Bandcamp is US owned, but still worth mentioning I think because of their commitment to high revenue sharing, about 80-82% goes directly to the artists.
They have custom playlists, and offer high quality formats as well.
If the goal is a quality product and an ethical approach to supporting artists I'm not dead set on only using European alternatives
May be worth mentioning that it's not every Friday that this happens. I was under the impression that it was, and would have accidentally made a purchase on a random Friday if I had not looked further into it because I wanted to check which time zone was used for the cutoff.
Additionally, Spotify highest quality, while not perfect for nitpickers, is actually totally fine and good enough for 99% of audio equipment used by consumers. If you play your FLACs through wireless headphones… oh boy you have some learning to do.
True. I think Qobuz is only good for people who already know what they want to listen to or are willing to wade through public playlists. Don't expect to to get recommendations like Spotify or Tidal does...
I don't completely agree. Qobuz has curated album pics picked by their critics. I have discovered some pretty good artists that way and it brings me out of my music bubble to try new things. The latest album of Etienne de crecy or the one from Gabi Hartmann were both recommended and they are amazing.
I was never a fan of a computer telling me what i might like. But i'm listening to music for 6 to 10 hours every single day for decades now. I can't contain my music knowledge anymore, and to not get bored i need some: if youblike this you might like that. But also they are very wrong 99% of the time. But i still crave that 1% that is a banger and might have never found.
Discovering a new artist or album is great.
Tidals personalised daily discovery and weekly new releases are fantastic for this, much better than anything I can remember on spotify. Their "mixes for you" are also decent.
I haven't tried qobuz yet
Their catalogue isn't visible even if you are in a supported country? Ouch.
I hate how Qobuz keeps coming up in these threads, but they still don't serve even Eastern Europe, let alone Global South countries - I don't want to listen just to classical and jazz.
Correct - I wanted to compare my Spotify playlists with the alternatives but qobuz wants a credit card before allowing you to check their offer... Won't do that.
I would also add Mirlo (https://mirlo.space/pages/about)
Even if US based they are a coop (the company is managed by its members), and "allows for direct and ongoing support of artists. It’s different from other crowdfunding platforms because it:
is rooted in mutual aid and is stewared by a worker co-op, which intends to exit-to-community as a multi-stakeholder cooperative;
It’s open source and is working together with other similar products to build towards a standard-based and sustainable ecosystem."
I switched to Qobuz today. I used to use Tidal because I wanted to be able to get the best possible quality from a streaming service, and I wasn't happy with the way Spotify pays the artists. But after Trump got elected and turned the world upside down, I kicked every US services out of my portfolio.
Qobuz feels quiet clunky, and the desktop application lacks some basic functionalitys, but overall I think it's a good alternative.
I can also recommend soundiiz for transferring between them (its in that useful resources note in bottom right corner). I paid $5 for 1 month but was a few years ago
For some reason listed all the way in the corner, I used to love Bandcamp but they are US based sadly. Always thought of them as the good guys but they are owned by Epic now so who cares. The French Qobuz should be a good alternative for buying DRM free albums, haven't tried them yet though.
People give Spotify shit for paying artists awfully, does anyone know if this is better for Qobuz? I feel like revenue is always going to turn out bad when you're not buying any albums. €15 per month for 2x access is just not that much over a few hundred listens.
Also like someone pointed out Soundcloud is German. Worth mentioning again. This doesn't seem like a very carefully curated list, so I expect there to be a lot more options.
49 Comments
AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space · 32 pts · 1y
Spotify are not a “big tech incumbent”?
Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 1y
What? They absolutely are lmfao, they absolutely dominate the industry in casual music listeners.
Oh I see what you meant... 🤦♂️
SatyrSack@feddit.org · 1 pts · 1y
Definitely not FAANG or MANGA or whatever we're calling it now.
cazzmaniandevil@discuss.tchncs.de · 17 pts · 1y
Bandcamp is US owned, but still worth mentioning I think because of their commitment to high revenue sharing, about 80-82% goes directly to the artists. They have custom playlists, and offer high quality formats as well.
If the goal is a quality product and an ethical approach to supporting artists I'm not dead set on only using European alternatives
sykael@startrek.website · 9 pts · 1y
They also have Bandcamp Fridays, where 100% of the revenues go to the artist. Personally I always wait till those days to buy music on there
SatyrSack@feddit.org · 5 pts · 1y
May be worth mentioning that it's not every Friday that this happens. I was under the impression that it was, and would have accidentally made a purchase on a random Friday if I had not looked further into it because I wanted to check which time zone was used for the cutoff.
The remaining 2025 dates:
https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/bandcamp-fridays
sykael@startrek.website · 1 pts · 1y
That is entirely true, sorry if my previous comment was ambiguously worded.
ClassyHatter@sopuli.xyz · 16 pts · 1y
Qobuz also sells DRM free files in both high resolution and lossy file formats. https://help.qobuz.com/en/articles/10167-what-are-the-different-audio-formats-available-for-download
Phoenix3875@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 1y
For Quboz, there's also an option to buy albums or single tracks. You can just download the DRM-free high-res audio files.
person1@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
who gives a fuck if they dont sell in EU
yigruzeltil@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
They sell in some countries of the EU, but yeah, they don't serve the entire EU.
person1@lemm.ee · 0 pts · 1y
then i submit they dont belong in this thread
person1@lemm.ee · 8 pts · 1y
Qobuz is unavailable in Poland. So much for being European.
MigratingApe@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 0 pts · 1y
Additionally, Spotify highest quality, while not perfect for nitpickers, is actually totally fine and good enough for 99% of audio equipment used by consumers. If you play your FLACs through wireless headphones… oh boy you have some learning to do.
mikter@lemm.ee · 7 pts · 1y
I'm using Rokk for somedays now. It's a new Provider from Germany, specialy for Metal and Rock Music.
https://rokk.app/for-fans/
You can try it a month for free.
unsettlinglymoist@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y
UndergroundGoblin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 1y
True. I think Qobuz is only good for people who already know what they want to listen to or are willing to wade through public playlists. Don't expect to to get recommendations like Spotify or Tidal does...
Nighed@feddit.uk · 2 pts · 1y
I mean Spotifies recommendations haven't worked out the concept of an instrumental playlist yet....
khabba@feddit.nl · 1 pts · 1y
I don't completely agree. Qobuz has curated album pics picked by their critics. I have discovered some pretty good artists that way and it brings me out of my music bubble to try new things. The latest album of Etienne de crecy or the one from Gabi Hartmann were both recommended and they are amazing.
tobifant@friendica.tf-translate.net · 0 pts · 1y
@UndergroundGoblin @unsettlinglymoist Isn't it one of the reasons for switching away from US BigTech to escape from AI generated influence?
UndergroundGoblin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 8 pts · 1y
Im fine with AI/Algorithm generated recommendations. What I dont want are AI generated tracks.
slaneesh_is_right@lemmy.org · 3 pts · 1y
AI is auch a buzzword that became meaningless. Before it was just called algorithm
koehntopp@infosec.exchange · 2 pts · 1y
slaneesh_is_right@lemmy.org · 2 pts · 1y
I was never a fan of a computer telling me what i might like. But i'm listening to music for 6 to 10 hours every single day for decades now. I can't contain my music knowledge anymore, and to not get bored i need some: if youblike this you might like that. But also they are very wrong 99% of the time. But i still crave that 1% that is a banger and might have never found.
towerful@programming.dev · 2 pts · 1y
Discovering a new artist or album is great.
Tidals personalised daily discovery and weekly new releases are fantastic for this, much better than anything I can remember on spotify. Their "mixes for you" are also decent.
I haven't tried qobuz yet
unsettlinglymoist@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 1y
Did qobuz by now implement a way to check their catalogue without agreeing to an abo?
I won't switch to a company that obfuscates their offer behind a paywall.
yigruzeltil@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
Their catalogue isn't visible even if you are in a supported country? Ouch. I hate how Qobuz keeps coming up in these threads, but they still don't serve even Eastern Europe, let alone Global South countries - I don't want to listen just to classical and jazz.
Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 1y
Correct - I wanted to compare my Spotify playlists with the alternatives but qobuz wants a credit card before allowing you to check their offer... Won't do that.
tetris11@feddit.uk · 6 pts · 1y
I don't get it, why doesn't Torrents, the largest of the group, not simply eat all the other music services?
lime@feddit.nu · 2 pts · 1y
they did, that's why spotify won
tetris11@feddit.uk · 1 pts · 1y
I did not know it had finished eating
yigruzeltil@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
Without Spotify, many Europeans will go back to piracy.
tantalizer@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 1y
chuso@fedia.io · 3 pts · 1y
And Deezer is French. Both are listed outside the non-US owned circle but marked as options to boycott the US. The chart is wrong.
Gibibit@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Yeah idk how someone can make that mistake. Its listed on their about page and Wikipedia.
DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org · 1 pts · 1y
I don't know if this works for others, but when I log out of Soundcloud I never get ads. HTH!
Krusty@feddit.it · 5 pts · 1y
I would also add Mirlo (https://mirlo.space/pages/about) Even if US based they are a coop (the company is managed by its members), and "allows for direct and ongoing support of artists. It’s different from other crowdfunding platforms because it:
UndergroundGoblin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 1y
I switched to Qobuz today. I used to use Tidal because I wanted to be able to get the best possible quality from a streaming service, and I wasn't happy with the way Spotify pays the artists. But after Trump got elected and turned the world upside down, I kicked every US services out of my portfolio.
Qobuz feels quiet clunky, and the desktop application lacks some basic functionalitys, but overall I think it's a good alternative.
HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 1y
I can also recommend soundiiz for transferring between them (its in that useful resources note in bottom right corner). I paid $5 for 1 month but was a few years ago
jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de · 6 pts · 1y
Qobuz includes a soundiiz subscription to allow you to transfer your playlists and favourites from other services.
j4yt33@feddit.org · 5 pts · 1y
Deezer has hi-res audio
rooroo@feddit.org · 3 pts · 1y
Honestly another circle with “pays artists less shit than others” or “pays small artists at least partially” would be good. Fuck Spotify.
boonhet@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y
Lol at Spotify being one to consider over Apple Music when it has way more market share
Sanctus@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
I'm sorry but I've downloaded Symphony and have abandoned music streaming altogether.
Gibibit@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
For some reason listed all the way in the corner, I used to love Bandcamp but they are US based sadly. Always thought of them as the good guys but they are owned by Epic now so who cares. The French Qobuz should be a good alternative for buying DRM free albums, haven't tried them yet though.
People give Spotify shit for paying artists awfully, does anyone know if this is better for Qobuz? I feel like revenue is always going to turn out bad when you're not buying any albums. €15 per month for 2x access is just not that much over a few hundred listens.
Also like someone pointed out Soundcloud is German. Worth mentioning again. This doesn't seem like a very carefully curated list, so I expect there to be a lot more options.
excess0680@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Epic divested itself of Bandcamp last year. I’ll continue supporting artists that way
Nighed@feddit.uk · 3 pts · 1y
https://community.qobuz.com/press-en/qobuz-unveils-its-average-payout-per-stream
UndergroundGoblin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 1y
TL;DR: 0.01873$ per stream.
small44@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Deezwr gives bonuses to bigger artists it's really unfair
cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 1y
not listed but for those who also like classical, idagio is based in germany
Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
Listing yt music first?
I don't know anyone irl that uses it, Spotify and Apple Music are definitely larger
nao@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 1y
I don't know of anyone using apple music