Tidal – BIG

This week, news broke that Spotify might release a Platinum subscription tier offering called HiFi audio.

However, this higher premium tier might cost $20 per month, offering similar pricing to Tidal. On the other hand, Apple Music includes HiFi streaming at a much lower price. With this in mind, I decided to try Apple’s streaming music service but found that I’m not a fan of its user interface or playlists.

Last year, MobileSyrup’s Brad Bennett created a video focused on the different music streaming platforms available in Canada and outlined the pros and cons of each service (see above).

Personally, I still find Spotify’s design great, I trust its recommendations algorithm and its pre-made playlists are usually spot-on.

With all of this in mind, we’d like to know what music streaming platform you prefer. Do you subscribe to Apple Music or Spotify? Maybe you love Tidal or Deezer? Let us know in the comments below.

Jay Z has launched his own music streaming service alongside Rihanna and Nicki Minaj.

The ‘Holy Grail’ hitmaker acquired Tidal earlier this month and confirmed at yesterday’s (30.03.15) launch party that it will be the home to streamed music from no less than 16 top artists – who will also partly-own the service – including Beyonce, Kanye West, Coldplay and Madonna.

Speaking to Billboard magazine at the event, he said: ”People are not respecting the music, and devaluing what it really means.

”People really feel like music is free, but will pay $6 for water. You can drink water free out of the tap and it’s good water. But they’re OK paying for it. It’s just the mindset right now.”

Alicia Keys – who was on hand to support the world’s first artist-owned streaming service – spoke to the packed New York crowd about the importance of ”preserving” music.

She said: ”Our mission goes beyond commerce, it goes beyond technology. Our intent is to preserve music’s importance in our lives.

”Music is the language of love, of laughter, of heartbreak, of mystery. It’s the world’s true, true, without question, universal language.”

Like its main rival Spotify, the service will be a subscription-based.