Music in car - can you help me move on from CDs?

[Bbub]

How do you all play music in the car?

A friend was horrified recently that I play CDs in my car. And I am a bit, I got rid of all my CDs ages ago during my MN inspired Marie Kondo phase (before I had a car), but now I find myself buying them back..

I guess I can connect my phone via Bluetooth? It's a modernish car. But then how do I get the music on my phone?

I don't know where to start, can any wise mumsnetters help?

We have a Spotify playlist for the car. It's a mix of everyone's favourites (everyone being my Mum, 2 teen DS' and me.)
It's an interesring mix to say the least!

Do you have spotify? I’m a real technophobe but my phone is connected to car, then there’s a media option on radio settings so I can connect phone to that. Just have to set Spotify going on phone and get it in car. Not very well explained!

My phone connects by Bluetooth to the stereo.

I use amazon prime for music (downloaded all the albums I like and made my own playlists) and BBC sounds app for listening radio 2 played through Bluetooth too.

This also works as hands free for taking phone calls, and as my sat nav using Google maps

Thanks both... And erm no I don't have Spotify. If someone could explain how Spotify works that would be great. I haven't had music on a device since my "ipod mini" 😳

Do you pay for it?

I do pay for Spotify, but you there is a free version too. I've been paying for it for so long I can't remember the difference now.

I think if I wasn't so used to Spotify I'd use amazon music instead which is probably included in my prime subscription anyway. Maybe I should look into that!

I had a new car that has a CD player but it's in the glove box. So I decided to get modern. It has Apple Car Play (connect my phone with USB) and I signed up for Spotify, created a huge playlist and now I wouldn't be without it.
Sometimes I allow passengers to connect their phone and we listen to their dreadful Spotify playlist.

Spotify is like an unlimited jukebox.
You can make " playlists" of your favourite songs or play albums. I pay for family premium so DH both adult DC and me can all use it with our own profiles. A bit like Netflix but for music.
Once you have it on your phone and you've connected it to your car Bluetooth it will just play automatically.

My car is quite old so doesn't have apple play etc. I installed an Alexa Auto so now it works in the same way as the one in the house. Alexa call DH, Alexa play my angry play list etc.

The free version of Spotify has adverts.

The free version of Spotify has adverts

Also you can only 'skip' 6 times in an hour. Technically if you have arranged the playlist you shouldn't need to skip as you love all the tracks, but sometimes you aren't in the mood for some of them.

Does Spotify mean you use a lot of phone memory downloading music?

If you have an Amazon Prime Account, you can download Amazon Music, too. It works like an Alexa. My bluetooth on my car doesn't work so I connect with an AUX cable (the end is a bit like a headphone cable which plugs into the stereo and the phone)

DH convinced me to transfer all my CD’s onto a USB stick that plugs into my car. I was reluctant but in the basis I couldn’t get a 6 disk CD player installed I felt like I had to go with it. It works for me, all my cds and I can pick by artist, album, genre. And I get everything to pick form without having to change cds!

For any smartphone music apps- connect phone to car via blue tooth or apple play.

Amazon prime has a lot of free and popular play lists

Spotify ( down load the app on smart phone and creat play lists)

For radio: use Radio Uk ( this has all digital radio stations on it like an app)

iTunes ( not sure how many still pay for music thou with Amazon prime and Spotify)

You need to download Spotify onto your phone. You then set up a log in on Spotify and can choose songs that you like and make playlists. If you can afford it then I'd pay for Spotify otherwise you can't always listen to the songs in the order that you want to. It's well worth the money. Once you've set this up on your phone and made your playlists then you need to link your phone to your car with Bluetooth - it's usually quite straightforward but you could maybe ask your garage if you're struggling.

You could always find a radio station you like and listen to that? Do you have DAB - more choice of stations. I mostly listen to podcasts, but if not, second choice is DAB radio.

Yes, if you listen to Spotify on the move, it uses data, but it's probably not a huge amount unless you have a tiny data allowance. But relies on coverage which may be inadequate if you're in a rural area. Costs about a tenner a month, so access to unlimited music for about the cost of a CD.

Or you can download onto your phone if you have home wifi and do it that way. If your car doesn't have Bluetooth, you can get an adapter that fits in the cigarette lighter socket. But check your car for this, it worked on my 12 YO car but is not an option on DPs slightly newer and higher spec car from a different manufacturer .

My car has a micro-SD card for MP3s. I've ignored it and still use CDs...

I hate not having a cd player in my car and can't connect one gor some reason. Spotify is OK but I have built my cd collection and don't want to build it again through some shite like Spotify that doesn't support the artists if I am understanding this correctly.

Modern life us rubbish

My MP3 player is now just for the car. I use an AUX cable and it has all my albums and a couple of curated playlists.

No worrying about data, no worrying about storage on my phone, just plug, play and go.

Get a DAB radio for the car.

You can get an Alexa stick thing for the car which connects to your phone and then you put the car radio in Bluetooth mode and just say "Alexa play XYZ" and she will.

Phone connects to the stereo via Bluetooth, very easy to do. We use Apple Music so play our music from there, some use Spotify.

@PatriotCanes

Get a DAB radio for the car.

You can get an Alexa stick thing for the car which connects to your phone and then you put the car radio in Bluetooth mode and just say "Alexa play XYZ" and she will.

I posted this last night. It’s an Echo Auto, it’s not a stick as such it’s a small box and it connects via an AUX input.

I can lose hours of my life on Spotify.

The way it brings up suggestions of similar bands, so you listen to them, and then the next suggestion and then the next……

That’s what l likr about it.

I use cassette tapes

I do also have a device which means I can plug my MP3 player into the cassette slot and listen to my music from there - if your car has a 3.5mm aux input you could buy an appropriate cable do the same

@PollyannaWhittier

I use cassette tapes

I do also have a device which means I can plug my MP3 player into the cassette slot and listen to my music from there - if your car has a 3.5mm aux input you could buy an appropriate cable do the same

We have a 1988 XR2 and have an Echo Auto in that too. It works brilliantly actually because it makes a 30 year old car 'smart'. It means we can use hands free calling as well as have all the music and other things an Echo device offers. It's all wired in and hidden away so you can't see it.

Weirdly my Son In Law has an old Jag thats newer than the XR2 but doesn't have an Aux input so he can't use an Echo etc.

My new( 2ndhand) car came with radio and cd only.
No aux.
We found an aux cable online , removed radio, ( you may need flat "keys" to do this, again can be found online)plugged in aux cable at back , threaded it through and now use MP3 in car