Spotify is a great resource for your classroom

One of the tools I use frequently is Spotify. It’s a music streaming service that allows to play specific tracks, entire albums, or create playlists to share with your students. There are several advantages to using Spotify over YouTube but they come with certain disadvantages, as well.

 

Pros
– A huge array of songs both in the popular music and classical veins is available for free.
– The ads are generally much more student-friendly than the ads on YouTube and don’t feature questionable imagery.
– Removing the visual aspect allows students to focus on the musical intricacies you are studying.
– It’s legal all the way around and the artists get paid. Unless you’re playing it on an official YouTube or Vevo channel, many videos don’t reward the artist for their work.

Cons
– Not every song is available. Taylor Swift recently pulled her entire library, for instance, saying she wasn’t getting paid enough.
– Students sometimes need the visual to hold their attention. If you’re not listening to specifics or actively analyzing a song, the video can help.

I go back and forth between Spotify and YouTube because both have their advantages. In schools where YouTube is prohibited, Spotify could be a great alternative and it’s a whole lot cheaper than asking your district to buy recordings. You don’t have to download anything, just head to https://play.spotify.com and get started. (You can see my playlists and follow me here, too: https://play.spotify.com/user/mattwarrenmusic)

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