Jay Z's Spotify Thingy Launches Today

Update, 3/30: The Taylor Swift thing was just the soft opening, apparently: Jay Z's TIDAL streaming service is officially launching today, according to Business Insider.

In honor of the launch, Tidal has released a new video featuring Madonna, Beyoncé, Daft Punk, Alicia Keys, Jack White, Chris Martin, and more.

The not-free Spotify-like platform promises higher-quality sound and no ads, as well as first-listen exclusives with big-deal artists like the ones who've already shown support on social media:

Jay Z's record label Roc Nation is releasing a "special announcement" at 5 p.m. EST Monday, so stay tuned.

Update, 3/24: It's great being right so often.

As we (obliquely) predicted, Taylor Swift was in on Jay Z's music streaming scheme: Her albums are now available for listening through TIDAL, which charges users a monthly subscription fee of $19.99. Hint: Take the seven-day free trial so you can air-guitar to "Eyes Open" as frequently as you like.

Original post, 1/30: Partly because he is a mogul and partly because he can, Jay Z has splashed out $56 million on a Swedish music-streaming company to add to his ventures in champagne, fragrances, sports agencies, sports bars, apparel, and NBA basketball teams.

Aspiro runs WiMP, an audio service that offers 25 million songs and 75,000 music videos to half a million subscribers in Europe, according to CNET. (For comparison, Spotify has 15 million paying subscribers.)

Is Hova out to vertically integrate the music industry? Will he rename WiMP something more on-brand? Did Taylor Swift use her Grand Master connections to exact indirect vengeance on Spotify for not paying her enough? (Solutions: yes; Big Listenin'; hell yes.)

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