The more I used YouTube Music, the more I realized just how limited Spotify’s recommendations were.
For years, I swore by Spotify for music discovery. Why not, when almost everyone says it has the ‘best music discovery algorithm’?
Over time, though, I grew tired of the repetitive recommendations and their bias toward popular artists. So, I decided to give YouTube Music a shot.
After a few months, I realized it was recommending songs that were somehow more “me” than anything Spotify had ever offered. It turns out, YouTube Music’s algorithm wasn’t just good; it was smarter.
YouTube Music Knows What I Want Before I Do
My first real surprise with YouTube Music came after trying its Discover Mix. After years of using Spotify’s Discover Weekly, I’d gotten used to its hit-or-miss recommendations. But, this time, something clicked as the mix served up exactly what I needed.
How did it do that?
The key lies in how YouTube Music uses Google’s expertise in AI.
It doesn’t just focus on the usual signals like artist, genre, or popularity. Instead, it digs deeper into the little things like the song’s energy and tempo, the instruments used, and even the emotional tone of the tracks.
YouTube’s algorithm also links my music choices with my YouTube search and watch history. This helps it make smarter recommendations by spotting patterns in what I like, beyond just the YouTube Music platform.
In contrast, Spotify’s approach feels more… basic.
It tends to stick to genre boxes, which can make recommendations feel repetitive. Yes, it might recommend different artists within a genre, but that’s usually just how far it goes.
Basically, it’s as if Spotify knows what I listen to, but YouTube Music knows why I listen to it.
YouTube Music Gave Me New Favorites That Spotify Missed
When I started using YouTube Music, I was surprised at how quickly it introduced me to artists I’d never heard of but instantly liked. And I’m not just talking about new releases or trendy hits.
That’s the beauty of YouTube Music’s approach.
While Spotify tends to focus on trending artists and popular hits, YouTube Music isn’t afraid to go off the beaten path.
With Google’s extensive data pool, it digs deeper into YouTube’s massive library, pulling out obscure live performances, fan covers, and hidden B-sides.
As such, it can surprise me with tracks I didn’t even know I wanted to hear. And, that’s what keeps my playlists feeling fresh and exciting.
YouTube Music Lets Me Fine-Tune My Recommendations
Unlike Spotify, which mostly relies on passive signals like likes or dislikes, YouTube Music lets me adjust my preferences actively.
With Music Tuner (A.K.A. Create a radio), I can fully customize my radio experience. I can control the variety of artists and even apply filters like tempo, popularity, and mood to personalize it more.
I also love that I can shape my “Up Next” queue to match exactly what I want to hear after playing any song. If I’m loving the current vibe, I can tell the algorithm to keep it going. If I want to explore something different, I can nudge it in a new direction.
The system also learns quickly from my actions.
The best part? Any playlist the algorithm creates can be saved with one tap. And, I’ve built quite a collection of perfectly tailored mixes this way.
In comparison, Spotify doesn’t offer the same flexibility. Sure, I can like or skip songs, but that’s about it. Plus, even when I blocked artists I don’t like on Spotify, they sometimes sneaked back into my playlists, which is a huge headache!
Why I’m Sticking With YouTube Music for Music Discovery
After months of using both platforms, what started as a curious experiment has turned into a clear choice. YouTube Music has completely changed how I discover new music, and there’s no going back to my Spotify days.
One thing that really stands out is how responsive YouTube Music is to my actions.
If I skip a song, add it to a playlist, or give it a thumbs up, the algorithm takes note and immediately reflects that in future recommendations.
This makes it feel like the platform is genuinely learning with me.
The more feedback I give, the better it gets at predicting what I want to hear.
Spotify’s trying to catch up with features like AI DJ, but they still feel more like fun gimmicks than useful tools. Their suggestions often loop back to the same popular tracks, while YouTube Music consistently serves up fresh discoveries that feel personally picked for me.
It’s not like it’s perfect. Sometimes it misses the mark completely by suggesting songs I’ve already heard or repeating tracks more often than I’d like. The UI could definitely use some work too.
But, these hiccups are fairly rare compared to when I used Spotify.