This is a comparison of online music storage services (Cloud Music Services), Internet services that allow uploads of personally owned or licensed music to the cloud for listening on multiple devices. [1]
Previously, there were three large services—Amazon Music, Apple's iTunes Match, and YouTube Music [2] —each incorporating an online music store (see comparison), with purchased songs from the associated music store not counting toward storage limits. Other than additional storage space, the main additional feature provided with an annual fee by Apple (and formerly Amazon.com) was "scan-and-match", which examined music files on a computer and added a copy of matched tracks to the user's music locker without having to upload the files. Google provided both a large amount of storage space and the scan-and-match feature at no cost.
Amazon was the first of the initially-significant players to launch their cloud music locker service, in late March 2011, and the first to discontinue it, on 30 April 2018. [3] Amazon Music launched without obtaining any new music streaming licenses, which upset the major record labels. [4] Amazon eventually negotiated licenses before launching scan-and-match.
Google launched their service less than a month and a half after Amazon, also without obtaining any new licenses. [5] Like Amazon, Google eventually negotiated licenses before launching scan-and-match. In 2018, Google announced a transition from Google Play Music to YouTube Music, [6] and in May, 2020, Google had created a transfer tool to migrate added albums, uploads, history, and playlists. [7] On October 22, 2020, Google Play Music was discontinued. [8]
Apple was the last of the first three services to launch, which they did on October 12, 2011. However, Apple had negotiated ahead of time with the major record labels for new licenses. Apple's product is the only of the three to remain in operation today (see iTunes Match, below).
For streaming services where a person is unable to upload their own music, but is limited to music provided by the service, such as Pandora Radio and Spotify, see Comparison of on-demand streaming music services. See that article also for information on subscription streaming services provided by four of the companies below (Google Play Music All Access, Apple's Apple Music, Amazon's Prime Music, and Microsoft's Groove Music Pass).
| MusicSync | Media Leap | YouTube Music | iBroadcast | iTunes Match | VOX Music Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner: | MusicSync LLC | Media Leap Inc. | YouTube LLC (Google LLC) | iBroadcast Media, LLC | Apple Inc. | Coppertino Inc. |
| Launch date: | 2020-10-25 | 2020-12-11 | 2015-11-12 | 2012-06-15 [9] | 2011-10-12 | 2015-04-15 [10] |
| Currently Available: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Web Client: | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Windows Client: | No | No | No | Yes | No | In beta |
| Android App: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| iOS App: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes [11] | Yes | |
| Other listening platforms: | Chromecast, | Google Home, Sonos, Chromecast, Android TV, Android Auto | Apple TV, other AirPlay | macOS, Apple TV via AirPlay, Chromecast, Sonos [12] | ||
| Upload software: | Web browser and via Google Drive client | Web browser, in-app upload | Web browser [13] | Windows, macOS, Linux, Web browser | Windows, macOS | VOX Player for Mac, Web browser |
| Music Format: | MP3, MP4/M4A/ALAC/AAC, OGG, OPUS, WMA, FLAC, WAV, APE, WV, TTA, MPC, AIFF, DSD (DFF/DSF), MKA, MPGA, TAK, FLV | MP3, OGG, FLAC . | AAC [14] | AAC, FLAC, MKA, MP3, OGG, PCM | AAC, MP3 | AAC, AIFF, ALAC, APE, FLAC, M4A, MP3, OGG, WAV, WMA |
| Filetypes matched: | MP3, MP4/M4A/ALAC/AAC, OGG, OPUS, WMA, FLAC, WAV, APE, WV, TTA, MPC, AIFF, DSD (DFF/DSF), MKA, MPGA, TAK, FLV | None | None [15] | None | AAC, AIFF, ALAC, MP3, WAV | None |
| Filetypes transcoded: | None | None | FLAC, M4A, MP3, OGG, WMA | AIFF, ALAC, WAV | None | |
| Maximum file size: | No Limit | No Limit | 300 MB | 200 MB or 2 hours [16] | 250 MB [17] | |
| Free Bitrate: | Original Quality | Original Quality | 256 kbit/s [13] | 128 kbit/s [18] | None | None |
| Premium Bitrate: | Original Quality | Original Quality | 256 kbit/s | 320 kbit/s or Original [19] | 256 kbit/s | Original Quality |
| Free Storage: [lower-alpha 1] | Limited to Google Drive free plan | 1 TB | Unlimited | Unlimited | None [20] | None [21] |
| Premium Storage: | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100,000 files [lower-alpha 2] [22] | Unlimited | |
| Premium service features: | Unlimited storage | Ads-free, background play, download music offline, use audio-only mode, travel with YouTube Music, shuffle downloads, Apple Carplay & Android Auto compatibility [23] | Higher bitrate streaming, equalizer, Android Auto, Carplay | Custom Equalizer, Download music offline, Carplay, World Radio Stations, BS2B, Gap/Crossfade, Hog Mode, Sync Sample Rate and more premium audio features [24] | ||
| Premium pricing: | Based on Google Drive paid plan [25] | $5 per month | $9.99 per month (YouTube Music Premium) $11.99 per month (YouTube Premium) | Free during Beta, $3.99 per month after launch [19] | Annual fee of $24.99 (US), £21.99 (UK), €24.99 (FR), $39.99 (AU) Included with $9.99 per month Apple Music subscription | $4.99 per month, $49.99 annually (VOX Premium) |
| Premium service countries: | Worldwide | 94 (YouTube Music Premium) [26] 95 (YouTube Premium) [26] | 117 [27] | Worldwide |
A file-hosting service, also known as cloud-storage service, online file-storage provider, or cyberlocker, is an internet hosting service specifically designed to host user files. These services allows users to upload files that can be accessed over the internet after providing a username and password or other authentication. Typically, file hosting services allow HTTP access, and in some cases, FTP access. Other related services include content-displaying hosting services, virtual storage, and remote backup solutions.
The open music model is an economic and technological framework for the recording industry based on research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It predicts that the playback of prerecorded music will be regarded as a service rather than as individually sold products, and that the only system for the digital distribution of music that will be viable against piracy is a subscription-based system supporting file sharing and free of digital rights management. The research also indicated that US$9 per month for unlimited use would be the market clearing price at that time, but recommended $5 per month as the long-term optimal price.
Amazon S3 or Amazon Simple Storage Service is a service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that provides object storage through a web service interface. Amazon S3 uses the same scalable storage infrastructure that Amazon.com uses to run its e-commerce network. Amazon S3 can store any type of object, which allows uses like storage for Internet applications, backups, disaster recovery, data archives, data lakes for analytics, and hybrid cloud storage. AWS launched Amazon S3 in the United States on March 14, 2006, then in Europe in November 2007.
Digital music stores sell copies of digital audio, for example in MP3 and WAV file formats. Unlike music streaming services, which typically charge a monthly subscription fee to stream digital audio, digital music stores download songs to the customer's hard disk drive of their device. The customer will have the copy of the song permanently on their disk, provided the track is not deleted by the customer, the disk does not get physically damaged, or suffers from being corrupted. Major examples of digital music stores include iTunes Store, Amazon Music, Bandcamp and 7digital.
This is a comparison of online backup services.
This is a comparison of file hosting services that are currently active. File hosting services are a particular kind of online file storage; however, various products that are designed for online file storage may not have features or characteristics that others designed for sharing files have.
A digital locker or cyberlocker is an online file or digital media storage service. Files stored include music, videos, movies, games and other media. The term was used by Microsoft as a part of its Windows Marketplace in 2004. By storing files in a digital locker, users are able to access them anywhere they can find internet connections. Most digital locker services require a user to register. Prices range from free to paid, divided according to the complications and strength of the lock.
Ubuntu One is an OpenID-based single sign-on service operated by Canonical Ltd. to allow users to log onto many Canonical-owned Web sites. Until April 2014, Ubuntu One was also a file hosting service and music store that allowed users to store data "in the cloud".
A music streaming service is a type of streaming media service that focuses primarily on music, and sometimes other forms of digital audio content such as podcasts. These services are usually subscription-based services allowing users to stream digital copyright restricted songs on-demand from a centralized library provided by the service. Some services may offer free tiers with limitations, such as advertising and limits on use. They typically incorporate a recommender system to help users discover other songs they may enjoy based on their listening history and other factors, as well as the ability to create and share public playlists with other users.
The Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem was a consortium of major film studios, consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers, networking hardware vendors, systems integrators, and Digital Rights Management (DRM) vendors listed below. The consortium was announced in September 2008 by its president, Mitch Singer, who was also the chief technology officer (CTO) of Sony Pictures Entertainment at the time. DECE was chartered to develop a set of standards for the digital distribution of premium Hollywood content. The consortium created a set of rules and a back-end system for the management of those rules that enabled consumers to share purchased digital content among a domain of registered consumer electronics devices.
A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features, which allows users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a technological convergence of computers, televisions, and digital media players. Besides the traditional functions of television sets provided through traditional broadcasting media, these devices can provide access to over-the-top media services such as streaming television and internet radio, along with home networking access.
iCloud is a cloud service developed by Apple Inc. Launched on October 12, 2011, iCloud enables users to store and sync data across devices, including Apple Mail, Apple Calendar, Apple Photos, Apple Notes, contacts, settings, backups, and files, to collaborate with other users, and track assets through Find My. It is built into iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS and may additionally be accessed through a limited web interface and Windows application.
This is a comparison on mobile operating systems. Only the latest versions are shown in the table below, even though older versions may still be marketed.
Google Play Music was a music and podcast streaming service and an online music locker operated by Google as part of its Google Play line of services. The service was announced on May 10, 2011; after a six-month, invitation-only beta period, it was publicly launched on November 16, 2011 and shut down in December 2020.
The following is a list of on-demand music streaming services. These services offer streaming of full-length content via the Internet as a part of their service, without the listener necessarily having to purchase a file for download. This type of service is somewhat similar to Internet radio. Many of these sites have advertising and offer non-free options in the style of a digital music store.
Qello Holdings is an American-based entertainment company founded in 2010, in New York, by Brian Lisi, Bob Frank, and Richard Johnson. Qello is the parent company of digital streaming service Qello Concerts, and over-the-top content service provider Qello Media Solutions. Qello Concerts is a digital streaming music service specializing in on-demand concert films and music documentaries. In 2016, Qello Concerts added live streaming events and original programming. The company is headquartered in New York City.
The Apple TV app is a line of media player software programs developed by Apple Inc. for viewing television shows and films delivered by Apple to consumer electronic devices. It can stream content from the iTunes Store, the Apple TV Channels a la carte video on demand service, and the Apple TV+ original content subscription service. On iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Apple TV devices it can also index and access content from linked apps of other video on demand services.
Pre-installed iOS apps, referred to in the App Store as 'Built-In Apps', are a suite of mobile applications developed by Apple Inc. which are bundled with iOS and installed by default or through a system update. Many of the default apps found on iOS have counterparts on Apple's other operating systems macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS, which are often modified versions of or similar to the iOS application. As each app is integrated into the operating system itself, they often feature greater support for system features than third-party alternatives and are quick to adapt new features of iOS.
The HomeSync is an Android TV box and home server combo developed by Samsung Mobile. The unit is a full Android Jelly Bean device with a hard drive. While all other connected television units made by Samsung ran Orsay-based Samsung Smart TVs, due to the fact the HomeSync is made by Samsung's mobile division, it ran a skin of Android Jelly Bean. The HomeSync at launch was compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition and Samsung Galaxy Camera. Others may have been supported if they had a protocol called "Samsung Link". The specs are noted to resemble the Ouya video game console minus the hard drive. It was announced in February 2013 at Mobile World Congress. It has been compared to the Apple TV series by Apple, which also integrated with iOS devices, but did not have network storage and cost less. The console features a 50 USD credit for Media Hub when you buy a HomeSync. On December 17, Samsung made most Android devices support the unit by adding it to the Play Store, also widening support of Samsung phones. Shortly before it launched, the store page and manual were available but unable to be bought.
The Amazon Music Storage subscription plans (free and paid) are being retired. Beginning January 15, 2018, no new subscriptions will be accepted.
