Competing in the music streaming market is Amazon Prime. This brand represents the dedicated music streaming platform and online music store of Amazon. It was launched in 2007 as Amazon MP3 and has since evolved and expanded following the popularity of streaming and on-demand content. Nevertheless, as a music streaming platform, it competes with other music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.
Pros of Amazon Music: Reasons Why You Should Subscribe
Amazon Music is a compelling rival to other mainstream music streaming services. It has a competitive catalog of music from international and local artists. There is also a huge selection of tracks that stream at high audio quality. The platform runs in Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and iPadOS, tvOS, Fire OS, Amazon Echo, Amazon Alexa, and HTML5.
The subscription plans cater to different users with different budget preferences. The platform is free but users can opt for a paid subscription plan for an ad-free listening experience. Amazon Music Prime is an included feature in an Amazon Prime subscription while Amazon Music Unlimited is a stand-alone plan similar to Spotify Premium and Apple Music.
Below are the specific selling points of this music streaming service:
• Expansive Music Catalog: There are more than 100 million songs that can be streamed through this platform. Some artists and tracks are even exclusive. Examples include video game soundtracks and songs from cover artists The sheer size of its music catalog makes it a strong contender against Spotify and Apple Music.
• Freemium Subscription Model: Remember that this music streaming platform is free similar to YouTube Music and Spotify. Users can either access Amazon Music Prime with their Amazon Prime subscription for an ad-free listening experience or subscribe to the top-tier Amazon Music Unlimited to get a hold of exclusive features.
• High-Definition Audio Quality: Another advantage of Amazon Music is that it streams millions of songs in lossless high-definition quality with a bitrate of up to 850Kbps similar to Apple Music under the Unlimited plan. There are also millions of tracks in ultra-high-definition with a bitrate of up to 3730Kbps.
• Expanding Non-Music Catalog: The platform also follows the lead of other music streaming services with the inclusion of non-music content. It has a growing library of podcasts and other exclusive or original content from well-known celebrities. It also has a growing library of music videos to complement its audio offerings.
• Complements the Amazon Ecosystem: It would make sense for users of Amazon products and services to subscribe to Amazon Music. The platform works well with the virtual assistant device Alexa, the smart speaker Echo, the Android-based mobile operating system Fire OS, and the television microconsole Fire TV.
Cons of Amazon Music: Reasons Why You Not Should Subscribe
The intensity of competition in the music streaming market remains high due to the dominance of Spotify and Apple Music, as well as the presence of other service providers such as YouTube Music and China-based Tencent Music Entertainment. Amazon Music has no unique selling propositions but it banks on its competitive music catalog and non-music catalog.
However, for those who are already subscribed to another music streaming platform, there is less incentive to switch to another one. There is a high chance that the average listener would find the same mainstream artists on a different platform. It is also worth mentioning that Spotify and Apple Music have their respective unique value propositions.
Below are the issues or limitations of this music streaming service:
• Absence of Internet Radio: A notable drawback of Amazon Music is the absence of internet radio. This is one of the high-valued features of Spotify and Apple Music because it lets listeners stream random tracks and discover new music curated by the particular service provider and with the help of an algorithm.
• Limitations of the Free and Prime Versions: Take note that the free version of the platform and its Prime version do not let listeners choose tracks. The playlists or libraries are locked on shuffle mode. Listers cannot create stations as well. The on-demand streaming feature is only available for Unlimited subscribers.
• Regional Availability and Restrictions: Another disadvantage of Amazon Music is that it is not as available as its counterparts. The free and Prime versions are not available in countries such as New Zealand, selected South American countries including Argentina and Paraguay, India, and European countries such as the Netherlands.
• Limitations of High-Quality Audio: Lossless and ultra-high-definition audio tracks cannot be streamed via a web browser. The browser can only stream the standard quality versions of the tracks. Users need to download and stream via the Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows app counterparts of the platform.
