I’ve had YouTube Music since it was Google Music, but the price has recently doubled and at the same time I’ve started noticing my “Radio” keeps playing the same dozen songs over and over again. Started to feel like I was listening to Triple M.
Yesterday was the final straw as every song played on repeat until you manually skipped which is just… wtf? How does that even happen?
I have jumped on to Spotify for the minute, but find it is too heavily focused on “pop” music - it seems to choose songs that are broadly more popular, but aren’t really the same as what I’m choosing to play. I somehow always end up back with top 50 chart artists in the queue, even if I started on like bluegrass or hillbilly or something. Also if I select a song or artist and choose “Radio”, it always the same 50 songs and then just stops which doesn’t seem like what “Radio” should be at all.
What other options are there that are accessible from Australia, and preferably have a decent amount of Australian local content? I have zero interests in podcasts being jammed in, I just want music. And preferably music that I can just say “play stuff that sounds like this” and it’ll go on a deep dive to focus on things I haven’t heard before.
Critical:
- No ads
- Able to actually choose the music and skip and what not, so not Sirius or similar
- Good catalogue of Australian artists
- Android and Desktop clients
- “Family” plan or similar for 2 people
Budget not really an issue.
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What’s your home internet like? Got an old PC you can use as a server?
Like you, I’m refusing to cop that massive price increase and I’ve decided to ditch yet another monthly sub.
I’ve dropped my old MP3 collection into Jellyfin and started streaming myself. Using my “liked” song list to slowly update my collection.
Actually, just fired up Subsonic again for fun. Man it hasnt changed in years, but the server software still works perfectly on my test box here at work that has ~5k tracks. The OG Android app hasnt been updated since 2018 yet works flawlessly. Maybe I will just end up hosting the damn tunes myself again.
I ran Subsonic for years, and now run Plex for other stuff which is fed by - among other things - Lidarr, but honestly having to chase down my own stuff sucks. I’ll never match the millions of songs they have on offer.
I took the view that I don’t need to match the millions of songs offered by streaming services, I had a liked list of about 800 songs and rarely play anything else.
If I wasn’t moving between devices and locations; I could probably go back to just filling my phone with music.
I’m still in the experimental stage and I’m not 100% sold on the way Jellyfin handles music. Using Symfonium as the front end and it seems to get around the weirdness of Jellyfin, especially on the car, since Android Auto is a must.
You won’t find what you are looking for using streaming business models. Just go back to buying your music instead of renting it. They can’t change the price, they can’t remove your favourite stuff, you can listen anywhere, and you arent locked into an algorithm feeding you stuff the highest bidder wants pushed.
Try bandcamp
Buying music directly (or through something like Bandcamp) also better supports the artists who created it. I would rather put my money into a new album every month or two than spend it on a streaming subscription.
Reading OP, i thought the same. The problem seems to be a sorting issue they have with the algorithm. Quit the reliance on that, rely instead on curated song lists and OP might have a happier time whatever new service they end up with.
I like this scene from the film ‘Vengeance’ about music streaming algorithms, especially the line “you’re not hearing other peoples voices - you’re just hearing your voice get played back at you”.
Yeah, wow. Exactly. I hadn’t heard about this movie before. But yeah, hits the same point i’s making! With better looking delivery!
Personally I use Qobuz. The library isnt the biggest, but everything is CD quality FLAC or better (Hi-Res ftw!) They also have yearly pricing plans, and Duo plans for two people.
You can also buy the music directly, if you don’t want the subscription, and then self-host it on Plex or Jellyfin, etc.
Best of both worlds! I was already running Plex for bancamp purchases and library gaps etc anyway. Plus Qobuz connects directly to Volumio (my Raspberry Pi Hi-Fi streamer) for at-home listening.
I’ve really been liking Tidal. It has a fair shake of Aussie artists and has a radio feature that feels very exploratory. I can go to John Williamson and tap radio and it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to cram Billboard Top 100 down my throat.
Dezeer, Good selection of non mainstream music, support lossless streaming.
To be honest, I still rate Youtube Premium - the bundle that includes Music and ad-free Youtube is just too good a deal, even with the price hike. Some of the alternatives may be a bit cheaper, but you end up paying more if you still want to hang onto ad-free YT.
Given you said budget isn’t an issue, I’d personally still stick with YTM, but I haven’t personally had any issues with its radio function, and while I don’t listen to much Aussie stuff, I do have pretty esoteric tastes and it’s generally pretty decent.
Going from $17 to $34 a month isn’t remotely acceptable or a good deal.
Google, and all the other billion dollar companies, can eat shit! Constantly increasing the price without adding value. You pay and you pay and don’t own anything.
Blocking ads on YouTube is really simple and free. Netflix, Disney, F1, all of them, are easy to find for free. I’ve gone back to piracy for everything this year. I’ve had enough.
