So, About That Tidal Launch… #TidalForNoOne

• Report rights infringement
• published: 01 Apr 2015
• views: 18930

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday and welcome to a new month. Jay-Z's streaming service, 'Tidal,' launched on Monday, and I am soooo not here for it, for a variety of reasons. Branded as a 'revolutionary' product meant to put power back into the hands of recording artists, it is the first streaming service to be owned entirely by the artists themselves, instead of a third party service that pays royalties for streams. This could translate into MILLIONS of dollars for high-profile artists, as it appears each co-owner will take home at least a 3% share of music streams. While the concept sounds nice in theory, the entire launch of the streaming service came off as elitist and pretentious, with multi-millionaires essentially whining to working-class consumers about how we should give them more money for a product we can get for free elsewhere. Tidal does not have a free option: there is a low tier subscription for $9.99/month, and a high tier subscription for $19.99/month, and many participating artists have pulled their music from other streaming sites like Spotify (basically blackmailing fans who want content into using Tidal, and, in my opinion, essentially turning musical content into luxury items meant only for people who have a certain amount of disposable income to pay for such an expensive subscription service). Many detractors have pointed out that, in addition to the high price and blackmailing/guilt-tripping consumers, Tidal has also used grassroots activism tactics like utilizing hashtags and changing social media avatars (both of which were popularized by social justice movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #Blackout) to spread awareness. Many of these same artists have been silent for MONTHS on real issues of social justice plaguing the Black community, yet will 'come together' in order to make money by situating a streaming product as 'revolutionary.' In a time where the vast majority of the country, and especially the Black population, is still living on or below the poverty line, an attempt to push a luxury streaming service as something both necessary and revolutionary is crass and tasteless. And millionaire artists stealing tactics from Black activists to popularize their products, when they have shown neither care nor compassion for social justice issues within the Black community, only adds insult to injury. Thanks for watching. Links: 'Jay Z’s Tidal Is Great for Artists, But Maybe Not for Fans:' http://www.wired.com/2015/03/jay-z-tidal-streaming-service/ 'Jay Z Debuts New Music Streaming Service Tidal in Most Awkward Press Conference Ever:' http://www.etonline.com/music/161958_jay_z_debuts_new_music_streaming_service_tidal_most_awkward_press_conference_ever/?viewFull=true 'Publicity stunt sparks online backlash for big name Canadian artists:' https://storify.com/CanadianPress/artist-tweets-spark-online-backlash 'Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce and more spark backlash with promotion of Spotify rival Tidal:' http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/jay-z-nicki-minaj-beyonce-and-more-spark-backlash-with-promotion-of-spotify-rival-tidal-20150331-1mbm3l.html 'Tidal supporters Arcade Fire, Deadmau5 inspire backlash:' http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2015/03/30/tidal-supporters-arcade-fire-deadmau5-inspire-backlash.html 'TIDAL FOR WEALTHY? JAY Z'S NEW STREAMING SERVICE SLAMMED ON TWITTER FOR MAKING BEYONCE, MADONNA AND OTHERS EVEN RICHER (PHOTOS):' http://www.hollywoodtake.com/tidal-wealthy-jay-zs-new-streaming-service-slammed-twitter-making-beyonce-madonna-and-77704 'Jay Z, Madonna, Nicki Minaj and more spark backlash with Tidal launch:' http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/67562824/jay-z-madonna-nicki-minaj-and-more-spark-backlash-with-tidal-launch 'Number Of Americans Living In Poverty Hits 52-Year High, 27.4 Percent Of Blacks Under The Poverty Line:' http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/13/number-of-americans-livin_n_960345.html? '45 Million Americans Still Stuck Below Poverty Line: Census:' http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/16/poverty-household-income_n_5828974.html 'One In Four Young U.S. Children Living In Poverty, Study Finds:' http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/children-in-poverty-us_n_976868.html