Which one do you prefer?
I am seeing plenty of mixed opinions about both Spotify and Tidal. Some are saying Spotify is the best, others say it’s bloated, others think it’s annoying it’s also an app for podcasts. Some people really like Tidal, but I have mostly seen negative opinions about it - worse song recommendations, no difference in audio, too expensive.
As someone who doesn’t care very much for song recommendations I can’t decide which one is ideal for me personally. Tidal seems to pay artists better, but the criticism it receives makes me unsure. What do y’all think?
I was on Tidal forever ago. To answer the most important question, no the higher quality audio files aren't total snake oil. Certain offerings definitely sound better. Amazon Music generally offers higher sound quality though. Tidal also do pay artists better, but Napster is the best about payment if I'm not mistaken (ironic as fuck).
As for the app though... It's been a few years, but this is where everything that offers sound quality goes to shit. The desktop player was ass and the website was ass. It didn't know how to handle Last.fm and other things I'd consider basics for Audiophiles. Amazon Music's UI was even worse, I cancelled it after 2 days.
Spotify has the best value proposition. Hulu+Spotify for 10 bucks is good. I also question how long Tidal will be able to continue existing.