Spotify is what got me into music. It let me discover so many new artists and albums thanks to its impressive algorithms. But things are different now.
Spotify has changed — it's more bloated than it was a decade ago, filled with AI features and, worse, Joe Rogan podcasts. So I use a different streamer now — Qobuz, a hi-res option, and one of the best music streaming services.
Here's why I finally stopped using Spotify and why I've replaced it with a French alternative.
Spotify expanded too far beyond music
When I first used the Swedish streaming service, Spotify was about as simple as it came. There was music and nothing else. There was so much music to choose from that I didn't have to worry about missing out on new releases.
The Spotify of today is completely different beast, however. Sure, it's got all the same listening and playlist options from when used to listen, but now there's a slew of features that feel pointless.
I don't need to be able to use an AI to make playlists, I can do it myself.
I don't need to be able to use an AI to make playlists, I can do it myself. I enjoy doing it myself. It's fun. I can put hours and hours of my own music together that might suit a mood I'm in at any given moment.
I don't want to listen to Joe Rogan and other podcasts on the Spotify app. I can do it elsewhere, and better support the creators I listen to. It's annoying when they appear in my search results — just because I can listen to them, doesn't mean they need to go with my music.
I don't want AI DJ to talk to me about my music. If I wanted that, I would listen to the radio and get messages from a real person. I'm using a streaming service because that's not what I want when I listen to music. I'm here for music.
I don't need video. I don't need animated album covers. I don't want endless recommendations for music I don't care about.
Spotify has become too much, and simultaneously not enough.
My French love affair
Given that I use my streaming service to listen to music on my HiFi system, I want to get the best streaming quality possible — and Spotify just doesn't cut it at all. It tops out 320kbps in it's highest quality. That's about the same as the bootleg MP3s I used to download as a kid. Spotify HiFi has been promised for a long time now — although we're yet to see anything come to fruition.
But there's another service out there called Qobuz that delivers both hi-res audio and features that I actually care about.
Qobuz is not a new streaming service, but it's one that's seen a sudden improvement in recent years. It's no my most used streaming service, working well with all my devices. Thanks to Qobuz Connect and its compatability with Roon, I've found that it works incredibly well with my WiFi connected smart speakers around the house.
There are interesting asides about each artist and album and an entire section dedicated to learning about music.
I love how simple it is — it's all about the music. Sure, there are recommendations, but there are plenty dictated by my listening habits to help me discover new stuff. There are interesting asides about each artist and album and an entire section dedicated to learning about music.
It takes me back to when Spotify was just a music streaming service. When there was nothing extra, no bulky features, and no AI. Just me and my tunes.
The best bit is the streaming quality. With compatible devices, Qobuz is capable of hitting some very impressive bitrates, making it one of the best sounding options around.
Given that Spotify HiFi is still yet to make an appearance, I love that there's a streaming service dedicated to audiophiles like myself. Something even more focused than Tidal, that already puts audio quality at the top of its list.
I don't think I'll ever be going back to Spotify as my primary streaming service. It's too expensive, and doesn't offer the streaming quality that I want when I use my audio devices. Sorry Spotify, you just don't hit as hard as you did when I was 11.
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