Ending your Prime Music membership made easy

About Prime Music

Prime Music is Amazon's music streaming service included as part of an Amazon Prime membership in the United Kingdom. This service provides access to approximately two million songs, ad-free listening, and the ability to download tracks for offline playback. As a consumer rights specialist, I want you to understand that Prime Music differs from Amazon Music Unlimited, which offers a more extensive catalogue of over 100 million songs.

Prime Music is automatically included when you subscribe to Amazon Prime, which means you cannot subscribe to it separately. This bundling arrangement is important to understand when considering cancellation, as ending your Prime Music access requires cancelling your entire Amazon Prime membership. Therefore, you need to carefully consider whether you use other Prime benefits such as free delivery, Prime Video, or Prime Reading before proceeding with cancellation.

The service allows unlimited skips, offline listening through downloads, and access across multiple devices including smartphones, tablets, computers, and Amazon Echo devices. In practice, this means that whilst the service offers good value as part of the broader Prime package, many consumers find that standalone music streaming services better meet their specific needs. This realisation often prompts members to reconsider their subscription, particularly if they primarily joined for the music benefits rather than the shopping advantages.

Subscription plans and pricing

Understanding the cost structure of Prime Music is essential for making informed decisions about your subscription. As Prime Music is exclusively bundled with Amazon Prime membership, you cannot purchase it as a standalone service. This means that accessing Prime Music requires maintaining an active Amazon Prime subscription, which comes with specific pricing tiers.

The annual membership represents a saving compared to paying monthly, working out at approximately £7.92 per month when calculated across the year. This pricing structure means that consumers who cancel mid-year on an annual plan may feel they haven't received full value for their payment. As a result, understanding refund entitlements becomes particularly important, which I'll address in the following section.

Student memberships offer a reduced rate for those enrolled in higher education institutions, requiring verification of student status. This discounted option includes all the same Prime Music benefits as standard memberships. Therefore, students considering cancellation should weigh the significant cost savings against their usage patterns before making a final decision.

Additional music options from Amazon

It's worth noting that Amazon offers Amazon Music Unlimited as a separate, more comprehensive service. This premium tier costs £10.99 per month or £9.99 monthly for Prime members, providing access to a vastly larger music library. Many consumers initially subscribe to Prime for the music benefits, only to discover that Prime Music's two million songs don't include many artists or albums they want. This limitation frequently drives cancellation decisions, as subscribers realise they're paying for a service that doesn't meet their expectations.

Cancellation terms and conditions

Your rights as a consumer in the United Kingdom are protected by several pieces of legislation, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. These laws establish clear frameworks for cancelling subscriptions and obtaining refunds. Understanding these protections empowers you to exercise your rights confidently when cancelling Prime Music through your Amazon Prime membership.

Cooling-off period rights

Under UK consumer protection law, you have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date you subscribe to Amazon Prime. This means you can cancel within this timeframe and receive a full refund, provided you haven't used any Prime benefits during this period. In practice, if you've streamed music, watched Prime Video content, or used free delivery, Amazon may deduct a proportionate amount from your refund to reflect the services you've consumed.

This cooling-off period represents a powerful consumer protection that ensures you're not locked into a service that doesn't meet your needs. Therefore, if you've recently subscribed and have concerns about Prime Music or any other Prime benefit, acting quickly within this window maximises your refund entitlement.

Standard cancellation terms

Outside the cooling-off period, you can cancel your Amazon Prime membership at any time. The cancellation terms differ depending on your usage and payment structure. If you haven't used any Prime benefits since your last renewal, you're entitled to a full refund of your most recent membership fee. This policy demonstrates a relatively consumer-friendly approach compared to many subscription services that refuse refunds under any circumstances.

However, if you've used Prime benefits including Prime Music, Amazon typically won't provide a refund when you cancel. Your membership will continue until the end of your current billing period, allowing you to access all Prime services until that date. This means you should time your cancellation strategically to maximise the value you've already paid for whilst ensuring you don't get charged for another billing cycle.

Notice period requirements

Amazon doesn't require a specific notice period for cancellation, which differs from many traditional service contracts. You can cancel at any point, and your cancellation takes effect either immediately or at the end of your billing period, depending on whether you've used benefits. This flexibility protects consumers from being trapped in lengthy notice periods, though it's still advisable to cancel well before your next billing date to avoid any processing delays.

How to cancel Prime Music by post

Whilst many companies encourage online cancellations, sending your cancellation request by post using Recorded Delivery offers significant advantages that protect your consumer rights. This method creates an undeniable paper trail with proof of posting and delivery, which becomes invaluable if disputes arise about whether you cancelled in time or at all.

Why postal cancellation is most reliable

Postal cancellation via Recorded Delivery provides legal certainty that online methods cannot match. When you send a cancellation letter by Recorded Delivery, you receive a reference number and can track delivery confirmation. This proof of delivery holds substantial weight in any dispute, as it demonstrates conclusively that Amazon received your cancellation request on a specific date.

In practice, online cancellation processes can encounter technical issues, account access problems, or unclear confirmation messages that leave you uncertain whether your cancellation succeeded. Companies occasionally claim they never received online cancellation requests, leaving consumers without evidence to support their position. Therefore, postal cancellation eliminates these ambiguities and puts you in control of the evidence.

Additionally, a formal letter creates a permanent record of your cancellation request, including the date you sent it and the specific reasons for cancelling. This documentation proves particularly valuable if you need to escalate complaints to Amazon's customer service management or external bodies such as the Financial Ombudsman Service or Trading Standards. As a result, the small cost of Recorded Delivery represents excellent value for the legal protection it provides.

Essential information for your cancellation letter

Your cancellation letter must include specific information to ensure Amazon can identify your account and process your request efficiently. Start with your full name exactly as it appears on your Amazon account, followed by your complete account email address. Include your Amazon account number if you know it, though your email address typically suffices for identification purposes.

Clearly state your intention to cancel your Amazon Prime membership, which automatically ends your Prime Music access. Specify the date you're writing the letter and, if relevant, mention that you're exercising your rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This reference demonstrates your awareness of your legal protections and encourages proper handling of your request.

Request written confirmation of your cancellation, including the effective cancellation date and details of any refund you're entitled to receive. This confirmation request is crucial because it creates an obligation for Amazon to respond formally, providing you with additional documentation of the cancellation. Therefore, always include a return address where Amazon can send this confirmation.

Where to send your cancellation letter

Send your Prime Music cancellation letter (which cancels your Amazon Prime membership) to Amazon's UK headquarters. The correct postal address is:

• 1 Principal Place, Worship Street, London, EC2A 2FA

Address your envelope clearly and consider marking it \