Streaming has quickly become the easiest and most popular way of listening to music, with services like Apple Music and Spotify offering more music than one person could listen to in a lifetime. It has been a boon for fans of every genre, including those of us who live for classical and jazz music.
However, one thing that does get in the way of a perfect experience is geo-restrictions. Some record labels - especially the older, more archaic ones - license their music per region. Therefore, even though you may be able to purchase their music anywhere in the world, it is hard for streaming services to get global access.
The easy way to get around it is to use a VPN. If you don't want to pay for a VPN, you can choose a free service. But while you're at it, you should know that not all VPNs are created equal.
Here is how you should go about choosing the best VPN for streaming music.
Safety comes first
While listening to music may be your primary concern, the real reason VPNs exist is to provide security while using the internet. They hide your location and encrypt your data. Without them, you're leaving yourself vulnerable to identity theft.
Therefore, no matter what, your priority should be the security credentials of the service. Don't go for just any VPN. Some log your data or simply don't encrypt it in the first place. Look at what the experts have to say about its safety features. Only then consider it as a viable option.
Servers worldwide
A VPN is only helpful for listening to music available in another region if it has at least one server in that region. The VPN you choose should offer many servers across the world. The most important are the US and the UK, considering most music is licensed in these countries. However, servers in Asia are also useful if you want to expand your taste to classical music in Japan, China, Korea, and elsewhere.
Speed matters
One of the biggest compromises you have to make when using a VPN is speed. Since you're connecting through an external server, you unavoidably lose some speed. With a good VPN, this shouldn't matter all that much. The difference is minimal. Some servers may be slower than others, especially if you are far away from them in actual distance. But you shouldn't have a problem streaming music.
For this reason, free VPNs that offer a capped speed aren't going to be all that useful for you. Find a free VPN that doesn't cap speed, or consider paying for one of the excellent options.
Works seamlessly over different platforms
Chances are you listen to music through multiple platforms. When you're working, you might listen on your laptop. When relaxing in your bedroom, you might listen through your phone or even your TV. Choose a VPN with apps for each different platform. You ideally want a seamless experience.
A VPN is crucial today for security reasons, but it can provide added benefits as well. Get access to all the music you may be missing by streaming through a VPN.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of classicalite.com
