I've been a Spotify subscriber for over 10 years, but I'm ditching it for Apple Music in 2026 – here's why

I'm not sure exactly when I signed up for Spotify, but according to my email archive, it's been at least 10 years – and quite possibly much longer than that (the music streaming service launched in the UK in 2009). Honestly, I've loved it, and having access to a catalog of tens of millions of songs has transformed how I listen to music, along with many others.

However, with a new year audit of my many, many digital subscriptions imminent, I'm ready to return to my first digital music love: Apple Music (or iTunes, as it used to be). There's one main reason and several secondary reasons why I'm making the switch as I'll get into here.

If you're weighing up your own relationship to the best music streaming services then you might find this perspective helpful – especially if ...