Spotify vs Apple Music: Endless Quest for Finding New Music

I work remotely with my laptop almost every day, usually in public places — cafés, libraries, anywhere.

Music helps me stay focused, so I’ve got headphones on constantly. But too often, instead of working, I’m skipping track after track, trying to find something that fits.

That’s the real problem: finding new music I actually like, fast - something I can build into a go-to playlist that keeps me in the zone without constant distractions.

For the past few years, I’ve been using Apple Music, and while it worked for me, the recommendations just didn’t land as often as I'd like to. I heard many times before how good Spotify's algorithm is, but I wasn’t convinced until a close friend switched to Spotify from Apple Music. That was the tipping point for me. Luckily I got 2 month free trial, so it was a perfect moment to finally try it.

In this article I’ll share my experience trying to find new tracks, what worked, what didn’t, and why Spotify’s algorithm didn’t live up to the hype, while Apple Music quietly kept doing a better job.

If you’ve found better ways to navigate Spotify or Apple Music, hit me up, I’m happy to update this post with your suggestions.

Starting Fresh on Spotify: First Impressions

Excited to test Spotify’s famous algorithm, I added some of my current favorite songs from Apple Music. Since my account was brand new, I didn’t have any personalized playlists yet, so I used the “Go to Radio” feature — basically a playlist of similar tracks based on a single song.

Right away, I noticed Spotify’s "Go to Radio" leaned heavily on songs by the same artist, sprinkling in similar tracks here and there. For me it quickly ended up repetitive and boring. Apple Music, in contrast, created stations with a balanced mix, regularly introducing me to new artists and with better style variations.

Spotify’s Radio vs Apple’s Stations

Apple’s "Create Station" were consistently better at surfacing hidden gems. Spotify’s "Go to Radio", on the other hand, came off as stale, they prioritized tracks from the target artist, along with a few very similar songs from other artists.

That said, I still managed to discover a few interesting tracks through Spotify’s radio feature.

My verdict? Apple clearly wins here for variety and freshness.

The Reality of Personalized Playlists

After testing Spotify’s radio, I was hoping their personalized playlists would finally show me what the algorithm could really do.

After a week, Spotify unlocked its personalized mixes. I was hyped, I’d heard a lot about them. But my expectations didn’t really materialize.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I started out by adding some of my favorite electronic tracks, mostly in the EDM space, to help shape my recommendations. But the playlists mostly came across as generic algorithm filler, uninspired EDM tracks or predictable dubstep beats.

I kept disliking the songs that didn’t fit and saving the ones that did. I repeated this daily, hoping it would finally get it. But even after two months, it just didn’t deliver.

Sure, Spotify has tons of public playlists, but I didn’t want mood-based or editorial lists shaping my listener profile. I wanted recommendations based on the music I already know I love.

I expected a slow build toward something tailored, but it never really clicked.

Apple Music’s Hidden Advantage

The main source of fresh new music for me is Apple Music’s "Discovery Station". It’s an amazing feature where every track is new with no repeats, consistently offering opportunities to discover something great. It’s not perfect, but the chances of stumbling onto something good were much higher.

Spotify offers something similar with an AI DJ feature, complete with an AI voice introducing tracks. Honestly, it felt pretty cringe, I just wanted to hear music, not commentary or interruptions.

Apple’s New Music Mix every Friday was another source. I would skim through the playlist to find any gems, and once in a while, it delivered multiple surprisingly good songs.

I rarely use Apple’s mood mixes like Chill, Get Up, or Favourites, because they included songs I’ve already heard.

While not flawless, Apple still gave me more chances to find something worth adding. It’s the kind of seamless discovery I kept hoping Spotify would figure out, but it never quite got there.

Conclusion: Why I Stuck with Apple

After two months, I ended my Spotify trial. Despite Apple Music’s imperfections, it delivered more novelty and less filler for the way I listen.

That said, I don’t think Spotify is inherently bad, I want to be proven wrong. If you have any tips for discovering music on Spotify or Apple Music in smarter ways, message me on Instagram. I’m always open to learning.

I’ll keep updating this article as I find new methods or tools to simplify the frustrating experience of discovering great music.

Your suggestions are always welcome!