{"id":2220764,"date":"2026-01-03T10:08:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T10:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2220764"},"modified":"2026-01-03T10:08:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T10:08:22","slug":"i-ditched-spotify-three-months-ago-heres-what-i-switched-to-and-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/i-ditched-spotify-three-months-ago-heres-what-i-switched-to-and-why\/","title":{"rendered":"I ditched Spotify three months ago \u2014 here&#8217;s what I switched to and why"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"0f7ae6b5-72ab-4862-8033-db4fe7d5c0da\">Like many people, I&#8217;ve used Spotify for as long as I can remember. In fact, <em>longer<\/em> than I can remember. I know roughly when I started using the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/buying-guide\/best-music-streaming-services\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/buying-guide\/best-music-streaming-services\">music streaming service<\/a>, but I struggle to recount the exact timings or the moment I first signed up to Premium.<\/p>\n<p>The earliest memory I have of using Spotify is of my friend filtering through (and probably scoffing at) my Drum &amp; Bass playlist while I was driving my Honda Civic: bass pumping, wheels screeching, smoke billowing from the car&#8217;s windows. That basically describes my entire late teens and early twenties, so I&#8217;m still at a loss. I&#8217;m now 33, though, so suffice to say it&#8217;s been a while.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"0f7ae6b5-72ab-4862-8033-db4fe7d5c0da-2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">For years, Spotify came bundled with my phone plan, giving me a hearty discount. I&#8217;ve used <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/best-wireless-earbuds,review-6160.html\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/best-wireless-earbuds,review-6160.html\">wireless earbuds<\/a> or wireless <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/best-headphones,review-1988.html\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/best-headphones,review-1988.html\">headphones<\/a> (so no need for hi-res). And I&#8217;ve had a decade of my own and other playlists to leverage. Although I&#8217;m slightly ashamed to admit it, I&#8217;m not altogether that moralistic about artists&#8217; rights either. So I&#8217;ve seen no reason to leave.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-3 pb-4 mb-4 border-solid border-y border-neutral-300\">\n<span class=\"font-article-heading block pb-3 !text-base font-bold uppercase sm:text-sm text-[#333]\"><br \/>\nYou may like<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Then, a couple of years ago, I became the head of Tom&#8217;s Guide&#8217;s in-house reviews team. My team and I test a lot of audio gear; a lot of premium, high quality earbuds, headphones and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/best-bluetooth-speakers,review-1982.html\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/best-bluetooth-speakers,review-1982.html\">Bluetooth speakers<\/a>; a lot of stuff with &#8220;Hi-Res&#8221; branding plastered all over it.<\/p>\n<p>Given the last two aren&#8217;t necessarily synonymous, it&#8217;s our job to put &#8220;Hi-Res&#8221; products through their paces with high-resolution playback \u2014 <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/entertainment\/music-streaming\/streaming-quality-everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-favorite-music-streamer\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/entertainment\/music-streaming\/streaming-quality-everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-favorite-music-streamer\">until recently, of course, that was something Spotify couldn&#8217;t do<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-04321cce-89ca-4e97-97f4-a8d80193d623\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"aef4683a-c564-4881-a7f4-73035140b95d\">I bandied around with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/apple-music-review\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/apple-music-review\">Apple Music<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/tidal-review\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/tidal-review\">Tidal<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/audio\/deezer-review-making-music-social\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/audio\/deezer-review-making-music-social\">Deezer<\/a> for testing purposes, but none of them pulled me away from ol&#8217; Spotty. Then we shifted all our high-res testing to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/audio\/qobuz-review\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/audio\/qobuz-review\">Qobuz<\/a>, and the wheels started to move \u2014 this time, perhaps, for good.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Well, it has nothing to do with audio quality.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-jViojC2bgjwq8pX2LCiZmD\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-jViojC2bgjwq8pX2LCiZmD slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-4a4f3354-80e1-42bc-8308-aca751c0b5de\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"but-but-but-spotify-lossless-yada-yada-3\">&#8220;But, but, but SPOTIFY LOSSLESS \u2014 yada yada&#8221;<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"e17a8027-74f1-4ca6-be23-d8d3c0720700\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1315px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.27%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v2\/t:64,l:358,cw:1315,ch:740,q:80,w:1200\/bzYNKbwbBWvC2xkdXqVSPH.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v2\/t:64,l:358,cw:1315,ch:740,q:80,w:1024\/bzYNKbwbBWvC2xkdXqVSPH.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v2\/t:64,l:358,cw:1315,ch:740,q:80,w:970\/bzYNKbwbBWvC2xkdXqVSPH.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v2\/t:64,l:358,cw:1315,ch:740,q:80,w:650\/bzYNKbwbBWvC2xkdXqVSPH.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v2\/t:64,l:358,cw:1315,ch:740,q:80,w:480\/bzYNKbwbBWvC2xkdXqVSPH.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v2\/t:64,l:358,cw:1315,ch:740,q:80,w:320\/bzYNKbwbBWvC2xkdXqVSPH.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">That&#8217;s me! I listen in hi-res when I need to for testing purposes, but spent 99% of my my playback time using Bluetooth. <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Tom&#8217;s Guide)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"cadf3dde-1a52-4e0d-b2e9-6b9200e6cb12\">I&#8217;ll get it out of the way early. I&#8217;m really far from fussed about hi-res playback here.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I can tell the difference between hi-res and lower-res playback on premium headphones and the like, but typically I only actually stream in high-resolution when testing audio gear. In day-to-day use, I&#8217;m almost always enjoying the benefits of wireless, listening to my music over Bluetooth from my <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-17-pro-max-review\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-17-pro-max-review\">iPhone 17 Pro Max<\/a> and getting no benefit from Qobuz&#8217;s higher-res playback. So I&#8217;m not really too concerned about the Spotify lossless vs Qobuz high-res topic (Spotify offers 24-bit 44.1 kHz lossless, which isn&#8217;t as &#8220;good&#8221; as Qobuz&#8217;s 24-bit 192 kHz playback).<\/p>\n<p>Rather, this opinion piece is all about curation and recommendations&#8230;<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-3 pb-4 mb-4 border-solid border-y border-neutral-300\">\n<span class=\"font-article-heading block pb-3 !text-base font-bold uppercase sm:text-sm text-[#333]\"><br \/>\nYou may like<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-da490332-5f92-484c-997e-bf92b25279d3\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-human-touch-3\">The human touch<\/h2>\n<p id=\"870dceef-f0cf-4703-b0d7-c29b72140f94\">I dipped in and out of Qobuz for a while (primarily for testing purposes) without delving too deep or paying much attention, before really getting it. One morning, when listening to one of Qobuz&#8217;s albums of the week, <em>Sad And Beautiful World<\/em> by Mavis Staples, I noticed some blurb \u2014 &#8216;copy&#8217; as well call it in the media industry \u2014 beneath her album info.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"096c7ad7-5aa1-411f-b607-68687564beb7\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:2000px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot from Qobuz showing recommendations and playback\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT.jpg\" class=\"inline expandable\"\/>\n<\/picture><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"expand-button icon-expand-image icon\" data-url=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wEcMXhmE6iUjAZqbM7WpvT.jpg\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">&#8216;Sad And Beautiful World&#8217; is a wonderful album. I highly recommend giving it a listen, regardless of your streaming service. <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Qobuz)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"87f60401-7a08-4c0d-83c0-721ea30f95d2\">This is nothing new. Spotify has artist and album info. But upon clicking the &#8220;Read More&#8221; button, I was pleasantly surprised. Out spread a page of copy, clearly written by a person (and not the artist themselves), extrapolating on the album&#8217;s background, composition and merits, helping contextualize why it made album of the week.<\/p>\n<p>A human, who clearly cares a lot about the subject, wrote that. And as a journalist, that strikes a chord with me.<\/p>\n<p>This deeper level of humanity is a key theme of Qobuz. The albums of the week are chosen by people, based on individual expertise and, indeed, preference (but that&#8217;s okay). Playlists are curated, not software generated. And the whole lot is written about and explained to help you understand why.<\/p>\n<p>Having spent years with the automation of music&#8217;s end-user globocorp, the human element of Qobuz feels so refreshing.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-1b3b691b-5a58-43af-a040-59e600ef45cd\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"just-tell-me-what-to-do-3\">Just tell me what to do<\/h2>\n<p id=\"89447f20-f7f1-4484-905d-e828663ce58b\">The human touch is also extremely beneficial for exploration. Spotify typically does two things: suggest music algorithmically based on what you and similar people have already listened to; or leave you to browse everything.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"5adebb16-afab-4ee6-9e4b-cb2c9febe82b\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:2000px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot from Qobuz showing recommendations and playback\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT.jpg\" class=\"inline expandable\"\/>\n<\/picture><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"expand-button icon-expand-image icon\" data-url=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CcoSNBo4pkheCYDPHufJqT.jpg\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Qobuz)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"31a4ae3b-1377-4969-9319-95a09e96ef6f\">There&#8217;s nothing inherently wrong with those two things, but I find it stifles my breadth of listening. With Spotify, I tend to just stick to what I already know because that&#8217;s all that I&#8217;m being shown during automated playback. Discover tends to show me a few new things, but plenty of stuff I&#8217;m already familiar with pops up, too.<\/p>\n<p>Browse sections, meanwhile, are simply too broad to be of much use to me. There&#8217;s too much choice. You&#8217;re already familiar with this concept, I&#8217;m sure: it&#8217;s the same reason you find yourself endlessly scrolling Netflix at a loss for what to watch. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.<\/p>\n<p>In short, to properly discover new stuff, I need to be told <em>&#8220;this is good, listen to it lest ye be considered an ignoramus!&#8221;<\/em> And that&#8217;s what Qobuz does. Obviously, it doesn&#8217;t ever call anyone an ignoramus, or come across snobbish at all for that matter \u2014 but that&#8217;s the way I want it to make me feel. I need to feel as though I know nothing and must be shown new things; be shown how to be a music connoisseur by experts in the know.<\/p>\n<p>Case in point: Jazz. Until recently, I was a staunch Anti-Jazzer. As I saw it, society&#8217;s prolific ingestion of jazz is the reason we have so many auto-immune diseases and gluten intolerances these days. We shouldn&#8217;t give jazz to our kids, I thought \u2014 it isn&#8217;t good for them. Does anyone, I asked, <em>really<\/em> know what Big Trumpet is putting into the jazz?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"279ddffc-eb0b-499e-b453-fceedf371db0\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:2000px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot from Qobuz showing recommendations and playback\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT.jpg\" class=\"inline expandable\"\/>\n<\/picture><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"expand-button icon-expand-image icon\" data-url=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2cYM6LtbpndsmQqDz7SgtT.jpg\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">I guess I like jazz now! Or some of it, anyway. <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Qobuz)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"1142c1c5-1d6e-4d09-ad2f-d8d5095a0c65\">I never listened to jazz, nor would I have searched it out, so Spotify would&#8217;ve therefore never shown me it. Qobuz, on the other hand, did dare to show me. Little did I know, there&#8217;s a genre called &#8220;West Coast&#8221; or &#8220;Cool&#8221; jazz \u2014 slower tempo, more loungy, less avant-garde, all the opposite of the things I dislike about typical (East Coast, I guess?) jazz. One day, on my home page sat a West Coast Jazz playlist, with a calming beach in the image to highlight the collection&#8217;s relaxing nature. Qobuz told me: this jazz is good for you, listen to it. And I did. And I fell in love.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-2bd75a3b-5951-4fe6-b284-5e4072af5ff0\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"actual-randomization-3\">Actual randomization<\/h2>\n<p id=\"11bf732f-e3c4-4396-97f7-b913936ba9bb\">Another gripe with Spotify I only discovered after leaving is in regards to proper randomization, or lack thereof. When I say randomization, I mean the random suggestions after a playlist ends.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"ca7ca65a-91b1-46a8-baea-e784626681f7\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:2000px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot from Qobuz showing recommendations and playback\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT.jpg\" class=\"inline expandable\"\/>\n<\/picture><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"expand-button icon-expand-image icon\" data-url=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dsG5y2yPZLhWTXUWBfPuxT.jpg\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Qobuz has its own Discover playlists and solid suggestions. Turns out I like Sheryl Crow, and a little known fella called Shostakovich. <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Qobuz)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"a3da5926-d1d2-4536-8f1e-d5a5a199b743\">Let&#8217;s head back to my jazzy example from above. Based on a hunch (influenced, of course, by years of experience using Spotify), I did a little experiment. I headed to Spotify, added some neo-jazz songs I liked to a playlist and let it run out. Perhaps unsurprisingly to anyone who uses Spotify, the randomized recommendations were fairly lackluster. Spotify played songs I hadn&#8217;t heard, but only from the same two artists. Over and over again. Not awful, but I want more than just two artists.<\/p>\n<p>Anecdotally, at least, I&#8217;ve found Qobuz&#8217;s algorithmic post-playlist recommendations much better. I tend to get a broader array of artists suggested, which helps me find more new music to enjoy.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-e9856bc1-f739-40fd-9008-59996fe34724\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"so-what-s-your-point-3\">So what&#8217;s your point?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"652c7468-3f51-4a29-abc7-6808b616f171\">All the above results in a deeper delve into and understanding of music. At least on my part. With Qobuz, I feel like I&#8217;m getting into the nitty gritty; the undiscovered (to me) and slightly niche areas of music. I feel like I&#8217;m a renaissance man, listening to stuff I could reference during an intellectual conversation over a Scotch at some fancy party, impressing everyone.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-429a8a9b-5136-4f98-8651-38baed68cf94\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"e89c8f4b-c65d-4798-b9d1-a5088a8cbaeb\">Of course, my life isn&#8217;t ever that romantic, and I&#8217;ve never been to such a party. But hopefully you get what I mean \u2014 with Qobuz I feel like I&#8217;m discovering sophisticated, adult music that I enjoy, rather than repeating my emo playlist for the 600th time this year. And it mostly comes down to the human element, which is a much bigger part of Qobuz than it is of Spotify.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s counter-intuitive in a way. How can a few handmade recommendations deliver better results than an algorithm with the whole of Spotify&#8217;s data at its disposal? I don&#8217;t know, but it works. That&#8217;s the power of proper curation, I guess.<\/p>\n<hr id=\"7411beef-f6ad-4376-a866-199b6d5e1a52\"\/><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" rel=\"nofollow\" id=\"7a6edd5b-0b26-464e-a0ed-3999723ea285\" data-url=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure pull-right inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:676px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:31.51%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-676-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-676-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-676-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6.jpg\" alt=\"Google News\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-676-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-676-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-676-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6.jpg\" class=\"pull-right\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"b5dcb6a6-a10c-4a12-96cb-10adb87710dd\"><em>Follow <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\"><em>Tom&#8217;s Guide on Google News<\/em><\/a> and<em> <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tomsguide.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tomsguide.com\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\"><em>add us as a preferred source<\/em><\/a><em> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/em><\/p>\n<hr id=\"5a833c50-8068-40ed-a719-2298cd836898\"\/><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-more-from-tom-s-guide\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-url=\"\" href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-more-from-tom-s-guide\"><span>More from Tom&#8217;s Guide<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.tomsguide.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like many people, I&#8217;ve used Spotify for as long as I can remember. In fact, longer than I can remember. I know roughly when I started using the music streaming service, but I struggle to recount the exact timings or the moment I first signed up to Premium. The earliest memory I have of using [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2220765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2220764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/I-ditched-Spotify-three-months-ago-\u2014-heres-what-I.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2220764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2220764"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2220764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2220766,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2220764\/revisions\/2220766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2220765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2220764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2220764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2220764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}