About a month ago, Jay Z held some huge press conference with the likes of Beyonce and Rihanna by his side to announce the launch of his own streaming music service, Tidal. He claimed (and still claims) that the service is “for the fans” and for the artists, who are often ripped off by the likes of record labels, iTunes, etc. Your $19.99 monthly premium membership fee would get you “high quality” streaming (which many have tested and reported that they detected no difference between Tidal’s and Spotify’s, which is half the price at $9.99 per month) and some “exclusive” perks like tracks only released via the service and early access concert tickets, etc.
If that all sounds pretty shitty and you’d rather spend your hard earned cash on anything else, you’re not alone. Critics and fans have panned that shit since its release, and just today Jay finally felt compelled to speak out and defend Tidal, insisting it’s here to stay. I warn you, this is a long one, so stay strong, and I’ll see you on the other side.
Tidal is doing just fine. We have over 770,000 subs. We have been in business less than one month. #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
The iTunes Store wasn't built in a day. It took Spotify 9 years to be successful…
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
We are here for the long haul. Please give us a chance to grow & get better. #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
There are many big companies that are spending millions on a smear campaign. We are not anti-anyone, we are pro-artist & fan. #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
We made Tidal for fans. We have more than just music. We have video, exclusive concerts, tickets for events early, live sports!…
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
….Tidal is where artists can give their fans more without the middlemen. #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
Indie artists who want to work directly w/ us keep 100% of their music. "If you don't want the CEOs all in the videos" haa #tidalfacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
Tidal pays 75% royalty rate to ALL artists, writers and producers – not just the founding members on stage.
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
Rich getting richer? Equity values… YouTube $390 billion. Apple $760 billion. Spotify $8 billion. Tidal $60 million. #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
My cousin just moved to Nigeria to discover new talent. Tidal is a global company.
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
We have Tidal X – it supports artists by giving them a platform to connect with their most loyal fans. Tidal is for all. #Tidalfacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
Our actions will speak louder than words. We made Tidal to bring people the best experiences…
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
We are human (even Daft Punk ha). We aren't perfect – but we are determined. #TidalFacts
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) April 26, 2015
Whew. Did you make it? Good job. Now how long do we think it is before Tidal folds?
He’s doing it solely to help out artists because there was no demand for this from anyone in the general population. Too bad it won’t be helping out anyone.
Desperate attempt to justify a poor business decision.