[Closed] Spotify - What is it and how does it work?

Other question, if I get a Spotify account, can I access it from different devices ? (yes, luddite Q I'm sure ...)

You can access your account from any device that has Spotify installed.

BUT you must remember to log out if a public device or mates computer. By clicking on your user name in the app it takes you to your account admin page without the need to enter your password again. Bit of a flaw in my opinion.

You can download playlists to 3 devices, but you can only play music on one device at a time.

"You can download playlists to 3 devices, but you can only play music on one device at a time."

Not necessarily true.

My partner and I both use the same account and had a nightly battle when we both tried to use Spotify in each of our cars at the same time each evening. It would keep switching to her choice of music on both devices when she changed tracks, then mine when I wanted to skip.

We found a way around this by enabling the "private " session mode on the App on one or both of the devices. The private mode only lasts for six hours at a time, but means that the device on which you are selecting music to play doesn't notify all other on line devices using the same account.

You can access your account from any device that has Spotify installed.

you can also control it from other devices. i plug the hudl into my hifi, and then control spotify with my phone from across the room - no third party apps needed.

One thing i was mulling over last night.

The 'value' thing - Spotify premium is £120 a year. Which many people think is a rip off, considering you don't 'own' the tunes. The average Sky subscription is apparently around £600 a year (plus license fee) and you don't 'own' that either, but there seems to be less of a perception that this is unreasonable.

Seems like an odd double-standard to me - personally i place more value on music rather than TV anyway. Do most people feel that TV content is more valuable than music?

The 'value' thing - Spotify premium is £120 a year. Which many people think is a rip off, considering you don't 'own' the tunes. The average Sky subscription is apparently around £600 a year (plus license fee) and you don't 'own' that either, but there seems to be less of a perception that this is unreasonable.

Seems like an odd double-standard to me - personally i place more value on music rather than TV anyway. Do most people feel that TV content is more valuable than music?

musics far more important to me than tv (i could do without the telly but wife couldnt) and i spose it just takes a bit of getting used to that its not your music any more, you havent got that 'shelf of vinyl or cd's on display' that define you 🙂

personally i think ill go for the tenner option in the end, ive tried spotify 2 or 3 times and always let it lapse as i didnt get the use, but now im getting the hang of it, if i can get it set up with my phone playing stuff in the car thatll be the deal-breaker 😀

EDIT: question on playlists....
i sat here happily playing my 300 track BBC Playlister on shuffle through my hifi courtesy spotify and adding tracks daily. i cant imagine needing anything more, but i hear playlists are a big part of spotify.
ive looked through my brothers many playlists and ok, i can see why hes got a lot of different ones (shared from other people), but are they only available to him as long as the creator of the playlists is a member?
or if he likes say bob smiths playlist and adds it to his own, does that then become a separate playlist for him to keep no matter what bob smith decides to do with his life? 🙂

"You can download playlists to 3 devices, but you can only play music on one device at a time."

You can run on mobile devices (phones, tablets) completely offline for up to 30 days before it needs to re-validate your account.

So we can both use my account on our phones at the same time (using saved playlists). Just disable internet access for the App in Settings on iOS.

I know about the work-arounds for off-line, but I was trying to keep it simple.

Plus you have to go online to download new tracks, then you forget to switch offline back on, then you start playing in the car and your wifes stream at home switches off - cue sweary text!

So yes you can, but it can be annoying.

You can run on mobile devices (phones, tablets) completely offline for up to 30 days before it needs to re-validate your account.

So we can both use my account on our phones at the same time (using saved playlists). Just disable internet access for the App in Settings on iOS.

I know about the work-arounds for off-line, but I was trying to keep it simple.

Plus you have to go online to download new tracks, then you forget to switch offline back on, then you start playing in the car and your wifes stream at home switches off - cue sweary text!

So yes you can, but it can be annoying.

, i can see why hes got a lot of different ones (shared from other people), but are they only available to him as long as the creator of the playlists is a member?
or if he likes say bob smiths playlist and adds it to his own, does that then become a separate playlist for him to keep no matter what bob smith decides to do with his life?

If Bob Smith cancelled his account, presumably in most cases he would just stop paying for and using his account, it would just sit there and the playlists wouldn't be affected.

But if you were worried that Bob Smith might delete his playlist, you can easily copy all the tracks into a playlist of your own - just CTRL+A and drag them across...

If Bob Smith cancelled his account, presumably in most cases he would just stop paying for and using his account, it would just sit there and the playlists wouldn't be affected.

But if you were worried that Bob Smith might delete his playlist, you can easily copy all the tracks into a playlist of your own - just CTRL+A and drag them across...

just been out to the car and yes indeedy, i can play spotify through the speakers ok, so looking promising. all a bit higgledypiggledy with wires everywhere and not long enough at present, so i need to look at getting some longer cables from ebay or somethings. looking good tho 🙂

EDIT: any idea what the cable that goes from cars aux to phone is called please?

Can you not use Bluetooth in the car?

Can you not use Bluetooth in the car?

It's ruining/ruined music for me. Back in the day, I used to spend hours on the internet, searching out the latest/coolest/most obscure new music.

The satisfaction I used to get when one of "my" songs cropped up on TV or on the Radio; "yeh, I saw these play at the Night and Day Cafe three years ago..."

But now; Spotify has made the obscure easily accessible to your average music bore (you know the type; those whose best ever gig was "The Foo's" at Glastonbury). I often find myself a target for these so called music fans; they'll start a conversation with me...."Hey, I found this well cool band on Spotify last night" - I stop them right there "Err, no you didn't; Spotify gave it to you on a plate!"

It's absolutely shit to be honest. I believe you can't listen to it unless you're connected to the internet either. I personally use Youtube/SoundCloud etc. They're run by the people, for the people. You/anyone else can upload whatever you like, and the comments feature is a great way of finding new music. Plus you can download it so you can listen to it whenever you like.

But now; Spotify has made the obscure easily accessible to your average music bore (you know the type; those whose best ever gig was "The Foo's" at Glastonbury). I often find myself a target for these so called music fans; they'll start a conversation with me...."Hey, I found this well cool band on Spotify last night" - I stop them right there "Err, no you didn't; Spotify gave it to you on a plate!"

don't you just hate it when the plebs start finding good music 😡

But now; Spotify has made the obscure easily accessible to your average music bore (you know the type; those whose best ever gig was "The Foo's" at Glastonbury). I often find myself a target for these so called music fans; they'll start a conversation with me...."Hey, I found this well cool band on Spotify last night" - I stop them right there "Err, no you didn't; Spotify gave it to you on a plate!"

How very dare they! Ooooooh normal people are so annoying!

Youtube...run by the people

You do know that downloading music from youtube and soundcloud is basically piracy?

At least on spotify it's the artist's choice to have music on there, and they do get paid (a miniscule amount, I will admit, but still more than on the radio).

The best way to get Spotify into your stereo is

1/ Buy a Spotify connect amp/media streaming unit
2/ [url= https://gramofon.com/index.html ]This thing called Gramofon which seems to have expanded to a lot of streaming services[/url]

It's absolutely shit to be honest. I believe you can't listen to it unless you're connected to the internet either. I personally use Youtube/SoundCloud etc. They're run by the people, for the people.

Many posts above telling you how to listen offline.

Tried Youtube for music, found the constant adverts galling, and the money your making the poster is often not going to the artist.
Not worked out how to get a good playlist going on Soundcloud without spending hours searching and adding tracks, does have a bit more from the smaller label bands though which is better than Spotify.

Another Taylforth classic, keep biting guys...

1/ Buy a Spotify connect amp/media streaming unit
2/ This thing called Gramofon which seems to have expanded to a lot of streaming services

I love Spotify, am working through Toto's back catalogue today at work....

isnt that gramafon thing just a bigger more expensive version of that chromecast audio jobbie

Pretty much, but it's been around for a while now, isn't google, supports AllPlay network (not sure if Chromecast does this) looks nicer, has an ethernet port and according to their website act as a wifi hotspot. But yeah could easily use ChromeCast Audio.

dont have bluetooth on the cars sound system.

been reading around at that Chromecast audio and can't see any reason not to go for it with to adapt my Denon miniHiFi - any pitfalls ?

its this [url= http://www.whathifi.com/denon/d-m37dab/review ]Denon hifi[/url] but with Wharfedale speakers

I've got 'car mode' on my HTC One so can I play Spotify through the stereo, via Bluetooth, from my phone?

I've got 'car mode' on my HTC One so can I play Spotify through the stereo, via Bluetooth, from my phone?

Should work.

sadexpunk - Member

just been looking, would this bluetooth receiver work with my phone in the car?

I think that would be fine in your car, so long as you have an 'aux in' headphone socket on the sterero?

Only thing that would put me off would be that it looks to be rechargeable with a USB charging cable supplied. The specs show 12hrs battery life in use, so depending on how much time you spend in the car you might need to frequently charge it.
I average 10hrs commuting in my car per week, and I think I'd rather have a cable to plug in than have to remember to charge it frequently.

Although negating that somewhat, you could get a dual USB cigarette lighter insert thing and charge it from that but again you're back to cables.....

Bravo Mr Taylforth!. 😀

Next stupid question.....

How do I get a playlist on my phone? I've downloaded the app (phone and PC) so can I create a playlist on the PC then move it to my phone? I've gone premium..

How do I get a playlist on my phone? I've downloaded the app (phone and PC) so can I create a playlist on the PC then move it to my phone? I've gone premium..

Only thing that would put me off would be that it looks to be rechargeable with a USB charging cable supplied. The specs show 12hrs battery life in use, so depending on how much time you spend in the car you might need to frequently charge it.
I average 10hrs commuting in my car per week, and I think I'd rather have a cable to plug in than have to remember to charge it frequently.

Although negating that somewhat, you could get a dual USB cigarette lighter insert thing and charge it from that but again you're back to cables.....

Ah, yes they are. I'm guessing wi-fi is best to download to my phone?
This could get quite addictive.....

you could get a dual USB cigarette lighter insert thing

I carry one around in my school bag....

just laying in the bath thinking about this......

if my wifi goes down im pretty screwed for music then arent i? yes i could download some favourites for offline use, but realistically im not gonna be fitting that much on a phone am i.

ill still probz go ahead, but its something i hadnt really considered til just now.....

Depends on your phone. Mine will take a pretty big memory card.

And if my WiFi goes down, which is rare, I switch to phone data or just don't listen to music.

thanks. it may pay me to start looking for a bigger sd card, ive had my 8gb card for years now, swapping between phones.

you wouldnt know the max size card an HTC M8 will take would you?

EDIT: i knew i shouldnt have looked 🙂 just been googling and apparently itll take up to 128gb but now im reading all sorts of things about 'SDHC, SDXC, having to format cards to FAT32, no you dont if its an XC they need to be EXFAT'

ill probably just take a punt on a branded card from amazon and hope for the best 😀

I may be slightly addicted now...

I've got it on at work so any decent song I like I can just add it to the playlist.

yeah, im liking it more and more and am now pretty certain ill subscribe. but....... to who? 🙂

ive been running spotify and deezer side by side, using them both to see which one i take to best.

pluses and minuses for me are:

spotify - good things are in the 'my music' section its purely bands, songs, artists. playlists are underneath, and its intuitive. i dont think id ever use the features above those, browse, activity or radio.

bad point is i struggle a little with white text on black background, once ive been staring at it a while my eyes go a bit funny.

deezer- good thing is the black text on white background, far easier to read for me. i also love the way that when i cast it to tv (to play through my hifi), it opens up in a sort of separate app that shows the album sleeve and what youre playing on the tv. i dont know how they do that, as i thought casting had to show whatever the pc screen is. its good tho. spotify just shows whatevers on my pc which i would expect.

bad is the listing under 'my music'. playlists, albums, podcasts and apps. [i]no artists or singles!![/i]. bit of a biggie for me unfortunately and may be a deal breaker. id be more likely to want to search my music by the band and look what music of theirs i had rather than 'think of an album and look for it'.

as for listening offline, i cant do this with either at the mo so ill just assume that theyre both the same. if anyone has deezer and is reading this i wouldnt mind hearing your experiences of it. i far prefer the interface and the tv app, its just the missing 'artist' and 'singles' that trouble me.

just for anyone interested, ive had an email through from spotify saying that 'spotify and chromecast are now playing nicely together'

'just go to your phone app, play music, cast it etc etc'

ive had a look on my phone and its definitely better, more like the deezer app opening on the tv screen. however, it doesnt seem any different from my chromebook, it still just casts the spotify webpage.

anyone else had a play yet?