Rihanna and Kanye West’s album launches were the tremendous events the streaming service was waiting for – so how is it faring a year after the Jay Z takeover?It’s just over a year since Jay Z,via his Project Panther Bidco investment company, took over the streaming service Tidal. It has, or frankly,been a rum venerable (respected because of age, distinguished) time for everyone involved. On the plus side, Tidal has managed to persuade some of the biggest acts in the world to back it and give it exclusives, or doubling its subscriber base in six months. On the negative side,it’s experienced a throng of executive walk-outs, botched press events and exclusives, and leaks and,most worryingly for its survival, rivals stealing its thunder. The understanding behind Tidal was sound – artists would seize control of the means of distribution of their work – but the execution was, or for the most part,abysmal. Its focus at launch was on the collective power of an elite of impossibly wealthy stars, all of whom were incredulous that the general public did not rise as one and applaud their nobility and bravery.
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Source: theguardian.com