Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Jay-Z's Album '4:44' Rumored to Arrive on Apple Music After One Week of Tidal Exclusivity

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
65,232
33,509



Soon after Jay-Z's newest album, "4:44," launched as an exclusive on his own streaming service Tidal, sources speaking to Billboard this weekend have said that 4:44 will be coming to Apple Music and iTunes later this week. Tidal and Sprint are believed to have a one week exclusivity window on 4:44, so it's predicted that the album will launch on Apple Music next Friday, July 7.

A rumor last year stated that Apple was in talks to purchase Tidal, but Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine eventually denied those reports by saying, "We're really running our own race. We're not looking to acquire any streaming services." For a brief period of time earlier this year, Jay-Z even removed all of his albums from Apple Music and Spotify, although most eventually reappeared on Apple Music a few days later.

Jay-Z.jpg

A track on 4:44, called "Smile," references the Apple Music and Tidal feud by specifically calling out Jimmy Iovine (via Business Insider).
F*** a slice of the apple pie, want my own cake
Chargin' my own fate
Respect Jimmy Iovine
But he gotta respect the Elohim as a whole new regime
Click to expand...
The ongoing rivalry between the two competing music services is said to be negatively affecting the music industry as a whole, according to Kanye West who tweeted about the two companies last summer. Later in 2016, West blamed the fight between Apple Music and Tidal as the main factor behind the reason why there won't be a sequel to Watch The Throne, his 2011 collaboration with Jay-Z. Kanye's album "The Life of Pablo" began as a Tidal exclusive as well, before it eventually streamed on Apple Music and other services after a few months.

Exclusive deals for services like Apple Music, Tidal, and Spotify have come under fire in recent years by music labels and critics, but Apple has continued releasing exclusive music on its streaming service. Tidal has done the same thing with 4:44, tying the album into the service's recent acquisition by Sprint.
That source also confirmed that fans need to sign up for Sprint service in order to get the album if they are not already Tidal subscribers. Otherwise, as noted by disgruntled Jay fan hit-making producer Mark Ronson, it is only available to those who were pre-established Tidal subscribers before June 26 or already had Sprint service.
Click to expand...
If this weekend's report is accurate, Tidal/Sprint's exclusivity window will be ending very soon, allowing more users to get a chance to listen to 4:44 than if it remained a streaming exclusive on Tidal. The sources didn't confirm whether 4:44 will make it to other streaming services in addition to Apple Music, like Spotify, after Tidal's exclusivity window ends.

Article Link: Jay-Z's Album '4:44' Rumored to Arrive on Apple Music After One Week of Tidal Exclusivity
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/07/02/jay-zs-album-444-apple-music/
ipedro

ipedro

macrumors 603
Nov 30, 2004
6,309
8,723
Toronto, ON
I’m not a JayZ fan and I’m ok with first week exclusives but prohibiting new Tidal members from listening to the album on Tidal (!!) was a dick move. A lot of people were burned and won’t be returning. Bad business move. Also, Jay Z’s attitude towards Apple and Spotify like they owe him something, specially since he’ll be releasing the album on their platforms anyway, is a huge turn off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wide opeN, lewismayell, Mac32 and 21 others
S

spiffers

Suspended
Apr 12, 2009
104
88
Not exactly a surprise the album comes on Apple Music, the artists make way more on that platform than any other service. And for who-the-hell-he-is, money talks, and you know the rest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mac32
A

alexgowers

macrumors 65816
Jun 3, 2012
1,338
892
I don't like Jay-Z or Tidal but you have to give him props for standing up for musicians and artists by owning such a service. Services run by musicians for musicians are always a better combination than someone like apple or Spotify who just want to go lowest common denominator and shift volume! I'm close to cancelling my Apple Music subscription now, the only reason is the encrypted files and how little freedom you get with the service, you are locked into it and apple and even iTunes as the files won't play in anything else, not really what I would consider right imho.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shirasaki, ThaRuler and Ulisescm
Kaibelf

Kaibelf

Suspended
Apr 29, 2009
2,445
7,444
Silicon Valley, CA
joueboy said:
As much as this guy thinks himself as important, nobody really cares about him.
Click to expand...

Aside from his gorgeous wife, kids, extended family, and millions of fans. But hey I’m sure you can compete with that.
[doublepost=1499029268][/doublepost]
Killa Aaron said:
I listed to the album for free and it wasn't any good at all, so i really don't care if it comes to Apple Music or not.
Click to expand...

Thanks for making the effort to let’s us all know how disinterested you are. :rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: CEmajr, Killa Aaron, Sunny1990 and 8 others
radiology

radiology

Suspended
Feb 11, 2014
377
1,389
Westlake, OH
alexgowers said:
I don't like Jay-Z or Tidal but you have to give him props for standing up for musicians and artists by owning such a service. Services run by musicians for musicians are always a better combination than someone like apple or Spotify who just want to go lowest common denominator and shift volume! I'm close to cancelling my Apple Music subscription now, the only reason is the encrypted files and how little freedom you get with the service, you are locked into it and apple and even iTunes as the files won't play in anything else, not really what I would consider right imho.
Click to expand...
You must not have heard KW is splitting up with JZ.
[doublepost=1499034292][/doublepost]If I worked at Tidal, I would be updating my CV...
 
A

Allthings-I

macrumors 6502
Jul 25, 2014
390
61
alexgowers said:
I don't like Jay-Z or Tidal but you have to give him props for standing up for musicians and artists by owning such a service. Services run by musicians for musicians are always a better combination than someone like apple or Spotify who just want to go lowest common denominator and shift volume! I'm close to cancelling my Apple Music subscription now, the only reason is the encrypted files and how little freedom you get with the service, you are locked into it and apple and even iTunes as the files won't play in anything else, not really what I would consider right imho.
Click to expand...


I'm not sure if anyone's ever done a comparison of what Tidal pays per play to it's artists, till those numbers are concrete, I don't think it's fair to bash tidal competitions in anyway.

Also Apple should hold off on launching the album on iTunes to see how far below he falls from his "record hit sales" target as a punishment for bashing them lol...
 
5

5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
19,733
Elohim? Whoa he's really up his own...er...ego there.

I loved Beyonce before she got mixed up with him. She got kind of weird afterwards with all that faux (or real?) occult ancient gods goddess stuff they got going on now. Some of the light and personality left her eyes, too. Not that my opinion on that matters any. Just saying. Anyway so much of the music industry reeks of that b.s. now. It seems like they are all having nervous breakdowns and alter egos and dramas sooner or later. I guess that is what has replaced all the drug overdoses and alcoholism of the age of rock. :rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mac32, xalea and clauzzz203
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom