Online streaming services are game-changers when it comes to the way we consume music. They are easily accessible, allowing you to listen to millions of tracks from anywhere virtually without downloading them on your device. Even audiophiles with an affection for physical formats cannot resist the convenience of online music streaming services.
Initially, some people were doubtful about the quality of online music streaming services. However, the quality is improving significantly with some providers, including spatial Dolby Atmos and lossless audio at zero charges.
With so many music-specific streaming websites, how are you supposed to choose the right one? In this article, we have compiled the top sites for music streaming.
Top sites for music streaming – Quick list
If you are short on time to review the entire list, check out our summary of the top 10 online music streaming platforms:
- Spotify – Top-tier music streaming service with a colossal song library, podcasts and collaborative playlist.
- Pandora – Reasonably free and paid plans. Its content is beyond music, with artists’ commentaries, podcasts and touring information.
- iHeartRadio – Combines live radio, podcasts and customizable stations into an attractive package, although it lacks Hi-Res audio.
- Mixcloud – Offers access to long-length audios, music mixes, and radio shows and allows you to create a playlist.
- Deezer – Features numerous playlists, CD-quality audio, original videos and podcasts.
- SoundCloud – Has an expansive music library and allows you to share your music creation with the world.
- LiveOne – Provides live music streams, numerous podcasts, and highly entertaining channels.
- YouTube Music – Taps into Google’s vast information database to offer official tunes, fan uploads, covers and other content.
- Tidal – Stands tall with its superior audio quality, excellent curated content and stellar music catalogue.
- Qobuz – Comes with high-quality audio, a large music selection, linear notes and a slick interface.
Best music streaming services today – Detailed list
The competition within the online streaming space is getting tighter and tighter. So, which is the best music streaming service?
Like our list of free movie websites, sports streaming sites, live TV streaming portals, and all other lists on this site, we did extensive research and tests to come up with the best options in this case for you. Here we go:
1. Spotify
- Price: Paid, offers 3 months free trial
- Website URL: https://open.spotify.com/
Spotify is a household name in the music streaming service industry and is available almost everywhere worldwide. It offers free music streaming online with millions of songs you can listen to as many times as you want. In addition to offering all the biggest names in the industry, the streaming giant offers free and paid subscription options.
The service is available on major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. When you upgrade to the premium plans, you can listen to music ad-free, download your favourite tunes, get higher-quality audio, skip songs, and so much more.
Despite Spotify’s popularity, it isn’t available to everyone worldwide. Travelling may also mean that you won’t be able to listen to the music you’re used to at home. Spotify is only available in authorized locations. You can, however, unblock Spotify with a VPN if it is blocked where you live.
Pros
- Free version
- Hosts modern and old classics
- Allows you to create unlimited playlists
Cons
- Ads on the free version
2. Pandora
- Price: Starts at $4.49, price varies according to the subscription plan a user selects. Also offers free stations.
- Website URL: https://www.pandora.com/
Pandora is a reliable platform for listening to your favourite tracks and discovering new music. When you search for what you want to listen to, the service shows you custom radio stations instead of on-demand titles.
The free version offers certain benefits like 100 personalized radio stations but supports ads. However, there is an option to upgrade to paid plans for premium features like offline listening, higher audio quality, etc.
As of 2007, Pandora is only available to Americans. In response to copyright holders’ pressure, Pandora began blocking users from other countries based on their IP addresses. Therefore, a VPN is needed if you wish to listen to Pandora radio outside the U.S.
Pros
- Compatible with many devices
- Free Music
- Helpful browsing methods
Cons
- Doesn’t allow you to choose specific tracks
3. iHeartRadio
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://www.iheartradio.ca/home
iHeartRadio combines custom music streaming and live radio into a fantastic app and website. Select the city and genre of the live radio station you like, and the platform will display the options that match your criteria.
Moreover, it allows you to build custom stations based on your favourite artist or song. Fortunately, the mobile app offers a sleep timer feature that enables you to listen to music while you fall asleep.
Pros
- Provides hundreds of local and international radio stations
- Allows you to create custom radio stations
- You don’t need to create an account
Cons
- Doesn’t offer on-demand songs
4. Mixcloud
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://www.mixcloud.com/
Mixcloud gives a different listening experience as the music is put together by radio presenters and DJs worldwide. It allows you to sort the mixes, radio shows, and podcasts by mood, genre and other searchable tags. The content is free, and the platform is compatible with Android and Apple devices.
Pros
- The web version doesn’t require an account
- Offers multiple ways to find your favourite content
- Real people compile the music
Cons
- Supports ads
5. Deezer
- Price: $10.99/month, one-month free trial
- Website URL: https://www.deezer.com/en/
Deezer has a long-standing reputation, having started in 2006. It offers multiple radio stations, premade mixes and millions of tracks.
In addition, the service allows you to create a custom playlist you can share with others, play individual songs or whole collections and access the most popular songs on one page. The premium version has a 30-day free trial where you can listen to your favourite music ad-free, plus offline access to high-quality streams.
Pros
- Allows you to choose specific and unique genres
- Provides apps for all devices
- Lets you discover music based on your likes
Cons
- Doesn’t offer HD-quality streams
6. SoundCloud
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://soundcloud.com/
SoundCloud is a great place to discover upcoming artists, as it allows users to upload music for free. It displays what is trending and lets you browse your favourite content based on genres like disco, country, electronic, ambient, and more. Also, you follow artists to stay updated with their new releases. The premium version, SoundCloud Go+, lets you listen to music offline, eliminates ads and has higher-quality audio.
Pros
- Content is constantly updated
- An incredible way to discover new artists and music
- Allows you to listen to any song on demand
Cons
- Doesn’t have many songs found on other streaming services
7. LiveOne
- Price: $9.99/month
- Website URL: https://www.liveone.com/
Previously known as LiveXLive and Slacker radio, LiveOne is similar to other radio streaming services. For example, it allows you to build custom radio stations based on your favourite songs, artist, and genres. Besides broadcasting live events and festivals, the platform also allows you to browse through radio-like stations, a great way to discover new music.
Pros
- Easy-to-navigate website
- 100% free music
- Browse through radio stations
Cons
- Displays video and audio ads
8. YouTube Music
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://music.youtube.com/
YouTube Music is a fantastic platform for streaming audio and video music. It functions similarly to the regular YouTube TV site, letting you search for your favourite tracks, create a playlist and subscribe to artists’ channels.
The homepage displays personal mixes alongside other handy categories like feel-good favourites, all-time essentials, live performances and today’s biggest hits. In addition, you can subscribe to the premium version for ad-free music and download songs for offline listening. However, the service is unavailable everywhere, so you might need a VPN to unblock it.
Pros
- Offer several ways to find music
- Subscribe to artists’ channels
- One-month free trial on the premium package
Cons
- Available in a few countries
9. Tidal
- Price: $9.99/month, offers free trial
- Website URL: https://tidal.com/
Tidal has recently changed its pricing structure by introducing a free tier, but it is only available in the US.
It also has two premium plans that have advanced features like lossless playback, hi-res and Dolby Atmos mixes, and access to more content. While these plans are costly, the company says it translates to better artist payout. Nonetheless, it hosts millions of songs, including holdouts Metallica.
Pros
- Free plan
- High-fidelity music streams
- Upcoming artists spotlights
Cons
- Challenging to navigate mobile apps and web player
10. Qobuz
- Price: $10.83/month, offers a free trial
- Website URL: https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/discover
Qobuz is known for offering high-resolution audio streams, unlike other services that require a hardware MQA decoder. The music will sound great on a high-end music system and also on your phone. It has over 70 million tracks in almost all genres but is especially suited for classical and jazz fans though the rock selection is decently robust.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- High-resolution music
- Provides a download store
Cons
- Doesn’t offer spatial audio
11. Jango
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://www.jango.com/
Jango is an excellent online radio service that offers free music on almost every device. Besides minimum ads and unlimited listening, the service allows you to create custom radio stations by simply clicking on your favourite band or singer. In addition, it has premade stations that you can explore by genre.
Pros
- Multiple customization options
- No skip limits
- You don’t need to create an account
Cons
- Doesn’t support sharing custom stations
12. TuneIn
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://tunein.com/
TuneIn is perhaps the best platform to access online radio stations. You can find local stations in your area and search for over 100,000 stations worldwide.
Also, it allows you to sort the stations by genre from ambient, rock, religious music, etc. Moreover, you can get additional content like sports stations, travel podcasts and business news. You can start with the trending radio stations if it is your first time on the platform.
Aslo dubbed as the Netflix of radio, this free music streaming service offers some pretty impressive features. TuneIn lets you listen to radio stations that play music from whatever artist you like. Besides being free, you won’t see any ads while you listen to your favorite music on it.
Unfortunately, the service is currently only available to users based in the UK, US, and Canada. In particular, users who travel a lot may find this a big blow. It means they will not be able to use their favourite service while abroad.
So, if you are in another country, you’d need to connect to a VPN first to access it.
Pros
- Thousands of online live radio stations
- Doesn’t require account creation
- Also offers other content besides music
Cons
- You cannot choose a specific song to listen to
13. MySpace
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://myspace.com/discover/featured
Initially, Myspace was a social networking site, but it has been redesigned into a music platform. It is a great place to hear the songs you know and explore new tracks; you don’t even need to create an account. In addition, the platform has made it easy to find the music you want by searching for the song or artist’s name.
Pros
- Allows you to play the song of your choice
- No user account needed to get started
- Skip forward and back through songs
Cons
- Outdated interface
14. StreamSquid
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://streamsquid.com/
StreamSquid is a free music streaming service without sign-up. It stands out from the rest because it plays audio from YouTube without videos. You can listen to your favourite YouTube music by searching song title or artist name. The service also has its own music collection and offers several ways to enable you to find what you want to listen to.
Pros
- Unlimited skips
- Plays YouTube songs
- Easy to navigate
Cons
- Doesn’t have an iOS app
15. Apple Music
- Price: $4.99/month, offers a one-month free trial
- Website URL: https://music.apple.com/us/browse
Apple Music beats most of its rivals hands down by offering Hi-Res, lossless, and spatial audio albums at no extra cost. The service has a user-friendly interface and hosts more than 90 million tracks. In fact, if you have an Apple Mini, HomePod or Nest device, you can use the voice assistant to control Apple Music. However, it lacks a sharing feature like Spotify.
Pros
- Spatial and hi-res audio
- Advanced algorithm to search music
- Voice assistant control
Cons
- The Android app is deprived
16. Amazon Music Unlimited
- Price: $8.99/month, offers a 30-day free trial
- Website URL: https://www.amazon.com/music/unlimited
Amazon Music Unlimited is a popular music streaming platform with over 90 million songs. This comprises lossless tracks and spatial remixes that you can play on Android or iOS devices, Dolby Atmos soundbars and Amazon Echo Studio.
Pros
- Lyrics displays automatically
- Hi-res and spatial audio
- Available for free if you have a Prime membership
Cons
- Scrapped the music locker
17. Idagio
- Price: Freemium
- Website URL: https://www.idagio.com/us/
Idagio is an impressive online platform for streaming classical music. It has an intelligent search feature, high-quality sound and a vast music catalogue. One of its unique features is the mood wheel that reminisces the wheel on the old-school iPod.
Pros
- Offers offline listening
- massive music catalogue
- Search songs with metadata
Cons
- Doesn’t have Hi-res audio streams
18. BBC Sounds
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
BBC Sounds is a streaming media service that offers live radio, on-demand audio and podcasts. It is available on many devices, including personal computers, mobile phones and tablets, cars and smart TVs. If you are in the UK, you can access the content ad-free.
The BBC Sounds app is currently unavailable in some countries, including Russia, China, India, and Vietnam. It’s because local data laws in these countries do not comply with the privacy policies that BBC boasts. Nevertheless, you can access BBC Sounds worldwide with a VPN, just as you can unblock BBC iPlayer anywhere.
Pros
- Offers a broad category of music
- Provides songs recommendations
- Allows you to make sound list
Cons
- Only available in the UK
19. 8tracks
- Price: $4.99/month after a 14-day free trial
- Website URL: https://8tracks.com/
8tracks is a blend between internet radio and social networking. It will enable you to build a playlist of at least eight songs, create your own mixes and listen to other user-created mixes. There is also a premium version, 8tracks Plus, but it is only available in Canada and the US. Thankfully, you can bypass these geo-restrictions using a VPN and unblock 8Tracks anywhere in the world.
Pros
- Navigatable icon-based interface
- Mix feed feature to listen to songs posted by your favourite users
- Fast and reliable with no loading problems or lags
Cons
- Doesn’t offer offline listening
20. Gaana
- Price: $3.99/month
- Website URL: https://gaana.com/
Gaana is one of the most extensive Indian music streaming services. It offers music in over 21 languages, including English, Gujarati, Assamese, Bengali, Odia, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, etc. You can create your playlist and make it public for other users to access it. The service recently stopped offering the free plan, but the premium version has HD-quality music and allows you to download tracks for offline listening.
You can still listen to music for free without creating an account on its website. But that won’t give you the perks like downloading songs or listening to music offline.
Pros
- Available on multiple devices
- Allows you to share your playlist with other users
- Has songs in various languages
Cons
- Stopped offering a free version
21. Raaga
- Price: Free
- Website URL: https://www.raaga.com/
Raaga is another reliable Indian music streaming service. It has songs, podcasts and videos in various languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Sanskrit, etc. You can access the content for free, but you will have to bear with the constant ads. The service offer apps for Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV.
Pros
- Customizable audio quality
- Offers genre-specific songs
- Controls on the lock screen
Cons
- Buffering issues with some songs
22. SiriusXM
- Price: $1 for three months as a trial, then $10.99/month
- Website URL: https://www.siriusxm.com/
SiriusXM differs from most of the music streaming services on this list as it combines live radio, traditional streaming audio and in-studio artists’ sessions. Also, it offers a generous three-month free trial, enabling you to test the service before subscribing.
Pros
- Vast content of live and curated channels
- Allows you to rewind content
- Generous 3-month free trial
Cons
- The sound quality could be better
23. Napster
- Price: $9.96 CAD/month, one-month free trial
- Website URL: https://www.napster.com/ca
Napster was initially a peer-to-peer (P2P) free file-sharing service but has recently redesigned to offer music streaming. It provides easy access to new releases, music genres, personal recommendations and editor-curated playlists. The interface is well organized with Narchive (a music encyclopedia wiki) and NapsterLinks (Web URLs to albums and songs) sections.
Pros
- Extensive music selection
- Browser playback
- Curated playlist
Cons
- Basic desktop client
Best music streaming quality
Most music streaming services have standard features, like allowing you to create a customizable playlist, but others stand out because of their unique characteristics.
For instance, Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Qobuz have better sound quality, offering premium Hi-Res Audio tunes with uncompressed audio. This is an impressive trend since the content of most online music streaming services is compressed in the range of 128 Kbps to 320 Kbps. Hence, you may need high-quality speakers or headphones to experience the musical richness.
Services with free music streaming
Many online music streaming services allows you to access free music. Some even offer lyrics, allowing you to sing along to your favourite tunes.
Usually, these are premium services that come with a free tier. However, most sites deliberately limit the free account to compel you to upgrade to paid subscriptions. For instance, they bombarded you with ads, and you cannot skip songs. On the other hand, the paid packages offer premium features like on-demand playback, unlimited song skips and more.
Moreover, most of the services we have reviewed above are compatible with mobile devices, so you won’t be tied to your computer to listen to music. These mobile apps allow you to cache music for offline listening, a valuable feature reserved for paid subscriptions. It will come in handy if you visit locations with poor signal coverage.
You will get more extensive music streaming diversity when you delve more into the online streaming space. For example, LiveOne offers Stories, a hosted program with fascinating tales from horror to love.
Conversely, Tidal sells sports and music concert tickets and also has feature-length articles from the expert editorial staff. Also, Amazon Music Unlimited allows you to upload audio files and play them alongside the company’s catalogue. Another upcoming trend is video game music, and many music streaming services offer a massive selection of game soundtracks.
Which streaming service has the best music?
Sadly, all is not well in this online music streaming space, where some platforms either gain or lose content. For example, catalogues of musicians such as Prince and Taylor Swift have vanished from streaming services (but reappeared later) because of low royalties.
Moreover, artist compensation has always been an issue in the recording industry, and online streaming services haven’t improved the situation. Tidal aims to be ahead of the pack as a platform that pays artists properly.
Sometimes you won’t be able to play specific tracks on demand because they are only available on a themed channel. Though the situation has improved significantly recently, missing artists and songs and content restrictions are still a problem in the digital streaming space.
How to choose the best music streaming service
As with many services, the best option isn’t the most popular or highest rated but the one that suits your needs. While competition has made many streaming sites offer similar services, there are notable differences that you can capitalize on.
Pricing
Pricing is a crucial consideration when choosing an online music streaming platform. Some well-known services like Spotify and Pandora became famous primarily because of the free plans that let you explore premade playlists. Others offer a specific trial period so you can test the service to see if it fulfils your needs before subscribing. Also, if you are a student or member of the military, you can enjoy discounted plans on services such as Apple Music and Spotify.
Music Catalogue
Most music streaming services host millions of songs in their catalogues, with some having over 90 million tracks. So, basically, you should find your favourite song on whichever service you choose unless you want a specific genre. For example, Tidal mainly features hip-hop songs since Jay-Z is a major stakeholder in the company.
Audio quality
This is another crucial factor for audiophiles. For example, Spotify streams at lower bit rates with a maximum of 320Kbps, which is fine for most people. However, if you want better audio quality, you can opt for Tidal with a quality of 16-bit/44.1 kHz for standard membership and up to 24-bit/96 kHz for premium membership. Qobuz has high-resolution streams of 24-bit/192 kHz.
Offline Listening
Most music streaming services allow you to download your favourite tracks for offline listening, which will be helpful when travelling or in zones with low coverage. However, some services, like Spotify, don’t offer the feature, while others require upgrading to the premium packages.
Device compatibility
Device compatibility is another crucial consideration, as you wouldn’t want to be confined to a specific device. Some services limit the number of devices you can use and may not work with all devices. For example, if you enjoy listening to music on your PC while working, ensure it is compatible with the operating system. Conversely, choose a service that offers mobile apps if you want to stream music on your phone while exercising outdoors.
Bottom line
It is an excellent time for audiophiles as music is more accessible today than ever. However, with hundreds of music streaming services available, finding the best one to cater to your needs can take time and effort. Thankfully, we have compiled the most popular music niche streaming services to make it easier for you. Of course, all the above recommendations will satisfy your music preferences.
Remember that you may need a virtual private network (VPN) when streaming music over a public Wi-Fi hotspot. It will protect your data from malicious actors and even enable you to access blocked music in other regions.
FAQs
This is an application or website that enables you to stream your favourite music on the internet easily. Most services are compatible with all major operating systems, so you can listen to music on any device.
The cost of streaming music online varies for each service provider. For example, some services are free to use, while others offer affordable packages. However, some streaming platforms are costlier than others, although they offer advanced features. Thankfully, most services come with free trials, allowing you to choose the best and most affordable option suitable for your needs.
Online music streaming services offer many advantages over traditional physical formats. For example, you can listen to your favourite tunes anywhere and anytime. Also, you can search music by artist name or album and share your playlist with others. Moreover, some services even let you download tracks for offline listening.
Yes, there is a variety of music streaming services that allow you to listen to music for free. For example, although they are ad-supported, Tidal and Spotify offer free versions with vast libraries.
Yes, especially Tidal HiFi plus offers high-fidelity audio and lossless playback. However, it is more expensive than Spotify premium.
