Apple Music vs. Netflix

I updated to iOS 8.4 and iTunes 12.2 today and have been trying out my 3-month trial subscription to Apple Music.

I have not even had a day with the service but here are my initial thoughts. I must preface this by saying that I do not use another streaming music service. I tried out the free iTunes Radio, but usually just listen to my own music.

I do like what I hear—quite literally, as I am listening to fresh music from my favorite artists—but today I get to enjoy the service without any cost to me. Three months from now… on September 30, will I cancel or renew the subscription? At $9.99/month, the price is comparable to Netflix’s monthly subscription cost. As I have a fixed disposable income, I feel this is the fairest comparison of services; they are both streaming media services.

One might say this is an unfair comparison because streaming music is different from streaming video. I agree they are different.

I don’t know about other people, but when I use Netflix, I sit or lay down, select the next episode or a movie from My List and watch. While I may let the next episode play, and then the next episode play, and so on, when I am done watching, I hit stop and go do something else (or go to bed). I don’t do anything while watching, and I don’t watch while do anything else. In one sitting, I will hit stop on Netflix just once, when I am done.

Music is different. I hit play, and I go to work. Whether it be cleaning my room, reading my email, designing a logo, or developing a website, I never just listen to music. If I go into another room, eat lunch, go to the bathroom, etc. I hit stop (or pause). When I am working on something that requires a little extra concentration, I hit stop. I do this enough, and I forget to hit play. I may go days before I realize that it is silent and I would like to listen to some music. I know other people have the play button as part of their routine and do not work well in silence. But I can.

With this is mind, at least at this point in time, I cannot justify pulling the plug on Netflix in order to pay for Apple Music. I will continue the trial, at least until I forget to hit play, and we’ll see what happens. But in the matchup of Apple Music vs. Netflix, I lean towards Netflix. And when it comes to productivity, silence without any interruptions wins the day.

How do you listen to music? What do you think of Apple Music? Let me know in the comments below.