If you are thinking about leaving Spotify for Apple Music, catalog availability is probably one of the first things you want to settle. Losing a playlist feature is inconvenient; losing music you actually listen to can be a deal-breaker.
does apple music have all the songs spotify has? No. Apple Music and Spotify do not have perfectly identical catalogs. Both offer more than 100 million tracks or songs, and most mainstream releases are available on both, but individual tracks can still differ because of licensing, country availability, distribution choices, and different versions of the same release.
For most listeners, that difference is small enough that switching does not feel like moving to a completely different music library. The people most likely to notice gaps are those who listen to regional music, independent artists, rare editions, older releases, remixes, or very specific versions of tracks.
The Two Libraries Are Huge — but They Are Not Mirrors
Apple Music currently advertises a catalog of more than 100 million songs, while Spotify reports more than 100 million tracks. Those numbers tell you that both services cover an enormous amount of commercially distributed music, but they do not mean the catalogs contain the exact same files.
A record label might license a release differently by country. An independent artist may distribute to Spotify before Apple Music, or the reverse. An older album may be removed and replaced with a remastered edition on one platform while the original version remains on the other.
That is why asking which service has the bigger headline number is less useful than asking whether your music exists on both.
Where Are You Most Likely to Find a Difference?
| Type of Music | Chance of Noticing a Catalog Difference |
|---|---|
| Current mainstream releases | Usually low. Major releases are commonly distributed across both services. |
| Older catalog music | Occasionally different because rights can change or releases may be replaced. |
| Independent artists | More variable because distribution choices depend on the artist or distributor. |
| Regional music | More likely to differ because streaming rights can vary by country. |
| Remixes, live versions and deluxe editions | Exact versions may differ even when the main song is available on both. |
| Unofficial or obscure releases | Availability can be much less predictable. |
Sometimes the Song Is There — Just Not the Version You Expected
This is an easy problem to misdiagnose.
Imagine your Spotify playlist contains the 2011 remaster of a song. Apple Music may have the original album release, a newer remaster, and a compilation version — but not the exact recording identifier used in your Spotify playlist.
From your point of view, the transfer tool says “not found.” In reality, the music may still be available.
The same can happen with explicit versus clean versions, deluxe albums, singles versus album releases, or tracks whose metadata has changed. Before deciding that Apple Music lacks a favorite song, search manually by artist and title and inspect the available releases.
Your Country Can Change the Answer
Streaming rights are territorial. A song available to a Spotify listener in one country may not be available to another listener elsewhere, and the same principle applies to Apple Music.
Spotify explicitly notes that its available music changes over time and between countries depending on permissions from rights holders. Apple also states that media availability can vary by country or region.
This is particularly relevant if your playlists contain local artists or releases that were licensed mainly for one market. Two people can therefore compare the same platforms and legitimately see different catalogs.
Will Most Spotify Users Actually Notice Missing Songs?
If most of your library consists of major artists, popular albums, current releases, and widely distributed music, probably not very often.
If you have spent years building playlists around underground electronic releases, DJ edits, regional music, obscure soundtracks, or specific live versions, the risk of mismatches is higher.
This is also why comparing Apple Music and Spotify purely on catalog size is rarely enough. Price may matter more to one listener, which is covered in Does Apple Music Cost More Than Spotify? .
Another listener may care much more about audio quality than the occasional missing track. In that case, does apple music have a higher bitrate than spotify? is the more useful comparison.
Do Not Judge the Catalog From a Playlist Transfer Alone
Playlist migration tools are useful, but they are not perfect catalog auditors.
They normally try to match title, artist, album, duration, and other metadata between services. When those fields differ, a transfer can fail even though Apple Music has an equivalent version.
After moving a playlist, manually search the songs marked as unavailable. You may find that only the exact edition is missing rather than the song itself.
A Five-Minute Test Is Better Than Comparing Catalog Numbers
Before cancelling Spotify, open Apple Music and test the part of your library that would actually annoy you to lose.
- Pick 20–30 songs you would consider essential.
- Include a few obscure or regional tracks rather than testing only major artists.
- Search for the exact album or version you normally play.
- Transfer one important playlist and manually inspect anything that fails to match.
- Only then decide whether the catalog difference matters enough to affect your switch.
If your library passes this test, catalog size probably should not be the deciding factor between the two services.
What Usually Matters After Catalog Availability Is Settled?
Once you know your favorite songs exist on both services, the comparison shifts toward the experience around the music.
For example, Spotify's personalized playlists can be a major reason people hesitate to leave. If Daylist is one of the features you use regularly, see does apple music have a daylist like spotify? .
Yearly listening summaries are another common concern. Apple has its own alternative, covered in Does Apple Do Something Like Spotify Wrapped? .
If you are comparing more than two streaming services, Does Amazon Music Have the Same Songs as Spotify? looks at the same catalog question from the Amazon Music side.
For Artists, Catalog Availability Is a Different Problem
If you are asking this question as an artist rather than a listener, the concern is slightly different. You need to confirm that your distributor has delivered the correct release to both platforms and that the artist, album, and track metadata match.
Promotion also needs to be platform-specific. NiceSMMPanel has a dedicated Spotify SMM Panel section for users researching Spotify-related services. If you are comparing providers first, how to choose Spotify smm panel? covers what to review before ordering.
More generally, an SMM Panel is separate from the music catalog itself; distribution determines whether your release exists on a streaming platform, while promotional services deal with visibility after publication.
So, Can You Switch Without Worrying About Your Music?
Usually, yes — but check the songs that matter to you first.
does apple music have all the songs spotify has? Not literally. Their libraries overlap heavily, but licensing, regional rights, independent distribution, metadata, and alternate versions mean there will always be some differences.
For a mainstream listener, those gaps may be almost invisible. For someone with highly specific playlists, they can matter. Instead of choosing based on claims about which service has “more music,” test your own library and let that decide whether the catalog difference is meaningful.