I Tried Apple Music and All I Got Was This Earworm

If a short family member you love has been wanting to hear Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” over and over (and over) again, then boy, has Apple Music got a deal for you.  After nearly a month using the new streaming service, though, I’m not sure how much else it has to offer.

I’ve been dipping into the free versions of Spotify and Pandora for years, but I’ve never taken the plunge into a full-on streaming subscription. Then Apple offered a free trial of its new service, and I thought, “Why not see what all the fuss is about?”

After several weeks, I’m not disappointed. More like… unmoved.

Streaming Startups

The initial signup was quick, and Apple Music made the inevitable “What do you like?” process fun. I couldn’t help but smile as I tapped music styles and artists I liked.

The service responded well to my choices, too. Within five minutes of signing up, I was looking at offerings from Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Dire Straits and more.

Everything on the screen was music I wanted to hear. In many cases, it was music I haven’t heard in years, having abandoned many of my favorite albums when I tossed my cassette collection a decade ago.

Over the first few days of the service, I tried out some playlists. I listened to albums that I hadn’t heard in a long time, such as Springsteen’s Live 1975-85.

This was a seminal album for me. It was one of my dad’s first CD purchases. I spent hours copying it to tape and listened to it over and over again in high school and college. I’ve been meaning to buy my own copy for years, but Apple Music lowered the barrier by putting it right in front of me. Just hit Play, and rediscover.

But the reality is that three weeks later, I don’t hit Play very often. I love music, but I don’t actively listen to it. Most of my audio entertainment comes from podcasts and baseball streams, and when I do listen to music, it’s in the car, to newer artists stored on my iPod.

It’s Not You, Apple Music, It’s Me?

Is this really Apple’s fault? The Apple Music interface is engaging and pleasant to use. Ten dollars a month would be a great deal if I were streaming songs more than once every few days. But I don’t seem to be building up a habit of listening. There’s nothing compelling about the experience.

Maybe after three audio revolutions, I’m tapped out. I made it from cassettes to CDs to MP3s, but streaming seems to be the end of the line. This time the new technology is not changing the way I listen.

I may not be the only one. There are reasonable reports saying that 10 million people have adopted Apple Music in the last month. That’s a good start, but the jury’s still out on how many will stay after the free trial, and tens of millions of iOS8 users haven’t even tried out the service yet. When you consider Apple’s customer base, 10 million users just isn’t what it used to be.

Or maybe it is just me. After all, I like Taylor Swift just fine, but it’s my daughters who demand her songs. Their entertainment consumption preferences aren’t fully formed yet, and streaming services like Apple Music and Youtube may be their default.

If so, good luck to both them and Apple Music. I’ll be in the Goodwill store, asking if they still have my cassette of Hunting High and Low.