Tidal exclusivity ending on Jay-Z's '4:44,' Kanye claims he's owed $3M by music service

AppleInsider · July 3, 2017 2:28PM

In the wake of reports of Kanye West complaining that Tidal owes him millions, sources claim that Jay-Z's confessional album "4:44" will see release on Apple Music around July 8.

A source confirmed to Billboard that 4:44 will be added to Apple Music and iTunes after only a one week exclusivity on Tidal. A physical release will reportedly follow, but no timetable is known for that.

At about the same time, reports started circulating that Kanye West has apparently jumped ship on his deal with Tidal. According to TMZ West claims that Tidal is in breach of contract, and owes him $3 million. Tidal has also allegedly threatened to sue West.

In January, mobile carrier Sprint purchased 33 percent of Tidal, with terms of the deal not known. At present, Jay-Z's 4:44 can be listened to by long-time Tidal subscribers, or new Tidal subscribers who also have Sprint service.

When Jay-Z relaunched Tidal in 2016, he divvied up minor ownership rights to big-name artists like West, Beyonc, Daft Punk, Alicia Keys, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Chris Martin, Rihanna, Usher, Jack White and others. A number of minority owners have since released albums on the service as windowed exclusives, including West, who begged fans to subscribe after the debut of his last album, "Life of Pablo."

Around the time of Sprint's investment in Tidal, a report noted that Apple Music provides 13.35 percent of all streaming revenue, with 7.18 percent of the streaming quantity. At the same Time, tidal held 0.33 percent of streaming revenue, and 0.1 percent of the total streams.

SpamSandwich · July 3, 2017 2:47PM

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

Soli · July 3, 2017 2:48PM

Jay-Z is no longer exclusive and Kanye is owed millions means this is like that scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom where the heart has been pulled out of the Tidal and may still be beating, but they're dead.

Soli · July 3, 2017 2:57PM

SpamSandwich said:

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

I'll give you ego, but can say that about Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or any number of famous people civilization seems to look up, but do you really think they are dumb?

jbdragon · July 3, 2017 3:08PM

Soli said:

SpamSandwich said:

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

I'll give you ego, but can say that about Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or any number of famous people civilization seems to look up, but do you really think they are dumb?

That's a laughable comparison.

macxpress · July 3, 2017 3:09PM

I don't see where Tidal has any way of surviving. Who really uses this service? They can do all this exclusivity crap they want...its not going to make people just move over for the long haul. These supposed big names aren't gonna make people subscribe. I kinda think these 2 don't have a freaking clue as to what they're doing with Tidal.

tundraboy · July 3, 2017 3:11PM

I miss the days when we didn't hear or read anything about Kanye West. Nowadays, as hard as I try, he still leaks into my universe. Throw his wife and in-laws in there as well.

clayton bigsby · July 3, 2017 3:27PM

Jay-Z and every other artist that releases an "exclusive" has to know that in the internet age nothing is exclusive. By the time I woke up on Friday everybody on my timeline had it and none subscribe to Tidal.

Soli · July 3, 2017 3:32PM

clayton bigsby said:

Jay-Z and every other artist that releases an "exclusive" has to know that in the internet age nothing is exclusive. By the time I woke up on Friday everybody on my timeline had it and none subscribe to Tidal.

But that's the same for all streaming services. It's about people that want to illegally download, rip a CD, or keep playing a YouTube video of a song that may or may not be an actual music video.

holyone · July 3, 2017 3:51PM

Despite all too expected bashing going on here, I for one can't wait to listen to the new Hov, it's been a while since Magna, hope it's good, but Jay hardly disappoints. ( it be so great if AI would close the comments thread on all Tidal stories as 90% of everything posted is just unnecessary negativity provoking and emboldening subtle-racial bulling which has little to do with the actual story, but maybe that's the point

, I mean we all know Ye is the music industry's vesion of Trump )

macxpress · July 3, 2017 3:59PM

holyone said:

Despite all too expected bashing going on here, I for one can't wait to listen to the new Hov, it's been a while since Magna, hope it's good, but Jay hardly disappoints. ( it be so great if AI would close the comments thread on all Tidal stories as 90% of everything posted is just unnecessary negativity provoking and emboldening subtle-racial bulling which has little to do with the actual story, but maybe that's the point , I mean we all know Ye is the music industry's vesion of Trump )

Or you could just choose to not read the comments on a story involving Tidal. If you don't like what's on TV do you complain to the FCC to ban it? Of course not...you just change the friggin channel!

cali · July 3, 2017 4:05PM

Apple should step in and comfort Kanye. Idk maybe give him 3 million for a lifetime exclusive album?

And then let him have his own controversial radio station on Beats 1 to vent.

holyone said:

Despite all too expected bashing going on here, I for one can't wait to listen to the new Hov, it's been a while since Magna, hope it's good, but Jay hardly disappoints. ( it be so great if AI would close the comments thread on all Tidal stories as 90% of everything posted is just unnecessary negativity provoking and emboldening subtle-racial bulling which has little to do with the actual story, but maybe that's the point , I mean we all know Ye is the music industry's vesion of Trump )

Why do hip hop heads cut names shorter than needs to be?

"Hov" "Magna" "Jay" "Ye"

It's confusing to people who aren't in the know and gives rappers cheap rhyme cop-outs:
"I told her to stay/now she's staying with 'Ye/We both rode in the Lamb'/that I copped from Jay."

london11 · July 3, 2017 5:26PM

I’m always a little surprised when I read any news about Tidal. I don’t know a single person who has used Tidal past the trial period. It’s very difficult to convince someone currently using Apple or Spotify to jump ship and I think the part ownership by celebrities is a good niche to have but they should be using the “hifi”of their sound quality as their USP but at the same price as everyone else, ie. $9.99/£9.99 and compete that way.

That might actually convince me to give Tidal another go, especially if they also worked on their iOS and Mac apps (aesthetics mainly).

Notsofast · July 3, 2017 6:14PM

london11 said:

I’m always a little surprised when I read any news about Tidal. I don’t know a single person who has used Tidal past the trial period. It’s very difficult to convince someone currently using Apple or Spotify to jump ship and I think the part ownership by celebrities is a good niche to have but they should be using the “hifi”of their sound quality as their USP but at the same price as everyone else, ie. $9.99/£9.99 and compete that way.

That might actually convince me to give Tidal another go, especially if they also worked on their iOS and Mac apps (aesthetics mainly).

Problem is that most people can't hear a difference, certainly not on the devices that the vast majority of people use to listen to music, so it's a poor business model to assume people are going to fork out another $10 a month for "hi-fi" sound. That said, I anticipate that when the HomePod is ready for sale, Apple will announce a small additional monthly fee of $1.99 or such for listening to enhanced tracks as yet another inducement to switch to Apple Music and to celebrate the fantastic sound of the HomePod. But for Sprint's desperate investment, Tidal might be down and out already, but when AM offers a low price enhanced stream, they will be doomed. Tidal is desperate to be bought out, but with music streaming now largely a commoditized product, there is really no reason for anyone to buy them.

anantksundaram · July 3, 2017 6:37PM

Soli said:

SpamSandwich said:

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

I'll give you ego, but can say that about Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or any number of famous people civilization seems to look up, but do you really think they are dumb?

Um... what? Jobs, Edison, West and Z? Really? "Famous people civilization seems to look up" to!?

Soli · July 3, 2017 7:21PM

anantksundaram said:

Soli said:

SpamSandwich said:

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

I'll give you ego, but can say that about Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or any number of famous people civilization seems to look up, but do you really think they are dumb?

Um... what? Jobs, Edison, West and Z? Really? "Famous people civilization seems to look up" to!?

They have inflated egos. What issue exactly do you have with putting egotistical people into the same category. Is this an issue with calling Jobs egotistical or a problem with desegregation of skin tones on a list of personality traits that helped lead to their success in business? Or are trying to say that as musicians they are inheritantly dumb because they only make music? I seem to remember you having very unfavourable comments about Beats when they rumors were stirring. Was Apple foolish for buying a dumb musician’s headphones and streaming music service? I don’t think you can have it both ways.

dachar · July 3, 2017 8:16PM

I am struggling to understand why this item appeared on AppleInsider. Oh is it because some music is coming to Apple soon? Well, if that was the case will AppleInsider be posting items about every musical release? I thought this is a tech site, not a music site. AppleInsider, please stop giving these people coverage.

spice-boy · July 3, 2017 9:30PM

SpamSandwich said:

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

Why do you care, what have they done to you?

spice-boy · July 3, 2017 9:31PM

Apple in case your forgot is a big player on the distortion of music, therefore it is relevant.

spice-boy · July 3, 2017 9:33PM

cali said:

Apple should step in and comfort Kanye. Idk maybe give him 3 million for a lifetime exclusive album? And then let him have his own controversial radio station on Beats 1 to vent.

holyone said:

Despite all too expected bashing going on here, I for one can't wait to listen to the new Hov, it's been a while since Magna, hope it's good, but Jay hardly disappoints. ( it be so great if AI would close the comments thread on all Tidal stories as 90% of everything posted is just unnecessary negativity provoking and emboldening subtle-racial bulling which has little to do with the actual story, but maybe that's the point , I mean we all know Ye is the music industry's vesion of Trump )

Why do hip hop heads cut names shorter than needs to be?

"Hov" "Magna" "Jay" "Ye"

It's confusing to people who aren't in the know and gives rappers cheap rhyme cop-outs:
"I told her to stay/now she's staying with 'Ye/We both rode in the Lamb'/that I copped from Jay."

I'm approaching 60 but you make me feel like a 20 year old.

anantksundaram · July 4, 2017 2:16AM

Soli said:

anantksundaram said:

Soli said:

SpamSandwich said:

Kanye West and Jay-Z in a lawsuit is where both of these egomaniacal dummies need to be. Let them destroy each other and let actual musicians fill the gap.

I'll give you ego, but can say that about Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or any number of famous people civilization seems to look up, but do you really think they are dumb?

Um... what? Jobs, Edison, West and Z? Really? "Famous people civilization seems to look up" to!?

They have inflated egos. What issue exactly do you have with putting egotistical people into the same category. Is this an issue with calling Jobs egotistical or a problem with desegregation of skin tones on a list of personality traits that helped lead to their success in business? Or are trying to say that as musicians they are inheritantly dumb because they only make music? I seem to remember you having very unfavourable comments about Beats when they rumors were stirring. Was Apple foolish for buying a dumb musician’s headphones and streaming music service? I don’t think you can have it both ways.

Huh, what? I think Beats was a superb acquisition by Apple. I do not at all recall being negative about it (I may have expressed some surprise at some later point that they retained the brand name, instead of Apple-izing it).

Please don't make up stuff so that you can win an argument. That's really low.

(And your insinuation about skin tone is new, disgusting low, even for you. Stop. I actually happen to know something about about skin tone.)

Tidal exclusivity ending on Jay-Z's '4:44,' Kanye claims he's owed $3M by music service

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