Two years on from TIDAL‘s ostentatious launch, JAY-Z‘s streaming service continues to face questions about its validity and viability.
Find out what the latest drama is below…
Hits Daily Double cite sources who claim that TIDAL is coming under fire in industry circles for the numbers it’s reporting to Nielsen SoundScan – the body whose data forms the Billboard charts.
So what’s the actual problem?
The following makes it clear using ‘4:44’ and ‘Grateful’ by DJ Khaled (two TIDAL powered LPs) as examples:
In the first week of wide release for 4:44, total reported streams to SoundScan were 122m, which was 68m more than the same streaming services reported to BuzzAngle. Similarly, two weeks prior, DJ Khaled won a race with Imagine Dragons for #1 when SoundScan logged 17m more streams than BuzzAngle. Industry insiders have confirmed that both Apple Music and Spotify, the leading steaming services with over 90% combined share, reported the same numbers to both chart services.
It’s clear. The insinuation is that TIDAL are ramping up their numbers to the data bank that determine the charts (SoundScan) and are less bothered about the others (such as BuzzAngle).
We must stress that this is all alleged, but does make for an intriguing development.
There’s murmurs about SoundScan making major changes to their counting format to combat such confusion moving forward; there’s also alleged talk of TIDAL to be stripped of the ability to report to SoundScan. The latter of which would effectively render the service powerless in the charting stakes.
Again, fascinating narrative.
Why you Fcks don’t put that same energy in posting everything Trump is doing to destroy our country so you can wake up this era up
Always putting your own down
This is a music blog you idiot….. go watch cnn
Ma’am, although I share your frustration about Sam participating in putting our own down, this is a music blog. There are plenty of outlets discussing politics.
I would talk about “support black business blah blah blah” but when I got Tidal, I cancelled the next day because of poor customer service.
With spotify, I could @ their twitter page and within minutes, they would get back to me and try to help in anyway possible, with Tidal, no response, no nothing. So poor customer service is the first strike.
The second strike is the differentiation factor. Aside from exclusives, what value does Tidal have that Spotify or ASShole music doesn’t have outside lossless sound?
If I was Jay, I would bring Lossless sound down to the $9.99 tier, and offer TV shows with the $19.99, essentially making it a one stop shop for Netflix/Spotify, it has the infrastructure anyway.
Jay overrates himself as a business man anyway, good luck.
Your experience with customer service is interesting. Anytime Ive emailed them with an issue Ive received a response within 24 hours. You speak about differentiation factors but lets be honest here. All streaming platforms are hawking the same product. As a elite member of the HIVE, there is no other option as far as I’m concerned.
Ive been using Tidal exclusively since Lemonade dropped and have been completely satisfied with the service and regular updates to improve the platform. Like JayZ said on 4:44, Ill be d..d if I drink Belvedere when Puff got Ciroc and I agree when it comes to streaming platforms. I have NEVER seen this amount of shade being thrown over a streaming service and I’m beginning to wonder why the industry is so dead set on tearing Tidal down. I am even more disappointed that this blog was created by a black man who uses his platform to further that agenda. There is nothing fascinating about this narrative except Sam’s participation in promoting it. It has become clear to me that Jay, Bey and everyone else are dead set on making moves on their own terms and I respect that. Sam, do better.
….when people think bringing race in a conversation will solidify their response…. this has nothing to do with race you moron.
and you resorting to name calling told me everything I need to know about your ability to communicate and think critically. Good day.
Yea well Jay-Z and company set themselves up from day one. First a bunch of filthy rich millionaires stud on a stage and said they didn’t feel fully compensated with their earnings though their the top earning artist. They charge $20 a month for the same s*** everyone has, their exclusives end up on YouTube and they’re constantly in cheating streaming rumors when one of the part owners album drop. They are always saying support then because they’re black own but then turn around and make us look bad. You don’t have to lie about streaming numbers if you get off your pretentious ass and promote your music. And buying plaques before your album is even released…what the f*** are we supporting?
I pay 12.99, not $20. Students pay 4.99…. stop spreading falsified information.
It’s not false info, it’s in the damn sign up. You choose what plan you want, $10 plan or $20 plan. Students get discounts for just about everything f****** service. THeyre charging $20 for the same thing everyone else has.
no surprise, him and his basic wife are the two biggest frauds in the history of music. they most likely lied about that wack ass koolaids streaming numbers too ?
Knows nothing about any type of streaming, I still purchase albums…??♂️
Jay Z is a fraud just like his streaming service. I am sticking with Spotify!!!!!
No tea, no shade but where was all this false outrage and coverage by the media when Apple Music falsified Drake’s streaming numbers for Views?
http://www.stereogum.com/1892123/skewed-views-the-huge-truth-about-drakes-record-breaking-chart-run/franchises/but-whos-buying/?utm_source=idolator.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article
SPEAK ON IT!
So Jaythief is whats happening right now.
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I don’t use TIDAL nor even remember about it until I hit the blogs and get reminded about it. SoundScan should CANCEL Tidal as Jaythief can be bias and tell his workers to send the wrong data information to make it seem that many people were listening to 4:44.
HASHTAG: #JayThief
Every since Jay z started tidal HDD never had anything good to say. they always come negative. No one every question the white streaming service
EXACTLY!
It is clear what is going on here. WAKE UP, PEOPLE! This is the only black owned streaming service. Furthermore, it’s by a black artist who is trying to better black people by addressing black issues in his music. They are trying to destroy him and this platform because of his influence. They did this to Michael and they have been trying to do it to Beyonce. We have to step up and support them or else blacks will be voiceless. This is bigger than Jay Z and if he is a good rapper or not. This is about where black people are going in this country. This to me is very clear and I don’t know why more people are catching on to it. The top 1% do not want blacks to wake and they do not want to share their wealth, especially with blacks. I LOVE TAKING NAPS, BUT I STAY WOKE.
So everybody only bashing the black streaming service huh??? This kinda makes me wanna get tidal again honestly. The only problem I had with tidal is that it didn’t have a repeat button (which it now) and That the pricing was off.
Sad to see a black blog help Hit Daily Double with its agenda. Especially when Apple falsified Drake’s numbers and Hits Daily Double had no problem with that.
Agree 100 percent! Who cares about HDD’s level of suspicion anyway? They have been against TIDAL from day one and the HATE is obvious.
HDD didn’t say anything but this blog did so…
Does anyone operate in honesty anymore? Like Jesus Christ, cant trust none of these companies. There needs to be National Regulations set in place to stop the lying and cheating with this streaming mess. That industry needs more monitoring laws in place.
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This is a long fall off the cliff for Tidal. Its all about to hit then fan.
they are about to crash and burn.
I hope all the dishonest business practices get exposed.
People need to go back to morals and values, as people and companies.