TIDAL adds free subscription tier
TIDAL has added a new free subscription tier to their streaming platform. The new tier will allow users to listen at ‘good’ sound quality (160kbps MP3) and access the curated playlists that are a big part of TIDAL’s offerings. There’ll be ‘limited ad interruptions’ as part of the free tier, as with other streaming services, but there won’t be traditional ads. Instead TIDAL will use the ads to educate listeners about the music industry. You can access all 80m+ songs on TIDAL, but you won’t be able to access their 350k+ videos.
The news comes as TIDAL was bought by Square earlier this year, a payment company co-owned by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey.
The new free tier will be rolling out on Android ‘gradually’ and will be available on all platforms ‘in the coming days’.
TIDAL say the move is the first of a series of changes coming to the platform, as outlined on their blog today, November 17. In it, the company said: “With support from the vast majority of our record label and distributor partners, we’re making royalty payments more transparent for artists and rights holders, and more empowering for fans.
“And by working with payment services Square, Cash App, and PayPal, we’re looking to ensure quick and seamless payouts to artists.” TIDAL is launching a Direct Artist Payment program that allocates 10% of your monthly sub fee (for the non-free subscribers) directly to your most-played artist. This payment system is currently only available to HiFi Plus subscribers and is still in development. Read the full post here.
