Where can I get music for my Android phone?
Android phones are one of the most popular smartphone platforms, capturing over 70% market share worldwide as of Q4 2021 according to Statista. With their advanced capabilities and integration with Google services, Android phones have become the device of choice for streaming music on-the-go.
Music streaming services allow users to listen to vast libraries of songs and albums via internet streaming, without having to purchase or download individual tracks or albums. According to Business of Apps, the global music streaming market was worth $26.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 14.7% to reach $54.8 billion by 2026. The top platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music have tens of millions of paid subscribers, showing the popularity of music streaming.
With portable, always-connected Android devices and massive catalogs available via streaming services, it’s no wonder Android users are flocking to streaming platforms to access music on-the-go.
Google Play Music
Google Play Music comes preinstalled on most Android devices and offers both music streaming and download options. Users can access over 50 million songs and upload up to 50,000 of their own music files to the cloud from their desktop. Google Play Music makes it easy to create playlists and get recommendations for new music based on your listening history.
Subscriptions to Google Play Music provide ad-free access across devices and the ability to save music for offline listening. Individual plans cost $9.99 per month, while family plans for up to 6 people cost $14.99 per month. Google Play Music subscriptions also include YouTube Music Premium access.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is YouTube’s official on-demand music streaming service and app. It allows you to stream both music videos and audio-only tracks from YouTube’s catalog of over 80 million official songs.
With a YouTube Music subscription, you gain access to features like:
- Ad-free music listening
- Background play
- Offline downloads for listening without an internet connection
- Personalized recommendations based on your listening history and likes
- Unlimited skips and song replay
- High-quality audio
You can also create playlists, radio stations based on artists, and find new music through smart search and tailored playlists. As a YouTube service, it makes it easy to switch between a song’s music video and its audio track.
YouTube Music offers both free ad-supported and paid subscription options. The paid YouTube Music Premium subscription is available for $9.99/month for individuals or $14.99/month for families. There is also a 1-month free trial available. YouTube Music is available as a mobile and desktop app on Android, iOS, and on the web.
Spotify
Spotify is currently the most popular music streaming service overall, with over 80 million ad-supported users and 60 million paying subscribers as of 2022 (Source). The Spotify app for Android allows you to stream millions of songs and podcasts, and offers several key features:
Download songs for offline listening – Premium subscribers can download tracks, albums, and playlists to their device to listen when offline. This is useful for when you have limited data or will be somewhere without an internet connection.
Share and follow playlists – Easily share your own playlists as well as follow playlists curated by Spotify’s editors and other users. Discover new music through Spotify’s personalized recommendations.
Paid subscriptions – Spotify offers ad-free listening and advanced features for $9.99/month for an individual plan. There is also a discounted student plan and family plans available.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music provides access to over 100 million songs and thousands of expertly crafted playlists and stations for Android users with an Amazon Prime subscription. Prime members can download songs, playlists, and podcasts for offline listening without any limits (source: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GW3PHAUCZM8L7W9L).
Amazon Music’s mobile app for Android allows Prime members to download music to their device for offline listening anytime, anywhere. Downloads are automatically saved to your library and users can select download quality to save storage space (source: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-com-Amazon-Music-Android/dp/B004FRX0MY). The app creates customized playlists and stations based on your listening habits and gives recommendations for new music to discover.
Amazon Prime costs $139 per year or $14.99 per month. This subscription provides full access to Amazon Music at no extra cost. Non-Prime members can sign up for Amazon Music Unlimited for $9.99 per month to access the full music catalog on-demand (source: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.mp3&hl=en_US&gl=US).
Pandora
Pandora is an internet radio service that creates personalized music stations based on a song, artist, or genre you enter. The free version of Pandora plays songs interspersed with audio ads. However, you can upgrade to Pandora Premium to listen ad-free and add on-demand playback features.
With Pandora Premium, you can download songs offline to listen when you don’t have an internet connection. Downloads are available on up to 4 different devices. Pandora Premium costs $9.99 per month for individuals or $14.99 for a family plan with 6 accounts.
Pandora is available for download on the Google Play store. The app works on Android 7.0 and higher.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a popular music streaming service that lets you stream and share user-uploaded music from both emerging and established artists. Some key features of SoundCloud include:
– Stream over 200 million tracks from artists around the world like Drake, Post Malone, Billie Eilish, and more. Discover new artists and songs before they get big.
– Upload your own tracks and share them with the SoundCloud community. Get feedback and connect directly with your fans.
– Create playlists, like tracks, and follow artists so SoundCloud can recommend music you’ll love.
– Listen for free with ads, or subscribe to SoundCloud Go+ for $9.99/month to listen ad-free and offline. SoundCloud Go at $4.99/month provides offline listening but still has ads.
For more details on SoundCloud’s features, visit their website at https://help.soundcloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003454807-How-does-SoundCloud-work or their Google Play app page at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.soundcloud.android&hl=en_US&gl=US.
Downloading MP3s
One way to get music on your Android phone is by downloading MP3 files directly to the device. Here are some tips for legally obtaining MP3s and managing them on your phone:
You can purchase MP3s from stores like Google Play Music or Amazon Music. Purchasing them allows you to legally download the files to your phone.
Another option is to transfer MP3 files you already own from your computer to your Android device. You can connect your phone via USB cable and transfer files using Android’s file manager. Or you can upload files to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox and then access them on your phone.
To organize your downloaded MP3 files, use Android’s built-in music player app or download a third party app like Simple Music Player. These apps allow you to browse, play, and manage your music library.
The benefit of having MP3 files directly on your device is you can listen to music even when offline. Just be sure not to violate any copyright laws when downloading MP3s.
Local Files and Offline Listening
One of the best ways to get music on your Android device for offline listening is by transferring local music files that you already have on your computer. There are a couple ways to do this:
Use a USB cable to connect your Android device to your computer. You can then drag and drop music files into the music folder on your Android. This will allow you to listen to the local files using your Android’s built-in music player app even when you don’t have an internet connection.
You can also transfer music files wirelessly using cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox. First upload the files from your computer to the cloud storage. Then on your Android device, download the files from the cloud storage app. The files will be available in the music player app for offline listening.
Another option is to use offline mode in streaming apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, etc. This allows you to select songs, albums, or playlists to download directly within the app so you can listen offline. Just remember to connect to WiFi periodically to download new content.1
The advantage of transferring your own local music files is you don’t have to worry about subscriptions or limited libraries. And Android’s built-in music player allows listening to these offline files seamlessly.
Conclusion
There are many great options for getting music on your Android device. Streaming services like Google Play Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora offer unlimited access to millions of songs that you can listen to anywhere. While convenient, streaming does require an internet connection. Downloading MP3s allows you to own your music collection and listen offline.
With most services, you can create playlists and customize your music experience by liking songs to improve recommendations. This is great for discovering new artists and genres tailored just for you. So whether you prefer the simplicity of streaming or want to own your music library, there are plenty of ways to get the tunes you love on your Android phone.