By John Stran
For students, music can be a break from reality during a stressful day of tests and studying. Music can also be a crucial factor in getting into the right mindset to take on the task at hand.
Besides the genre, the platform where students listen to their music differs. According to the Business Insider website, the most preferred music platform in the U.S. is iTunes, followed by Pandora then Spotify.
Youngstown State University student Alexis Morales said she listens to music on YouTube because she likes being able to pick the songs she listens to rather than going through a playlist. Morales enjoys not having to worry about the number of skips she has left when it comes to the site.
“YouTube allows me to choose what songs I want to listen to, but a definite negative is all the ads,” Morales said.
The use of ads for music apps has a factor in the platform due to the capital on their services that are free to users. When people pay for their music, the need for ads is decreased.
YSU student Malcom Gordon said he prefers Pandora over other music streaming services because of the music selection and because it’s free. What he dislikes about it is the inability to pick exactly what song he wants to listen to.
Another student, Kyle West, said he listens to his music on Spotify as well as on CD.
“While at school, my go-to would be Spotify,” West said. “But a friend of mine got me into buying CDs and there’s something about having an actual copy that I can’t explain but I really enjoy.”
West said what stands out to him most about Spotify is that it introduced him to many new artists that he may not have heard of otherwise. West’s least favorite aspect of Spotify is paying for it. The Spotify Premium membership costs $9.99 per month. West said he uses it frequently, though, and believes it’s worth the price.
Other platforms offer paid premium memberships as well. Pandora Premium also costs $9.99 a month and according to the app, offers higher quality audio and unlimited skips and replays.
The YouTube music app, YouTube Red, also costs $9.99 a month. YouTube Red offers the ability to listen to music with the screen off and promises music even with a poor connection.
Morales said she uses YouTube everyday throughout any given school week and it has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to affecting her school performance. Morales said although listening to music can help her with school work, it can also be distracting to her.
“Listening to music when I am doing homework or studying can help me focus, though it can hinder my ability to focus if I am listening to the music more than paying attention to my homework,” Morales said.
There’s no music platform that completely outdoes the others; some are just more popular. Each one has the ability to give the listener music that sets their tone for an entire day.
