Solutions of Music for Windows and Android Platforms
Music is an integral part of our lives, especially when we are sitting in front of a computer or using our smartphones for other tasks. We always want to have some music playing.
However, over the years, I have not been able to find the best solution on either Windows or Android (as these are the platforms I primarily use/own).
But today, I can finally say that I have found a more comprehensive solution.
Reflecting on my musical journey
Like many users in mainland China, I started my music journey with Qianqian Jingting and KuGou Music (both on Windows and Android), and fell in love with listening to music. Next, QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music dominated the market. While Tencent and NetEase did develop music software that suited Chinese users, they couldn’t resist the temptation of making their software into comprehensive monsters. Additionally, the pricing was a major deterrent for someone like me, who was not well off financially.
So, after enduring the torment of these apps for a few years, I gradually abandoned music.
Later, with the improvement of internet capabilities, I developed a habit of playing music on YouTube webpages whenever I opened my computer. However, there was a problem: it only provided audio without lyrics. As someone who enjoys singing along, I always had to return to the playback page to read the subtitles. I endured this situation for about 1 to 2 years.
Until one fortunate day, I stumbled upon today’s protagonist - Spotify.
Why Spotify?
In the words of others, “Spotify, known as Si Bo (思播) or Sheng Tian (声田) in Chinese, is an online music streaming service platform. It is currently one of the largest music streaming service providers globally and holds the most extensive music copyrights in the world, unmatched by any other platform. Whether you are a premium subscriber or a free user, you can access the same songs, unlike many domestic software in China that restricts a significant number of songs to premium members only! Wealthy customers can purchase premium memberships to enjoy additional benefits, including offline downloads, ad-free listening, unlimited song skipping, and supposedly better audio quality. However, for users who cannot afford a premium membership, there’s no need to worry as the content available for listening remains the same. The only limitations are the inability to skip songs and the occasional audio ads during playback.”
But as a freeloader like myself, I couldn’t tolerate these limitations. It’s manageable on the desktop version where I can skip songs, and I can block audio ads using Clash rules. However, on the mobile app, I can’t skip songs, and that’s the primary issue that needs to be addressed.
Solutions for Android Platform
Spotify
So, I searched for modified versions on GitHub, and as expected, the largest music streaming platform in the world is indeed better than QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music. I found a modified version that addresses various issues when using Spotify on the Android platform. With this modified installation package, you can enjoy unlimited song skipping and ad-free listening. However, non-premium users cannot download music, and breaking the 14-day global roaming limitation is still not possible. You need to log in again in the network environment of the country where your account was registered every two weeks, which is a bit inconvenient but not a significant issue. Unfortunately, there is no floating lyrics feature, but hopefully, this is something developers will address in the future.
Kugou Music Concept Edition
This is the only music platform left in China where you can still get a one-day premium membership by listening to music every day. It offers new features like lyrics in the notification bar.
However, based on my observation, once Tencent achieves its goal of gradually eroding the user base of NetEase Cloud Music, they might introduce ads and potentially stop offering free premium memberships.
This can only serve as an alternative, albeit an unstable solution. The advantage is that it can be installed and used on both iOS and Android, but the only drawback is the absence of a desktop application. Otherwise, I might have chosen Kugou Music over Spotify.
Solutions for Windows Platform
The biggest issue with Spotify on Windows is not just about whether you have a Premium subscription or not; it’s the lack of advanced lyric display features compared to domestic music software like QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music. That’s why I haven’t been using Spotify much on the desktop. However, recently I discovered a nearly perfect solution for displaying lyrics called Lyricify. (To be honest, I had discovered it before, but it wasn’t fully developed or maybe I didn’t explore its capabilities enough to realize its power.)
Lyricify at least addresses the problem of displaying lyrics on the desktop version of Spotify and offers some new features, including Lingdong Island lyrics.
Furthermore, I want to express my gratitude to the developer who provided me with a modified version of Spotify for the Windows platform called SpotX. This modification also takes care of audio ads. With these solutions, I can finally say that I have found music solutions for both Windows and Android platforms. The overall experience has been excellent (except for occasional glitches in lyric switching with Lyricify, which will hopefully be resolved by the developer or through a Premium subscription). I also look forward to the development of Lyricify Mobile to address the issue of lyric display on mobile devices. Otherwise, I will still rely on the Kugou Music Concept Edition on my phone.
Premium
After experiencing Spotify for a while longer, if I become accustomed to it, I might consider subscribing to Spotify Premium. The process of acquiring a Premium subscription can be quite complex, so I would like to mention a third-party store called xiaomao.de that provides services related to Spotify Premium.
TV Platform
Basically, TV also belongs to the Android platform, but the solutions cannot be entirely borrowed from the Android platform. TV is primarily meant for family use, so simplicity and convenience are of utmost importance. Without the Premium version of Spotify, it is not a preferable choice as one might need to log in again every 14 days. Additionally, without the karaoke mode, it lacks the soul of playing music on the TV, where one can enjoy karaoke sessions with relatives and friends in the living room. There used to be dedicated karaoke solutions like Quanming Karaoke, which provided a decent experience on the TV, but unfortunately, the modified version didn’t last long. Therefore, the solution for this aspect is yet to be explored…
说到 TV 端，可能大部分人现在都不怎么看电视台了，家里的电视主要是网络电视，看各大平台的网络直播和剧集。正好去年双 11 给家里搞了一台 Redmi X Pro。当然，除了电视设备的钱，想要看各种直播和剧集还得继续加钱。由于我一般不容易妥协，而且这么多服务一年也挺贵的，烧不起这个钱。于是针对央视卫视直播、各大网络直播平台（虎牙、斗鱼、抖音和快手等）、电视 K 歌和游戏等方面进行了探索。
当然，现在大部分电视都是 Android 系统，所以软件的安装上还是 Android 那一套，只是有些电视品牌在自行安装软件时会设置一些障碍。尽量避坑这些品牌。
📺 直播 & 剧集
Tivimate 是 Android 电视极佳的直播神器，能满足基本的直播需求。
我的各大电视直播 IPTV 直播源存档在 https://github.com/LeonoreShaw/IPTV 。
各大网络直播平台（虎牙、斗鱼、抖音和 YY 等）查看 https://live.xxiao.org 。
关于剧集，重要的是资源。一般除了院线电影，绝大部分流媒体资源都能 rip 下来，同步上线网盘，很多人做这个收集分享，主要是阿里网盘。
TVBox 通过爬虫已有资源，可以无缝访问这些资源，加上直播功能，是直播 & 剧集的集成者，按道理只要这一个 APP 就行了。
2023-10-06 更新
这个假期主要是解决家里用 IPV6 看直播的问题，使用的是“OTT Navigator”，辅以“Tivimate”。无意发现“影视 TV”已经同时解决了直播、点播的问题，且体验非常不错。
🎤 K 歌
如之前所述，to be explored...
最好再配几个麦克风 😃
2023-10-06 更新
K 歌可能比较难办，现在将就用“网易云音乐”，至少放歌没有太大问题。
🎮 游戏
买电视送了个手柄，可以再买一对几个人一起玩。主要是玩一些红白机游戏。很多类似的 APP。
2023-10-06 更新
还是沿用“小鸡模拟器”，唯一问题是游戏像快进了一样。
Listen on Spotify together!
Music plays a significant role in my life and brings me joy. If you’d like to get a glimpse into my musical preferences, here’s a Spotify widget showcasing my recent listening habits.
Recently played one
Recent playlist
Solutions of Music for Windows and Android Platforms