Which music platform has better podcasts and extra content, Apple Music or others?

For anyone comparing streaming platforms today, the decision often comes down to more than just music. Podcasts, live radio, video extras, and exclusive shows now play a huge role. If you’re wondering which music platform has better podcasts and extra content, Apple Music or others, the answer depends on what kind of content you care about most and how you like to listen.

Below is a breakdown of Apple Music’s podcast and extra-content experience compared with leading alternatives like Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Tidal.

Apple Music vs. “Others”: A quick overview

Before digging into details, here’s how the major platforms stack up for podcasts and extras:

Apple Music
- Music-focused, with extras like lyrics, music videos, live radio (Apple Music 1), and curated shows.
- Podcasts are handled separately through the Apple Podcasts app, not inside Apple Music.
Spotify
- Fully integrated podcasts and music in one app.
- Heavy investment in exclusive podcasts, video podcasts, and original talk shows.
YouTube Music / YouTube
- Strong on music videos, live sessions, and creator content.
- Podcasts mainly live in the main YouTube app, with some integration into YouTube Music.
Amazon Music
- Integrated podcasts, live audio events (via Amp, where available), plus some original talk and sports content.
Tidal
- Relatively light on podcasts, but strong on music-focused extras: documentaries, short films, live sets, and hi-fi experiences.

If your top priority is podcasts in one place with your music, “others” (especially Spotify or Amazon Music) generally beat Apple Music. If you want premium music extras and live radio and don’t mind a separate app for podcasts, Apple Music holds its own.

How Apple handles podcasts vs. music

A key detail many users miss: Apple separates podcasts and music into two experiences.

Apple Music: music, live radio, and extras

Apple Music is built first and foremost for music. When you subscribe, you get:

On-demand music streaming: full albums, playlists, and personalized mixes.
Live radio stations:
- Apple Music 1: global station with hosts, interviews, and premieres.
- Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country: genre-focused live stations.
Artist-curated shows: DJ mixes, countdowns, themed blocks, and specials hosted by artists or tastemakers.
Music videos: official videos, video playlists, and some live performances.
Spatial Audio & Lossless (on supported devices): enhanced listening experiences.
Time-synced lyrics: karaoke-style lyrics for many songs.

These extras are squarely music-centric. You’ll find shows where artists talk about their influences, themed “radio” episodes, and special releases tied to new albums, but not the broad podcast universe you might expect from Spotify or Amazon.

Apple Podcasts: where the actual podcasts live

If you ask “Which music platform has better podcasts and extra content, Apple Music or others?”, the catch is that Apple’s podcasts don’t live inside Apple Music. They live in the separate Apple Podcasts app.

Apple Podcasts offers:

Hundreds of thousands of podcast shows across genres.
Subscription-based channels and paid, ad-free or bonus-episode feeds.
Intelligent recommendations and curated collections.
Deep integration with the Apple ecosystem (Siri, CarPlay, Apple Watch, and more).

So if you’re already in Apple’s ecosystem, you can get a high-quality podcast experience—it’s just not built into Apple Music itself.

Spotify: the strongest all-in-one podcasts + music experience

When comparing Apple Music or others for podcasts specifically, Spotify is usually the main “other” people mean.

Why Spotify often wins for podcasts

Fully integrated interface: music and podcasts in one app, shared playlists, mixed queues, and unified search.
Exclusive originals:
- Big-name shows (depending on region).
- Original talk shows, investigative series, and narrative podcasts.
Video podcasts: for many popular shows, you can watch as well as listen.
Smart discovery: personalized podcast recommendations, charts, and browsing by mood or topic.
Interactive features: polls, Q&A, and episode comments on some shows.

If your primary question is “Which music platform has better podcasts?” and you value:

Having everything (music + podcasts) in one place
Discovering new shows through algorithmic suggestions
Exclusive podcast content

then Spotify is generally stronger than Apple Music (keeping in mind Apple’s podcasts live in a separate app).

YouTube Music and YouTube: best for video-first extras

YouTube sits in a unique space: it’s not just audio.

Podcasts and creator content

Many podcasts exist as video or audio shows on the main YouTube app.
Some podcast content is being integrated into YouTube Music, depending on region and rollout.
You can watch full-length podcast episodes, clips, shorts, and behind-the-scenes videos.

Extra content for music fans

If your focus is on extra content around music, YouTube has a major edge:

Official music videos and remixes.
Live performances, festival sets, late night show appearances.
Behind-the-scenes content, interviews, vlogs, and shorts from artists.
Fan-made content, reactions, covers, and mashups.

If you care more about video extras, live sessions, and creator culture around artists, YouTube + YouTube Music often beats both Apple Music and Spotify.

Amazon Music: integrated podcasts with an ecosystem bonus

Amazon Music has quietly become a solid “other” option for people who want both music and podcasts in a single place.

Podcast features

Podcasts included with Amazon Music (including for many Prime subscribers).
Integrated listening: music and podcasts in one app; unified search and library.
Original and exclusive shows in select regions.
Good Alexa integration: easy voice control for both music and podcasts.

Extra content

Live audio events (via Amazon’s audio initiatives in some markets).
Sports and talk content that sits alongside your playlists.
Growing catalog of artist specials and stations.

If you’re already deep into the Amazon ecosystem (Echo devices, Fire TV, Prime), Amazon Music can be a strong “other” option with a more seamless podcast experience than Apple Music alone.

Tidal and others: niche but interesting extras

Tidal doesn’t compete as aggressively on podcasts—but it offers other extras that appeal to serious music fans.

Limited podcasts, strong music-focused extras

Fewer podcasts than Spotify or Amazon Music.
Focus on:
- HiFi and Hi-Res audio.
- Exclusive albums or early releases (varies by region and era).
- Documentaries, mini-films, and short-form video about artists and scenes.
- Curated editorial content: playlists, write-ups, and themed collections.

If your definition of “extra content” leans toward deep music culture, sound quality, and artist storytelling rather than talk podcasts, Tidal can be a compelling “other.”

What kind of “extra content” matters most to you?

To decide which music platform has better podcasts and extra content—Apple Music or others—it helps to define what “extra content” means for you.

If you want: traditional podcasts in the same app as your music

Look at:

Spotify
Amazon Music
(Increasingly) YouTube Music, depending on your region

These platforms offer:

Music and podcasts together.
Shared libraries and playlists.
Easier switching between songs and episodes.

In this scenario, Apple Music loses because you’ll be jumping between Apple Music and Apple Podcasts.

If you want: premium music extras and live, radio-style shows

Apple Music becomes more compelling:

Live global stations (Apple Music 1, Hits, Country).
Artist- and DJ-hosted shows that feel like modern radio.
Exclusive content tied to major releases, especially for top-tier artists.
High-quality audio options like Spatial Audio.

Here, the combination of Apple Music for music + radio and Apple Podcasts for shows can compete well—if you’re fine with using two apps.

If you want: video, behind-the-scenes, and creator content

YouTube and YouTube Music usually win:

Access to music videos, live sets, behind-the-scenes content, podcast videos, and shorts.
Strong recommendation engine and community interaction (comments, likes, shares).
Great for visual-first listening or background viewing on TVs.

Comparing user experience: Apple Music vs Spotify vs others

Beyond content catalogs, experience matters.

Apple Music: strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

Excellent for music-focused listening with premium audio.
Live radio and artist shows feel polished and curated.
Tight integration with the Apple ecosystem: Siri, Apple Watch, HomePod, CarPlay.
Apple Podcasts app is powerful if you like a dedicated podcast experience.

Weaknesses

No podcasts inside the Apple Music app itself.
Discovery of talk content is split across two apps: Apple Music and Apple Podcasts.
Fewer cross-format playlists mixing podcasts and songs.

Spotify: strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

One app for everything: music + podcasts (and some video).
Strong personalization and discovery for both music and podcasts.
Many exclusive podcasts you won’t find on other platforms.
Good cross-device continuity (phones, desktops, cars, smart speakers, consoles).

Weaknesses

Music extras (like live radio and music videos) are not as central as on Apple Music or YouTube.
Audio quality, while improving, may lag behind Apple Music or Tidal for audiophiles.

Privacy, ads, and subscriptions

When you compare “Apple Music or others” for podcasts and extra content, also consider how they handle pricing and ads.

Apple Music:
- Subscription-based; no ads in music.
- Podcasts in Apple Podcasts can be free with ads, or ad-free via paid subscriptions (per show/channel).
Spotify:
- Free tier with ads for both music and podcasts.
- Premium removes ads from music; some podcasts may still have built-in ads from creators.
Amazon Music:
- Tiered: Free, Prime-included, and Unlimited.
- Podcasts generally free; ad experience depends on tier and show.
YouTube Music / YouTube:
- Free with ads on most content.
- YouTube Premium / Music Premium removes many ads and allows background play.

If you want ad-free listening everywhere, Apple Music + paid podcast subscriptions or Spotify Premium + creator-supported shows are common combinations.

So, which platform is better for podcasts and extra content?

Pulling it together:

Best all-in-one music + podcasts experience:
- Spotify (with Amazon Music as a close “other” option if you’re Amazon-centric).
Best for premium music extras and curated live radio:
- Apple Music, especially when combined with the Apple Podcasts app.
Best for video-based extras and creator content:
- YouTube + YouTube Music.
Best for audio purists and music documentaries:
- Tidal and similar niche services.

How to choose based on your habits

Ask yourself:

Do I want podcasts and music in one app?
- Yes → Spotify or Amazon Music.
- No, I don’t mind two apps → Apple Music + Apple Podcasts is strong, especially on Apple devices.
Do I care more about talk shows or music-focused extras?
- Talk shows, broad podcast catalog → Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music.
- Artist interviews, live radio, and album-focused content → Apple Music.
Do video and visual extras matter?
- Yes → YouTube + YouTube Music.
- Not much → Any of the audio-focused platforms will work.

Practical recommendations

If you’re still unsure which music platform has better podcasts and extra content, Apple Music or others, try this approach:

If you’re in the Apple ecosystem:
- Use Apple Music for music, live radio, and music videos.
- Use Apple Podcasts for shows.
- This combo is powerful if you’re fine with two icons on your home screen.
If you want one app for everything:
- Start with Spotify.
- Explore music + podcast playlists, video podcasts, and exclusive shows.
If you value video and live sessions:
- Use YouTube as your main hub and YouTube Music for audio-first listening.
If you’re an audiophile:
- Consider Tidal or Apple Music for sound quality, and supplement with Apple Podcasts or Spotify for shows.

The best choice isn’t universally Apple Music or others—it’s the platform (or combination of platforms) that matches how you actually consume podcasts and extra content day to day.

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