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Holiday music exclusive battle: Apple/Eminem vs. Tidal/Lil Wayne
While many in the US are relaxing for the July 4th holiday, the folks at Apple Music and Tidal are hard at work trying to push their respective subscription music services. Apple has already announced plans for a Dr. Dre radio show on Beats 1 that will debut Saturday night, after airing shows hosted by artists Q-Tip and Run the Jewels on Friday. Just to add on, Apple Music revealed it nabbed the exclusive for Eminem's "music film" Phenomenal. Not to be outdone, Tidal came through with a surprise exclusive drop of Lil Wayne's new album, FWA, aka the Free Weezy Album. Whether or not those match your personal taste, it's evident both are gunning hard for the current subscription streaming leader, Spotify, to power the playlist at your barbecue this weekend. As far as Spotify and the rest, well, at least they have AC/DC too.
Prince removes his music catalog from streaming services
Unless you're a Google Music or Tidal customer, you may have noticed that Prince's catalog is absent from your go-to service. Music from the artist is gone from the likes of Spotify, Rdio and Deezer, leaving Jay Z's streaming venture and Google Music All Access as the only two places you can still listen on demand. According to Prince's artist page on Spotify, the musician's "publisher has asked all streaming services to remove his catalog." TechCrunch reports that Google didn't receive the same request as the other companies, so the tunes may remain available there. However, that could change, soon enough as Prince has already pulled official tracks from YouTube. In case you're wondering, they weren't available on Apple Music, so there's no change there. Prince has ties to Tidal, though, as the service streamed his Rally 4 Peace concert from Baltimore back in May.
Tidal delivers desktop app, refreshed UI and student pricing
Jay Z's music-streaming service, Tidal, relies heavily on bringing exclusive content to subscribers. But it knows more features are needed to complement that. Today, in an effort to make the overall experience better for its users, Tidal is launching desktop apps for both Mac and Windows -- albeit in beta form. There's also an updated user interface on mobile and the web, along with the new applications, which comes with extra personalization options, a simplified menu and improved search results. Ticketmaster support has been added too, letting people view artists' tour dates and purchase concert tickets directly from the music service's website or apps; Spotify does something similar through Songkick.
Recommended Reading: Wearing Google Glass every day for two years
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Two Years Through the Looking Glass by Allen Firstenberg I'm pretty sure there's nothing I've done every day for the last two years. Maybe I've taken a vitamin, but I'm sure I missed a day here or there. Allen Firstenberg is way more dedicated to habit than I am, though. He's been wearing Google Glass since he received the headset two years ago and has a load of observations about the past, present and future of the tech.
Tidal will stream Prince's 'Rally 4 Peace' concert for free
You won't need a ticket to Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore to see Prince perform this Sunday. Heck, you won't even need to be on the Eastern seaboard. Tidal, Jay Z's much maligned streaming music service, announced today that it will broadcast the artist's full 60-minute Rally 4 Peace set completely free of charge. What's more the show will be "pre-paywall," meaning that users won't need a Tidal subscription to access it. Additionally, the streaming service will "match funds" of any donation made through its official website with proceeds going to local youth charities and the Baltimore Justice Fund. Prince is reportedly planning this impromptu concert to bring Baltimore communities together after the death of Freddie Grey in police custody. [Image Credit: Getty]
Jay Z says his Tidal music service is doing just fine, thank you
Jay Z re-launched Tidal with a lot of fanfare, but how well is his artist-owned streaming service doing so far? Just fine, if you ask the man himself. As part of a flurry of Twitter posts, Mr. Carter revealed that Tidal has "over 770,000" subscribers to date. He also scoffs at the idea that Tidal is solely about pampering wealthy artists who want a larger cut -- the rapper argues that Tidal's $60 million in equity value pales in comparison to the billions in musical net worth at rivals like iTunes and Spotify. Every artist on Tidal gets a 75 percent royalty rate, Jay Z says, not just those with a direct stake.
Recommended Reading: Designing a roller coaster that'll make you weep
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. How to Design a Roller Coaster That'll Make You Beg For Mercy by Jeff Wise Bloomberg Business When it comes to designing a roller coaster, there are any number of tools that can achieve that maximum thrill. At Carowinds, a theme park that borders North and South Carolina, the Fury 325 debuted this spring. The ride packs a 325-foot drop and top speeds of 95MPH. How does something like this come about? Bloomberg's Jeff Wise will take you for a ride to find out.
Will Tidal's artist exclusives ruin streaming music?
Tidal, the Jay Z-led music-streaming service, recently relaunched at the end of March with a roster of high-profile celebrity backers, like Madonna, Rihanna and Kanye West. The event was much more than an obvious photo-opp; it was a statement: In addition to a ceremonial pact signing, the group of over a dozen artists pledged to tackle fair compensation and improve the current state of streaming affairs for consumers and musicians. Part of this strategy involves offering content exclusive to Tidal. And while extra content is nice, it becomes worrisome when the exclusive bits take the form of much-anticipated full album releases. That seems to be Tidal's plan to lure and retain subscribers. It's a business plan that could very well kill the streaming-music vibe for everyone, especially when we've become used to an all-you-can-stream listening habit.
Tidal Discovery will allow independent artists to upload directly
While Tidal didn't have too much to say about independent artists during its relaunch a couple weeks ago, the company is lending a hand now. In an interview with Smashd, Tidal's Chief Information Officer Vania Schlogel discussed the upcoming Discovery feature for the service -- the ability for indie acts to upload music directly. Why is this a big deal? Well, for the likes of Spotify, those musicians have to go through a third-party service like CD Baby or TuneCore to get their music in the apps. Since record labels typically handle licensing deals with subscription services, if you're unsigned, you have to find another middleman. What's more, all artists will have access to Tidal's dashboard, where they can see exactly who's listening to their music and get contact info for each person. That's how Jay Z and Jack White were able to offer those thank-you calls last week.
Jay Z is calling Tidal users to personally thank them for signing up
In addition to signing on a roster of big name artists to help lure new subscribers, Jay Z is handling some of the customer service duties as well. Mr. Carter is calling folks who signed up for Tidal's music streaming service to personally thank them. It sounds odd, but the company confirmed to us "that's 1000% true." He's not the only one, though, as Tidal executive Vania Schloge told Business Insider that Jack White and others are calling subscribers, too. Using one of the services' features, artists can log in and see exactly who is listening to their music alongside contact info for those people. It's certainly a personal approach, but one can wonder if that star-packed relaunch didn't provide the boost in new subscriptions the company hoped. The company also announced today that it replaced CEO Andy Chen with Peter Tonstad, who was in charge before Mr. Carter & Co. took ownership. Of course, being a part owner of the project is certainly motivation to get more involved. I just wonder if Jay Z used a video phone. [Image credit: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images]
Tidal offers easy playlist transfers to lure new users
It's no secret that Tidal has an uphill climb ahead of it before catching up with the likes of Spotify. That's not stopping Jay Z & Co. from doing their best to get you to switch, with the promise of exclusive content and more. Today, Tidal announced yet another attempt to lure you from your current service: easy playlist transfers. Thanks to a partnership with Soundiiz, you can bring over saved playlists from Deezer, Rdio, Spotify, Xbox Music and more. It'll even handle those collections you've built with files you own. It sounds pretty simple, too. Select the services where you've saved the curated lists, and then a drag and drop interface allows you to place them with the new choice. Of course, you'll still have to hand over $10/month for the Premium option or $20/month for the HiFi tier. [Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images For Roc Nation]
Sonos adds another five music services, including Jay Z's Tidal
You've got your Sonos setup, and you've gushed about how easy it is to use, but (but!) you're itching to stream some Swift -- alas she's not on Spotify anymore. Not to worry, as the speaker company has recently added full (it was in testing before) support for music service challenger Tidal, as well as 22tracks, Saavn and Deezer Elite (again?). The new sources keep coming, too -- Mixcloud (a popular site for DJ sets) was added in "beta" (again, in testing) just today. As you'd hope, Tidal and Deezer Elite will stream high-quality audio to your earholes, while Saavn will satisfy your Bollywood hit needs. Sonos now has a total of 60 different music services compatible with its hardware and software mix -- so many, you'll likely not have heard of half of them. Its universal search still weeds out the artist you're looking for across music platforms, handy, given certain well-heeled musicians continue to pick and choose which services they back.
Recommended Reading: The record-breaking all-electric '68 Mustang
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Dark Horse by Michael Zelenko The Verge Converting one of the most beloved American muscle cars to an all-electric machine sounds crazy enough, but Mitch Medford wanted much more than that. After putting 800 horsepower's worth of batteries, converters and motors in a 1968 Mustang, he eyed the record for that model: the 170MPH mark set by Carroll Shelby himself -- a man that's synonymous with these classic cars in the States. In fact, some models of Ford's iconic two-door still bear his name. The Verge chronicles the story of the Zombie 222's (as it's called) origins and Medford's quest for history at the Texas Mile.
Tidal's HiFi test rewards audiophiles with half as much free trial (update: now changed)
Tidal windmilled its way into music streaming relevance this week when it relaunched under the stewardship of its new owner, Jay Z. Apart from strong celebrity endorsement, Tidal's main selling point is a $20 premium tier offering lossless (non compressed) audio/music. To convince you over to that pricier package, Tidal has a test: listen to five songs, switch between the regular and high quality versions, and pick which one you think warrants the extra $10 a month. The prize? Two weeks free trial to Tidal. The problem is... you can get a 30 day trial just by signing up?
Apple is reportedly trying to poach artists from Jay Z's music service
The streaming music business is getting particularly cutthroat, it seems. According to Billboard, Apple exec Jimmy Iovine has been trying to lure the first-tier musicians from Jay Z's artist-owned Tidal service (possibly for an upcoming streaming option) by paying them "more money upfront." Jay Z isn't directly confirming the rumor, but he isn't exactly denying it, either. He explains that a poaching attempt just reflects Iovine's "competitive nature" and that the two have talked about their rival offerings. The rapper claims that he's trying to make nice, and that he doesn't "have to lose in order for you guys [at Apple] to win" -- he sees the two sides trying to help artists. That may be true, but something tells us that Apple isn't about to make life easy for a direct competitor... especially one whose emphasis on exclusives and special deals could hurt Apple's bottom line. [Image credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Roc Nation]
Daily Roundup: Engadget Awards and cute dogs, Tim Cook on discrimination laws and more!
Happy Monday! There's no better way to start the work week than with a big dose of puppy love. Check out the pawesome winners of the 11th annual Engadget Awards. Then it's time to get serious as Tim Cook talks about dangerous discrimination laws popping up across the country. Get all the details on these stories and many more in today's Daily Roundup.
Jay Z's version of Tidal is an artist-owned streaming service
The ink on Jay Z's purchase of music-streaming service Tidal isn't quite dry, but that's not stopping the musician/entrepreneur from getting a start on things. The company announced earlier today that it would offer a non-lossless option for half the cost of its original high-definition plan -- down to $10 per month from $20. That's not all. At the official relaunch proceedings this evening, Alicia Keys revealed that a lineup of artists, including Jay Z, Kanye West, Jack White, Deadmau5, Daft Punk, Usher and many others, are all part owners in the endeavor. The goal for Tidal moving forward is to offer a music-streaming option that benefits both artists and listeners alike. With artists becoming increasingly frustrated with compensation from the likes of Spotify and others, it'll be interesting to see how Tidal keeps its musicians happy while offering an attractive slate of both regular and lossless tunes, as well as HD video and editorial content.
Jay Z's first order of business: Cut Tidal subscription fees in half (update)
If the ability to stream Taylor Swift's music has you eyeing Tidal, Jay Z & Co. just sweetened the deal. Ahead of a relaunch event this evening, the streaming service cut it's monthly rate in half. That's right, instead of shelling out $20 for spinning the lossless catalog, you'll now need to commit $10 per month. According to the company's Twitter account, the drop in price doesn't mean that you'll get access to less, either. Subscriptions still include the same content, with high-definition streaming being the key feature. The move allows Tidal to compete with the likes of Spotify, Rdio, Beats Music and others when it comes to pricing. What's more, early reports indicate that exclusive content and artist partnerships are two things Mr. Carter hopes will lure eager listeners to the service. While the finer points are unclear right now, we'll surely get a clearer picture during the event that's set to begin at 5PM ET today. Update: Turns out, that price drop is for an entirely new tier. The $10/month rate is for a regular version, while lossless streaming will still set you back $20 -- similar to Deezer's $5 and $15 options for Premium+ and Elite.
Taylor Swift will be available on Jay Z's Tidal streaming service
Most people still have no idea what Tidal is, but that's likely to change if Jay Z continues playing his cards right. See, the music mogul has just convinced Taylor Swift to give the Norwegian hi-fi streaming service -- that he snapped up -- the right to stream most of her albums. As she's one of the world's best-selling artists, she certainly has the following to help spread the word about the company. But doesn't Taylor dislike streaming services? Well, not exactly. She left Spotify last year, because she wasn't happy with its free, ad-supported tier -- on the other hand, she stayed with Rhapsody and Beats Music, because they don't have a free option.
Jay-Z bought music streaming service just in time for T-Mobile deal
It looks like Jay-Z didn't just buy Spotify rival Tidal for the lulz, as the high-quality streaming service is now available with T-Mobile's Music Freedom. As a refresher, that package lets Uncarrier customers listen to all the streaming music they want without cutting into their data caps (you still have to pay the monthly streaming fees from Spotify et al, of course). The only catch is that it's limited to T-Mo-approved services, though it does include the most popular ones like Spotify, Google Play, iTunes Radio and Pandora. Fortunately for Jay-Z, he concluded the $56 million deal to buy Tidal just a couple of weeks ago; and with the T-Mobile deal in place, there's now a strong incentive for a lot more folks to try it.
