Spotify, you are like so close to being loveable, and then you fall short. Why can't you just invest in making yourselves the best streaming service. PLEASE. I pay you every month. It's the very least you could do.
Just a few longtime issues that you could fix quickly.
1. Let me play to other devices from the desktop client. Why is it that when I'm listening on my computer, I have to stop my stream. Grab my phone, and navigate to what I was playing, and start all over again to play to my other wi-fi connected devices? Just fix it. It's really simple.
2. Give us a mini-player that we can keep open and always on top. Seriously, remember AOL Instant Messenger? Like, contact someone over there or maybe at Apple. I'm sure they could help you out.
3. This is less specific, as it would take me far too long to explain what I envision, but let's just say that, I've used Spotify for many years now, most of them as a paying member, and I STILL can't figure out how you want me to navigate things. I've just had to memorize where to click by rote and googling my issues over the years. Luckily for me, I can 'usually' figure things out, but I shouldn't have to figure it out. I should be be able to go in and find what I want, clearly laid out, by artist, album, etc... And how about listing ALL of the liner notes and performers, especially on classical. Oh, and yeah, Movie Soundtracks aren't classical music. Neither is new age meditation piano music. So, like hire someone in that division, please.
4. Last but certainly not least, Podcasts aren't you bread and butter, and they never will be. It's a really poor management decision to waste so much money luring big people over and making them exclusive. Guess what? People who would be your podcast subscribers are already listening on other apps, and in other ways. People who got into the game way earlier and are doing it better. I've listened to a few podcasts on Spotify, and they're great. The content is wonderful, but guess what. Your design and layout is so bad that I couldn't depend on it to update my device with new downloaded episodes, as well as find them when I want them, if I wanted to. And I've given it the old college try! Check Pocket Casts to see how it should be done.
I'm well aware that you don't care about anything I have to say, as evidenced by the fact that my first two points are ones that you've heard many times from other people and seem to refuse to fix.
I've tried Apple Music, and it turns out that right now I like you better, but it's like the way I feel about exercise. I have to do it, but I don't love it. Sometimes it makes me feel better, but other times it's just frustrating and tiring. Wouldn't you rather be something I love?