Amazon just rolled out Amazon Music Unlimited in India, which is a new, paid music streaming service. This shakes things up for Prime members, since ad-free music will not come standard anymore. Starting July 2, Prime users will start hearing some ads while they stream.
Amazon also said they will add a free, ad-supported tier for Amazon Music in India. More choice, sure, but also more ads if you’re not paying.
Amazon Music unlimited: Price in India
For everyone else, it’s Rs 199 a month. If you are a Prime subscriber, you get a discount: Rs 99 a month, on top of what you already pay for Prime. This upgrade is all about people who want better sound, more features, and a bump up from the basic streaming deal.
Now, what do you get with Music Unlimited?
Well, there’s access to over 100 million songs and tonnes of podcasts, and they’re all ad-free. You also get high-quality audio: HD and Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos, and Spatial Audio, and you can download music to listen offline whenever you want. These perks line up with what Spotify and Apple Music already offer.
What about Prime members?
Up until now, your Prime subscription got you Amazon Music without any ads and no extra charges. That’s about to change. If you do not upgrade to Music Unlimited, you will get ads, starting July 2. Your access to the song and podcast library stays, but you lose a bunch of the best features: no more HD or Ultra HD streams, no Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio, and you can’t download for offline listening. Amazon is clearly steering Prime users toward the paid option.
And that free tier?
Amazon is launching it soon. Users can stream Amazon Music without paying, but it’ll come with ads, just like Spotify’s free version. Amazon wants more listeners in India and a way to let people try out the service without committing cash.
Similar strategy to Prime video
If this sounds familiar, that’s because Amazon did something similar with Prime Video, charging extra for ad-free viewing. So now, if you love uninterrupted music and premium sound, you’ll need to pay for Music Unlimited.
These updates kick in on July 2, so Prime members have a few weeks to decide if they want to make the switch to Unlimited or just put up with the ads.
