Why I switched from Apple Music to YouTube Music after 5 years

I won’t lie – it turned out to be a great decision. The subscription came bundled with YouTube Music, which I didn’t think much about at the time. In my mind, I was never really going to use it. I already had Apple Music, my playlists were set, and I wasn’t looking to switch. But one evening, out of curiosity I opened YouTube Music, and I’m glad I did.

What started as a test drive became something I repeated over and over again. This is surprising, considering I’ve been an iPhone user for years and have spent a good five years with Apple Music. I never really thought I’d look anywhere else, but I guess that’s how it works. You think you’re settled, that your priorities are set, and then, over time, something new comes along and changes it completely.

By now, you probably know what kind of person I am. Once I get used to something, I stick to it, including my music. And honestly, I’d rather replay songs I already know than take a chance on a bad recommendation. Since Apple Music gave me so many of these moments, it felt easier to stick to what was familiar.

However, that mindset started to change when I started using YouTube Music. More consideration was given to the recommendations. Even when I stepped out of my usual style a bit, it didn’t lose its formula. The next song still sounded like it was based on what I’d just heard rather than a sudden change of direction.

And that changed the whole listening experience and helped me discover new artists.

I have my reasons for being disappointed. I remember one time I was immersed in a techno track on Apple Music. I was in that zone, completely locked into the rhythm, and then suddenly, it cut to a Bollywood song. This astonished me greatly. I kept wondering how it missed something so obvious. Why was it so difficult to stay in the same lane? It didn’t make any sense.

And it’s not just about that one moment. Imagine this happening while you’re driving, or right in the middle of a workout when you’ve finally found your pace. That sudden change breaks everything. It pulls you out of it. In those moments, you really wish the app would read the room a little better.

This is where YouTube Music started to feel different to me. It just gets it. I remember starting with Rasputin on YouTube Music and the recommendations that followed stayed in the same energetic place. In fact, I found a bunch of high-energy tracks that I don’t normally click on.

And that’s exactly the difference I’m talking about. It keeps things the same all the time, almost like it understands what I’m trying to capture in that moment. Because at the end of the day, music will make you feel lighter, more in tune with yourself. If it does the opposite and starts bothering you, something is not right.

Other than that, YouTube Music seems easy to use. It’s clean, functional, and it stays out of the way, which is exactly what I want from a music app. I agree, Apple Music is still ahead in interface design, and it also provides lossless audio. But at this point, I don’t mind giving up a little of that polish if it means the listening experience actually works better for me.

What makes it even easier to stick with is how easily everything else falls into place. Offline listening works flawlessly, the library has everything I needed so far, and I can even upload my music files directly if I want. There is no extra effort involved; It works exactly as you expect. And the fact that it all runs smoothly on my Fire TV and MacBook – the two devices I use most when working and listening to music – just makes it even easier to live with.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the ease of use and usefulness of YouTube Music. Since it comes with a YouTube Premium subscription, I don’t have to pay extra for the Music app. Five years of Apple Music, and all it took was one random evening of curiosity to change everything. Funny how the best decisions rarely feel like decisions at all.