Katie Walters, CFNN Editor/Reporter

Music is the universal language for all people, ages young and old. Having access to millions of songs at your fingertips is an essential for many today, and one of the most popular streaming services is Spotify. 

Spotify is a Swedish-based audio streaming and media services provider. Founded in 2006 and launching in 2008, they have accumulated over 320 million listeners, with 144 million paying subscribers. Almost any song or podcast can be found on the app or website.

Spotify can be used for free with advertisements and limited controls, such as only 6 skips per hour. However, they offer four different premium plans depending on your needs.

The Individual plan is the most basic of the four. At $9.99 a month, you can get ad-free and offline streaming, and on-demand playback. The Student plan is only offered for accredited college students. For $4.99 a month, you can get everything in the individual plan along with a subscription to Hulu and SHOWTIME. Each of these only offers one Premium account. 

The Duo plan works for 2 Premium accounts for $12.99 a month. Designed for couples, this plan provides a “Duo Mix,” a regularly updated playlist with songs that both people will enjoy. The Family plan is the largest plan offered, allowing up to 6 Premium accounts. This plan comes with a “Family Mix,” a regularly updated playlist with songs for the entire family, as well as a separate app called “Spotify Kids.”

First time subscribers to any one of the plans can get the first month free!

All users get special playlists created by Spotify called “Daily Mixes.” You can have several of these playlists at a time, and they are all based on what you listen to. They are broken up usually by genre and artists, and listening to them can expose you to a variety of new music.

Spotify also has premade playlists for most occasions. Some chill tunes to listen to on a long car ride? They’ve got a playlist. An intense workout session? Got it. Cooking or dining music in the background? Already whipped up. Any situation you could possibly imagine, Spotify has just the playlist for it.

Several students, including FTCC High School Connections students, have put the Student plan to use. Two of our very own reporters, Lorelei Harr and Stephen Smith, have been using Spotify for years, and are now on the Student plan.

“Spotify is worth the price,” Lorelei said. “You get custom playlists tailored to your likings, and your personal stats are also really cool to look at.”

One of the most interesting aspects of the app is the personalized data about your music and listening habits. Spotify keeps track of your most listened to artists of all time, and at the end of every year, you can get a full rundown of how long you listened for and who you listened to the most. 

While there are other streaming services for a cheaper price, no other provider offers what Spotify does. “If you’ve been looking for a way to get unlimited music, Spotify is the way to go,” Stephen exclaimed.