Hey there! As an avid music lover and streaming service user myself, I know how confusing it can be to figure out exactly what you get with a Prime membership when it comes to music. You‘re not alone in wondering: is Prime Music really free for Prime subscribers?
The short answer is yes – you get access to Prime Music at no extra charge beyond the cost of a Prime membership. But there are some important details and limitations to understand. Stick with me for a few minutes and I‘ll explain everything you need to know about what‘s included with Prime Music, how it compares to other paid music services, whether it‘s worth it for you, and tips to get the most out of it!
Here‘s what you get with Prime Music:
With a Prime membership, which costs $14.99/month or $139/year, you automatically get access to stream over 100 million songs ad-free through Prime Music. It‘s not a separate subscription – the music streaming comes bundled as one of the Prime perks.
Specifically, here‘s what you can enjoy with Prime Music:
- 100+ million songs, including new hits and classic tunes from major labels like Universal, Sony, and Warner
- Thousands of expertly curated playlists for activities, moods, and genres
- Hundreds of Prime Stations for unlimited listening organized by decade, artists, and styles
- New releases from today‘s top artists updated every Friday
- Offline listening – download songs to your device storage to listen without using mobile data
- Hands-free listening on Alexa devices like Echo smart speakers
- Access across your phone, tablet, computer, and Fire TV
So in summary, you‘re getting a solid music catalog, custom playlists, ability to download, and unlimited streaming – all included automatically with a Prime subscription.
But keep in mind Prime Music does have some limits…
While Prime Music gives you ad-free access to over 100 million songs, it‘s not completely unlimited like Spotify Premium or Apple Music. Here are some of the restrictions to be aware of:
- You can only skip or replay songs a limited number of times per hour
- Entire catalog downloads are not included – you can download playlists but not every song
- Bitrate maxes out at 256kbps – not full HD quality
Plus, you can only use Prime Music as long as you stay an active Prime member. If you cancel Prime, you lose access.
So while it‘s "free" streaming included with Prime, it‘s a bit more limited compared to the full paid versions of Spotify, Apple Music, etc. For casual listening it works great, but heavy music streamers may want more.
How does Prime Music compare?
To put the Prime Music library and features into perspective, let‘s compare it to some other popular music streaming options:
Prime Music | Spotify Premium | Apple Music | |
---|---|---|---|
Monthly price | $0 with Prime | $9.99 | $9.99 |
Catalog size | 100+ million | 80+ million | 90+ million |
Bitrate quality | 256kbps | 320kbps | 256kbps |
Offline listening | Limited downloads | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Ad-free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Music discovery | Playlists & stations | Playlists, radio, recommendations | Playlists, radio, recommendations |
As you can see, Prime Music holds its own in terms of song catalog size and core functionality. But Spotify Premium and Apple Music do offer fully unlimited, high-quality, ad-free listening with more robust music discovery features.
However, you‘d have to pay an extra $9.99/month for those services on top of the $14.99 Prime membership fee. So Prime Music provides a solid compromise if you‘re looking to save money.
Should you upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited?
Now, if you‘re really into music streaming and want access to more features, songs, and quality, Amazon does offer a premium tier called Amazon Music Unlimited.
Here‘s what you get if you upgrade:
- Over 100 million songs in HD quality (up to 850 kbps bitrate)
- Millions of songs in Ultra HD (up to 3730 kbps)
- Unlimited skips and replays
- Unlimited downloads for offline listening
- 3D Audio and Podcasts
- Live streams and concerts
For Prime members, Music Unlimited costs just $9.99/month, so it‘s very competitively priced with other premium services. This removes all the Prime Music limits for true high-quality, unlimited ad-free listening.
But, you don‘t get Music Unlimited automatically – it‘s an optional paid upgrade on top of Prime. So you have to decide if unlimited access is worth paying extra, or if you‘re satisfied with what Prime Music offers for free.
The bottom line: is Prime Music worth it?
At the end of the day, whether Prime Music is "worth it" really depends on your listening habits and budget.
If you‘re a casual music fan who just likes having some tunes on in the background, Prime Music should give you plenty of variety without any extra fees. The included catalog covers all the major pop hits and classic songs most people want to hear on a regular basis.
But for serious music lovers who stream for several hours a day, having unlimited downloads, song choice, and high bitrate quality is essential. In that case, a full paid subscription to Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music Unlimited is likely the better option.
According to a Forrester consumer survey, 46% of music streamers say songs not being available is one of the most frustrating aspects of music apps. So a limited catalog may be annoying to heavy listeners.
However, 55% also say they wish they could get access to more music for free. And that‘s exactly what Prime Music provides – a free, if not completely unlimited, way to stream from a catalog of over 100 million songs.
So weigh your own listening habits and budget to decide if Prime Music meets your needs, or if paying extra for full unlimited access is worthwhile for you. Either way, it‘s great to have options!
Tips for using Prime Music
If you‘re excited to start using your free Prime Music streaming, here are some tips to take full advantage:
Use the Browse tab to see New Releases, browse Prime Playlists, Stations, content by genre, and more. This makes discovering new tunes easy!
Check the Home tab for personalized recommendations updated daily based on what you‘ve been listening to. It‘s a great way to find music similar to your favorites.
Download Prime Playlists to your smartphone for ad-free listening offline when you don‘t have signal. It saves mobile data too!
Listen hands-free on Echo devices by enabling the Amazon Music skill in the Alexa app and asking Alexa to play songs, playlists, stations, etc.
Create your own playlists to collect your favorite songs and albums in one place. Building custom playlists is a fun way to use Prime Music as your own personal jukebox.
Get access across all your devices by downloading the Amazon Music app on your phone, tablet, computer, and by using the Fire TV app. Stream anywhere!
Don‘t forget about Voice Search – you can ask Alexa or the mobile app to play any song, artist, or genre with just your voice. Super convenient!
I hope this breakdown gives you a better understanding of what you get with Prime Music compared to other options. The free streaming is a nice bonus that adds even more value to a Prime membership. But you have the flexibility to upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited anytime if you want more.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help explain more about how music streaming works so you can enjoy endless tunes. Talk soon!