Bye Spotify, Hello MP3s
The author canceled their Spotify subscription due to cost and dissatisfaction with algorithmic recommendations, opting instead to build a personal music collection using purchased used CDs. They spent 61.92€ on 16 CDs, transferring the music to their phone via VLC for offline, ad-free listening. This shift has led to a deeper appreciation of full albums, fewer distractions, and a more intentional music experience.
- ▪The author spent 61.92€ on 16 used CDs.
- ▪They use the free, open-source VLC app to play music on their phone.
- ▪Listening to full albums without skipping has increased their appreciation for the music.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Bye Spotify, hello MP3s 01 May, 2026 I was on and off on different streaming subscriptions like Spotify or Apple Music for a long while. I would eventually cancel my subscriptions for 2 main reasons, price and the algorithm. In Germany, Spotify premium it's 12.99€ per month. That's not a huge price tag, but it's also not insignificant. I felt ok paying for it when I was regularly listening to music, but often times I just had periods when I would just listen to a couple of hours per month. So the expense just felt a bit unjustified. The non premium version of Spotify is decent for a short listening session, but the ads get really annoying after a while. The second reason is that somehow I would end up listening to always the same music.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Nice Minimal.
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