Sustainable Substitutes for Apple Music

A streaming service integrated into Apple's ecosystem with poor algorithmic recommendations.

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Reasons to avoid Apple Music

Avoid Apple Music due to its poor algorithmic recommendations that ignore personal preferences, and a lack of transparency in how music is curated. The platform’s closed ecosystem limits cross-device flexibility, it has frequent usability issues, especially on desktop. It lacks community features - such as user-generated playlists - further reduces its appeal compared to competitors.

Sustainable Alternatives

Here are some sustainable alternatives to Apple Music

Qobuz

A French high-resolution, human-first music streaming service.

Qobuz offers an ad-free experience, providing a clean listening experience.
Qobuz is the first streaming service to publicly disclose and verify its average payout per stream, ensuring artists receive fair compensation.
Qobuz is based in France, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
Qobuz actively labels and removes AI-generated and fraudulent tracks, protecting artists and the integrity of the platform.
Website

Ampwall

A platform for independent music by a public benefit company.

Ampwall does not welcome AI generated images and music on its platform. It will remove such content as soon as it's detected.
Artists only have to pay a yearly fee of $10, while 5% of all sales go to the payment processor (which is PayPal unfortunately).
Users don't have to pay to listen to music on Ampwall.
No registration is needed to listen to music on Ampwall.
Website

Deezer

A popular French music streaming service with a stance against AI generated music.

Deezer offers an ad-free experience for premium users, providing a clean listening experience.
Deezer actively labels and removes AI-generated and fraudulent tracks, protecting artists and the integrity of the platform.
Deezer is based in France, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
Deezer offers a free, ad-supported tier, making music streaming accessible to all users.
Website

The 5 main issues with Apple Music

Support of Authoritarian Regimes - Companies actively supporting, financing and legitimising regimes and unethical policies.

Apple is financing Donald Trumps plans to create a new ballroom in the white house, hoping to benefit from upcoming laws. Apple CEO Tim Cook donated $1 Million to Trumps inauguration fund.Sources: OpenSecrets: Trump ballroom donors poised to benefit from AI plan they helped shape (2026)Gizmodo: Tim Cook Is Latest Tech Exec to Kiss the Ring, Gives Trump’s Inauguration $1 Million (2025)

Big Tech - Big Tech companies do not nourish people and planet. This is especially true in times of political tension.

Apple Music belongs to one of the largest tech companies, contributing to market monopolisation and pricey products. NPR: How 5 Tech Giants Have Become More Like Governments Than Companies (2017)

Tax Avoidance - Aggressive strategies are being deployed to avoid paying taxes.

Apple is trying to avoid paying any taxes in the EU. In 2024 it has been fined 13 Billion Euros for illegal tax arrangements with Ireland Source: Wikipedia: Apple's EU tax dispute (2024)

Monopoly - Market dominance that stifles competition and limits user choice.

Using Apple Music increases the vendor lock-in, making it harder to migrate away from Apple's ecosystem.

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

Apple Music lacks transparency in the way its algorithms promote songs that might benefit the company's financials.Source:Heise: Streaming study: Remuneration models favor major artists (2025)