For music fans and podcast listeners, Amazon Music is known as one of the big hitters in audio streaming services, with a massive library and plenty of options, both free and paid, to suit your listening needs. Amazon recently changed its Amazon Music benefits for Prime members, expanding its library substantially, while doing away with some aspects of the service users were fans of.
Here’s what you need to know about Amazon Music, its benefits for both Prime and non-Prime members, and whether it’s worth it to opt in for the paid subscription tier.
What Is Amazon Music?
Amazon Music is an audio streaming service, like Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music, that gives you access to tons of music, podcasts, artist livestreams and other content. You don’t have to be a Prime member to access Amazon Music, though Prime members do get special benefits as part of their membership and access to a special Prime-only tier.
What Are The Amazon Music Tiers?
There are three Amazon Music tiers — Amazon Music Free (free and available to anyone), Amazon Music Prime (free, but only available to current Amazon Prime members), and Amazon Music Unlimited (available to everyone, but you pay a monthly fee, even if you’re a Prime member).
Amazon Music Free
As it says in the name, Amazon Music Free is free and available to anyone who downloads the Amazon Music app or listens through an Alexa-enabled device. Amazon Music Free is an ad-supported way to listen to podcasts, stations and playlists.
Amazon Music Prime
Are you an Amazon Prime member? If so, one of the perks of your Prime membership is access Amazon Music Prime. With it, you can check out tons of podcasts and what Amazon promises is over 100 million songs, all ad free, up from the original two million Prime users were able to access before recent changes. Prime members can discover new music and podcasts based on likes and can shuffle play any artists, albums or playlists.
This Prime music membership level is where some of the biggest changes have happened for Amazon Music listeners. The good news is that impressive jump from two to 100 million songs. However, you can no longer listen to individual songs the way you used to. Previously, Amazon Music Prime members could search for and stream nearly two million songs or download them for offline listening. Now you can’t listen offline and you’re only allowed the shuffle play option. (Users say this is similar to Spotify’s free shuffle tier.)
Some Prime members are thrilled to have 98 million more songs to listen to, while others feel Amazon is limiting and controlling how they choose to consume their favorite music.
Amazon Music Unlimited
This is the highest tier, designed for music heads who want to listen to streaming audio in High Definition (HD) and some in Ultra High Definition (Ultra HD) and who want the flexibility to play any song, listen offline to music and listen to the most playlists and podcasts. Of course, all ad free.
At this level, you’ll pay a monthly fee, even if you’re a Prime member. How much depends on what subscription you choose of the four currently available with Amazon Music Unlimited.
Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan: This is for a single subscriber. Try it out free for 90 days, then pay $8.99/month after (non-Prime members pay $9.99)
Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan: For up to six subscribers. Try free for 90 days, then pay $15.99/month.
Amazon Music Unlimited Single Device Plan: For one eligible device: either an Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Show, Echo Studio, Echo Input, Echo Spot or Fire TV. Try free for 30 days, then pay $4.99/month.
Amazon Music Unlimited Student Plan: Open to students enrolled at an accredited college or university at $0.99/month.
Can You Cancel Your Amazon Music Subscription?
Yes, you may cancel your Amazon Music Unlimited subscription at any time, either during your free trial period or even once you’ve started paying for your monthly membership.
Is Amazon Music Free?
There are two free options: Amazon Music Free is free to everyone and Amazon Music Prime is included with your Prime membership. The final tier, Amazon Music Unlimited, is a paid monthly service.
How Much Does Amazon Music Cost?
Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan: For a single subscriber. Try free for 90 days, then pay $8.99/month after ($9.99 for non-Prime members).
Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan: For up to six subscribers. Try free for 90 days, then pay $15.99/month after.
Amazon Music Unlimited Single Device Plan: For one eligible device: either an Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Show, Echo Studio, Echo Input, Echo Spot or Fire TV. Try free for 30 days, then pay $4.99/month after.
Amazon Music Unlimited Student Plan: Open to students enrolled at an accredited college or university at $0.99/month.
What Do You Get With the Free Amazon Music for Prime Membership?
Listen to ad-free playlists, stations, 100 million songs and what Amazon promises is “the largest catalog of ad-free top podcasts.” Though you can’t download anything you want for offline listening, you can choose songs from a curated selection of All-Access Playlists to listen offline.
Is Amazon Music Unlimited Worth It?
For students, yes! $0.99/month is a bargain, even when you’re on a budget.
Are you already a subscriber to another audio streaming platform? If you’re not, then …. sure. Because let’s be honest, at some point, all the big names — including Spotfiy, Apple, Tidal and Amazon Music Unlimited all offer similar, wonderful benefits, with playlists, stations, podcasts and access to all the music you’ll ever want to listen to. Is Amazon Music Unlimited better than those other companies? No. Worse? Also no. Give it a try for three months, and if you like the experience and offerings, go for it.
However, if you already pay for a Spotify/Apple/YouTube Music/etc., account and you’re happy with them, it’s hard to argue that it’s worth for yet another subscription, in which case, you may wish to pass on Amazon Music Unlimited.
Finally, if you’re a Prime member and enjoy maximizing your Amazon Prime membership benefits, from savings at Whole Foods to discounts on household essentials, taking advantage of your free Amazon Prime Music access is worth it.
The post Amazon Music: Literally Everything You Need to Know Before You Subscribe appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
