For years, I loved how Spotify recommended new music, but lately, the algorithm has felt stale, sticking to artists already on my playlists or suggesting “boring” tracks it thinks are safe.
I’ve also noticed the shuffle mode seems to favor certain songs over others, which has become incredibly annoying.
I heard about people who were swapping their streaming subscription for an iPod, so I decided to do an experiment: I deleted the Spotify app from my phone and committed to using only a vintage iPod for 30 days.
My goal was to see if I could find happiness in a more intentional, “analog” way of listening while detaching myself from phone notifications and interruptions.
Here is how the month went, week by week…
I Trade Spotify for an iPod for 30 Days
Resources Mentioned in the Video
- My iPod repair video
- CD mentioned at 6:42
- Buy an upgraded iPod here
- Bandcamp
- Qobuz
- Find a Panasonic portable CD player on eBay
Week 1: The Setup and the “Great Migration”
The first step was choosing the best iPod model.
I went with a fifth-generation iPod (the “iPod Video”), which I personally refurbished with a custom colorway, 512GB of storage, and Rockbox firmware so I could load songs from any computer without needing iTunes.
The biggest challenge was replacing my library.
I found a website that could read my public Spotify playlists and export them as a CSV file so I could track what I needed to acquire.
There are many of these sites out there. The important thing to remember is that you shouldn't have to login to Spotify on the website.
It should just read your public playlists without signing up for anything or logging in.
This week was all about exploration, re-learning how to buy digital downloads from sites like Bandcamp and Qobuz (which actually support the artists) and diving back into the world of physical CDs.
Week 2: The Thrill of the Hunt and a Return High-Fidelity Audio
By the second week, the excitement of “the hunt” really set in.
I started hitting up thrift stores and music shops, discovering that CDs are currently massive bargains, often priced between $1 and $9.
The thing that really became obvious was that CDs are extremely undervalued, compared to vinyl.
LPs are great and all, but they have a very limited shelf life, when compared to CDs.
Ultimately, I believe that music lovers will move to collecting CDs.
But the real “ah-ha” moment was the sound quality.
I began ripping my CDs into FLAC files, and the difference compared to Spotify’s streaming was night and day.
The music felt more vibrant and detailed, it reminded me of how good music is actually supposed to sound when it isn't compressed for a data stream.
I also managed to add albums to my collection that aren't even available on streaming services, like He's My Brother She's My Sister, which was a huge win.
This is the week that I also went out and bought a portable CD player. This is great for trying out discs to see if I like the music and if they work.
Week 3: The Reality Check
The honeymoon phase hit a speed bump in week three.
I started noticing how much this all costs.
Rebuilding the iPod cost a decent amount of money, compared to the monthly cost of Spotify.
Replacing a primary playlist at roughly $1 per song means an upfront investment of about $150, essentially the cost of a full year of Spotify.
Then there are the “old tech” quirks. Carrying around proprietary 30-pin cables and auxiliary cords is less convenient than Bluetooth, and managing digital files on a NAS drive for backups requires actual work.
I also struggled with parts of the iPod’s aging interface, creating and naming playlists using the click wheel involves a lot of trial and error compared to a touchscreen.
Using aftermarket parts also meant dealing with slight imperfections, like a slightly loose center button and a misaligned hold switch.
Both are minor things, but a little annoying.
Week 4: More to Think About
As the month wrapped up, I reflected on the experience.
Despite the inconveniences, I fell in love with the click wheel…again. It’s a genius invention for navigating long lists quickly.
I also loved the battery life, I was getting about 35 hours on a single charge without draining my phone's battery.
Being able to leave my phone at home and just go out with my iPod meant no interruptions, no notifications, and a much more focused listening experience.
But then there were also the downsides, so I had to do some thinking.
Final Decision
My final decision? I’m keeping the iPod and permanently deleting my Spotify account.
The benefits of superior sound quality, true ownership of my music (no more renting music), and the distraction-free nature of the device far outweigh the convenience of easy access on Spotify.
As for finding new music, I’ve found that YouTube’s recommendations and Qobuz's Similar Artists feature have replaced Spotify's daily mixes. The “random lottery” of thrift stores and music stores is also an excellent way to add some variety to my music library.
Taking control of my music has been a small but significant step in taking control of my life. It might get you started too.
If you're feeling burnt out by endless recommended streaming playlists, I highly recommend giving the iPod route a try.
