables background music streaming during gameplay.
- Wearables: Apple Watch version YouTube Music still doesn't support offline downloads, which is a major limitation for runners and athletes.
- Smart Home & Audio: Integration with brands like Bose, Sonos, Denon, and Rivian is available YouTube Music compared to Spotify minismall.
- Hardware triggers: Features like Spotify Tap (implemented e.g. in IKEA Vappeby) allow instant listening without the need to interact with the phone.
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Spotify Connect: The Unrivaled Standard of Connectivity
From a technological setting point of view, it is Spotify Connect a feature that is unparalleled on the market. It's not just AirPlay or Chromecast mirroring. Connect uses state synchronization across all application instances in real time.
In practice, this means your iMac can act as a remote control for a tablet connected to your hi-fi system, while you adjust the volume on your smartwatch. This continuity between phones, tablets, and smart speakers creates unified audio experienceto whom YouTube Music couldn't come close even after years of development.
Algorithmic chaos
The biggest weakness YouTube Music is paradoxically his connection with the parent platform YouTube. Google still hasn't been able to effectively separate the consomacand videos from listening to music. If you YouTube you play a cooking tutorial, algorithm YouTube Music ignores this, but once you give a thumbs up to a music video, it immediately affects your music profile.
In addition, demanding users encounter a rigid user interface:
- Library management still lacks basic playlist sorting by artist, title, or date added.
- The absence of playlist folders makes large music collections confusing.
- Spotify offers advanced tools for "training" the algorithm (exclusion of genres from the taste profile, private sessions with one click), while YouTube Music forces you to manually turn off search history.
Why stay with the "Green Devil"?
Although the economic balance speaks in favor of unifying services under Google, the practical impact on workflow and user comfort is too high. Spotify it's not just about a library of songs, it's a comprehensive infrastructure that works no matter what hardware you buy next year. YouTube Music remains great an addition to the video platform, but as a primary music hub, I think it fails in the details that make up the whole.
