Tidal isn’t exactly a new service, having launched in the U.S. and U.K. in October 2014. Today the service is undergoing a bit of a relaunch, though, thanks to its new ownership.
Tidal is now owned by a roster of musicians that includes Jay-Z, Kanye West, Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Madonna, Jason Aldean, and Beyonce. The service was originally owned by Aspiro Group, which is headquartered in Norway, but it was recently purchased by Jay-Z.
Tidal has offered a $19.99/month subscription service since its 2014 launch that includes lossless music streaming and high-definition music videos, but today the service also launched a $9.99/month tier that includes standard sound quality and the same high-def music videos. That $10 tier is in line with the premium offerings from competing services like Spotify and Rdio.
Jay-Z and his Tidal co-owners say that they’re putting their weight behind this music streaming service as a way to make it about their art and have their music heard in high-quality like it’s intended to be. They’re likely also fighting against free ad-supported streaming that’s offered by services like Spotify, as well as the the streaming royalties that are paid to artists and are always said to be low.
It remains to be seen if Tidal’s artist ownership and high-def music videos will be able to entice people to sign up or switch from their existing service. That’s especially true of the $19.99/month lossless tier, which is double the cost of a standard premium streaming sub. It’ll definitely be interesting to see how Tidal uses its star power to build its service and convince consumers to check it out.
What do you think of Tidal? Do its current offerings have you interested in trying either subscription tier?