Breaking Up with Spotify: Why I Chose Apple Music Over Algorithmic Overload and Ethical Concerns
In a departure from a decade-long partnership, an individual bids farewell to Spotify. This decision, however, is not a personal one; rather, it stems from the platform’s inability to evolve alongside its user.
Over the years, the user has often contemplated leaving Spotify. The company’s criticism for offering artists less than competitive streaming payouts compared to competitors, and its role in promoting Joe Rogan’s podcast, which spread misinformation about COVID-19 and other viruses, have been significant factors.
Moreover, Spotify’s attempts to eliminate the RSS feed, a move that diminishes podcasters’ independence, has raised concerns. Despite these issues, it took recent events to prompt the user into exploring alternatives to Spotify, a platform used daily since high school.
It’s easy for users like us to disregard tech companies’ actions when they are monthly subscribers, even when those actions disappoint or concern us. (Netflix’s layoffs of industry colleagues still echo in memory, yet the allure of “Love is Blind” remains strong.)
Spotify’s relentless push for algorithmic recommendations, however, has become unavoidable and suffocating. The app’s homepage presents an overwhelming visual clutter, with suggestions that range from unsolicited podcast promotions to music albums the user has briefly explored in the past month. Sponsored recommendations and audiobook suggestions further crowd the interface.
The AI-curated playlists, designed to cater to each user’s taste, can be appealing due to their convenience. However, the user found themselves listening to music suggested by Spotify rather than their preferred choices, thereby surrendering their autonomy.
While ethical concerns about Spotify played a part in the decision to leave, they were not the sole factor. A report from Duetti reveals that Spotify, with a market value of approximately $140 billion, pays around $3 per 1,000 streams. Amazon Music, Apple Music, and YouTube paid $8.80, $6.20, and $4.80, respectively, per 1,000 streams in 2024. (Spotify has disputed the accuracy of these figures.)
In June, Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek announced a nearly $700 million funding round for a company developing AI-enabled military weapons, which further alienated a portion of its audience. Artists like Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard withdrew their catalogs from Spotify in protest.
Echoes of this scenario can be traced back to 2022, when Joni Mitchell and Neil Young pulled their music from Spotify due to Joe Rogan’s platforming of medical misinformation. (Both artists returned to the platform in 2024.)
Choosing a new streaming platform presents a challenging choice for users. However, tools like Soundiiz make it easy to transfer one’s collection between platforms. The user opted for Apple Music due to a free three-month trial during the transition and Apple Music’s promise of lossless audio, which Spotify has been delaying for nearly five years.
Yet, the user acknowledges that switching to another tech giant, Apple, does not equate to supporting the underdog. The user also has ethical concerns about Apple, despite using Apple products such as the Magic Keyboard, MacBook Pro, iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch.
Moreover, Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent visit to the White House to present a custom, Apple-branded plaque to Donald Trump, which sits atop a 24-karat gold base, raises questions about Apple’s allegiance to its shareholders and political neutrality.
At least the Apple Music app is less overwhelming than Spotify.
