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Apple Music falls to fifth place in latest brand intimacy study, overtaken by Spotify

Apple Music came in at the top in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy survey last year. This time around, however, Apple Music has slipped to number five, being overtaken by Spotify and several others.

MBLM’s Brand Intimacy studies compare apps and social platforms and measures the “emotional science” of the bonds people form with brands. Each company, platform, or service is assigned a quotient based on survey responses.

Apple Music ranked top on MBLM’s list last year, but this year it has fallen to number five. Apple Music was passed by Pinterest, Spotify, Pandora, and Instagram in that order. Spotify was the number one brand for men, while Pinterest was number one among women.

MBLM surveyed a total of 6,200 consumer across the United States, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates for its survey. Those respondents were between the ages of 18 and 64.

“Although a ubiquitous part of our daily routine, apps & social platform brands continued to underperform in our 2019 study,” stated Mario Natarelli, managing partner, MBLM. “These brands are perceived as free utilities. They rank lowest in the smartphone ecosystem and now trust is emerging as a key challenge as these brands try to mature. However, strong performers such as Pinterest are creating powerful bonds – especially with women.”

Here are the full rankings:

  1. Pinterest – 44.9
  2. Spotify – 39.2
  3. Pandora – 28.5
  4. Instagram – 27.2
  5. Apple Music – 26.5
  6. Facebook – 24.9
  7. Snapchat – 24.0
  8. Uber – 20.3
  9. Airbnb – 19.5
  10. Venmo – 19.2

In February, MBLM’s broader intimacy test placed Apple as a company as the third most intimate brand, being overtaken by YouTube. In previous years, Apple has topped the overall list based on factors like fulfillment, identity, and nostalgia.

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Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is the editor-in-chief of 9to5Mac, overseeing the entire site’s operations. He also hosts the 9to5Mac Daily and 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcasts.

You can send tips, questions, and typos to chance@9to5mac.com.

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