Tidal may not be in the best financial shape, according to filings with Sweden’s Companies House made by Aspiro. The streaming platform’s holding company posted a net loss of 239 million kronor ($28 million) in 2015. Continue Reading
It seems that each week kicks off with some new development in exclusive releases. The distribution approach has strong advocates and critics, and today’s news demonstrates just how controversial the path has quickly become for the music industry. Continue Reading
We’d heard rumors that Apple was considering a purchase of Tidal, and at least one person is adamant about making that idea a reality. On Saturday, Kanye West posted a series of tweets pushing for an end to “beef” between the two music services. Continue Reading
Apple has entered into discussions with Tidal about a potential acquisition. The Wall Street Journal reported that the two parties have been in talks, citing unnamed people familiar with the proceedings. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable pairing. Both Tidal and Apple Music have been focused on creating artist-friendly services, each securing some coups in exclusive releases over the past month. But digging a little deeper, Tidal’s recent accomplishments might cast doubt on the tie-up. Continue Reading
Tidal has launched in Jamaica. Residents of the island now have access to the streaming service owned by Jay-Z, which made its name on the celebrity affiliation and high-resolution audio quality offerings. Continue Reading
We’re keeping close tabs on the current wave of big album releases that are windowing their distribution. Here’s the latest data from the two top performers: Lemonade by Beyoncé and Views by Drake. Continue Reading
One of the big story arcs in the music world today centers on distribution. Several of the day’s hottest acts have been exploring new ways of using digital platforms to get their new work out to listeners. Over the weekend, another powerhouse joined their ranks. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Pandora CEO at Midem; some context on the vinyl resurgence; Spotify’s millennial listeners; Kanye and Tidal sued over “exclusivity.” Continue Reading
Tidal doesn’t take a day off. The company is back in headlines again, but this time with nothing related to music. Page Six reported that the music platform is looking to expand on its burgeoning video content initiative with the addition of full-length movies. This new film component could reportedly launch as early as June. Continue Reading
Jay-Z is preparing to take legal action against the original owners of the Tidal streaming service. He alleged that Aspiro’s major shareholders exaggerated how many subscribers Tidal had when his business operation took over. He’s looking to reclaim roughly 100 million Norwegian krone (~$15 million). Continue Reading
Tidal is celebrating its first full year today. Since its relaunch after acquisition by hip-hop legend Jay-Z, Tidal has secured 3 million subscribers. Its library now numbers nearly 40 million songs, including high-quality audio tracks and several exclusives. Continue Reading
After all the big statements about his new album “never” going to appear on Apple, Kanye West appears to have changed his mind. For one song, at least. The track “Famous” arrived on other streaming services, including both Apple Music and Spotify, over the weekend. Continue Reading