Zune vs. Spotify

[Xtian.Castro]

c) Spotify limits you to playing your music on one device at a time.

all very good points, although I have experienced issues with streaming music using Zune from my Windows Phone and then moving to the Zune client on my PC and getting an error message indicating that I cannot stream from more than one place (even though I had actually stopped playback on my phone).

I'm not sure if that's the scenario you were referring to. I still much prefer Zune over Spotify. Only little complaint would be the song library. I was really excited to listen to The Black Keys new album and was bummed to find that it wasnt available for streaming, my girlfriend (an AVID Spotify user) did have it available. I have to say I was a little miffed about that.

 

[Kahuna Cowboy]

I prefer Spotify for many reasons. First, Spotify has a much larger library than Zune Pass, almost 16 million songs in its catalog. Compared to 11 million on Zune Pass. That's a lot! Besides, Zune Pass does not even have Willie Nelson whatsoever, that's a deal breaker for me.

Another reason, I can take Spotify with me where ever, on my iPad, on my Titan, on my iPhone, on my Mac, on my PC. I can access my playlists anywhere. With Zune, on my Titan, on my Xbox, or my PC. Xbox I'd useless for me, I don't turn on my TV to listen to music. So WP and my PC only really.

Spotify is social. Yes it loves to integrate with Facebook and I really do not understand why some WP owners would not want this? The one super selling point of the WP over droid and iOS is how well integrated Windows Phone is with Facebook. A phone designed around being social first! Why wouldn't you want that too with music? It's really cool sharing songs, albums, and playlists with friends and family and visa versa. Zune Pass has no social integration, I hope someday that changes.

Then of course, you have to look at which service is going places and which is not. Let's be real, Zune Pass is stagnet and has been for a long time. Spotify is trending up big time just in the few short months it has been in the US. I fully expect it to catch up and even surpass iTunes by this time next year. Plus the new apps integrated in will be very cool.

So what does Zune Pass offer? Well, on WP it offers a live tile that shows the last band you listened too, and a lock screen that does the same. Sorry Microsoft, you got to bring it a little harder than this if you seriously want to compete with music services like iTunes and Spotify.

 

[Rodolfo#WP]

all very good points, although I have experienced issues with streaming music using Zune from my Windows Phone and then moving to the Zune client on my PC and getting an error message indicating that I cannot stream from more than one place (even though I had actually stopped playback on my phone).

I'm not sure if that's the scenario you were referring to. I still much prefer Zune over Spotify. Only little complaint would be the song library. I was really excited to listen to The Black Keys new album and was bummed to find that it wasnt available for streaming, my girlfriend (an AVID Spotify user) did have it available. I have to say I was a little miffed about that.

Yes, XtianAstro, I only claimed that you can play the collections on your devices simultaneously, not stream: you can only stream on one at a time. I don't believe you can do that on Spotify, perhaps because I think you have to login to fb/spotify with every listen.

As for the Black Keys's El Camino: that was just released on Tuesday. You can stream the lead track. Maybe Nonesuch hasn't returned the paperwork yet. Actually, with spotify owned 18% by the 3 majors (nonnsuch is part of Warner), it's going to be interesting to see how distribution is affected, if at all. BTW, Indies have been leaving Spotify, reportedly because of the miserable fees it pays. But, it's early and a lot will be changing. BTW, you can stream one of my favorite music videos -Tighten Up from the Brothers album: Can your girlfriend do that? Enjoy the music!

 

[Big Supes]

If you also have an Xbox, Zune totally outshines Spotify.

 

[Rodolfo#WP]

... Zune Pass does not even have Willie Nelson whatsoever, that's a deal breaker for me.

I'm only reponding to the Cowboy's Willie Nelson reference here, as a fan of the legend.
Mammas, Don't Let Your Sons Grow Up To Be Spotify fans (Kidding, spotify is cool.) It would indeed be Crazy if in fact the above report were true, but there is a load of Willie Nelson albums available for downloading and streaming at Zune, including several 2011 releases and several "greatest hits" options. I do not recommend the 2011 "The Very Best..." because they are not; but, that's ok: fans can stream or download his earliest and latest, as well as his best and least known. Cowboy and everyone: enjoy Willie, regardless of where you get him!

BTW, for their fans, I recommend some of the tracks from the Willie Nelson,, Wynton Marsalis, and Norah Jones tribute to Ray Charles. It's on Zune under Willie, at least, and it's sweet.

 

[welsbloke]

I like Spotify not because I will ever use it as in all likelyhood I would not as the Zune integration across my main methods of access is more than adequate. No I like Spotify as it disrupts the status quo and Zune/iTunes users will benefit. I see it as Google Apps is to Office 365 and BPOS before it, if Google Apps had not disrupted that little party it would still be expensive and still have less functionality... So yes I like Spotify but not for the reasons Kahuna Cowboy has stated.

The only track restriction I have ever come across is AC/DC but I understand they are against all things streaming so they may also not be on Spotify I believe they are not on iTunes but then I digress (again).