Welp. It’s like I said in my Sunday afternoon spiel yesterday about the Tidal issue (outside my personal going legal issue with it):
On March 30, 2015, Tidal stepped out (on faith’s ego) and handpicked a mere 16 people to launch its music streaming service without a big enough army to rival iTunes.
Obviously, that was going to eventually cost them—and other artists who dare board Tidal’s ship bringing “exclusives” and “firsts.”
Well, “eventually” is has now reared its ugly head.
The sad part about this is-if you read my entire Sunday spiel-(as, I don’t rant-I spill)…Had they done it according to the way the stolen business model was WRITTEN… they would have been equipped with big enough army in the event that iTunes decided to get shady—like how they are doing now: Starting with Jay Z/Roc Nation/the world’s biggest artist selling right now: Rihanna.
iTunes aint givin’ a f(k. And they are not afraid of Jay Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Usher, and Nicki Minaj, and the other nine Tidal plutocrats. iTunes has big a monopoly on the selling of music online right now to care, or have to bow down [to Tidal, Jay Z, Rihanna, Beyonce or anybody else].
In order to not make an enemy of iTunes, Tidal (or any other company) doesn’t even have the option to “tread lightly.” If you were going to step out with a service [that even inadvertently or unintentionally] was going to rival iTunes-you had to step out BIG-army big.
When I wrote the plan and business model, I did it with an industry of defunct, up to and including upcoming/new artists to big named star alike-all joining force to be apart of a new media/streaming service and portal and doing things under their own terms (and fees-no free) and eventually get back to selling whole albums (over .79 singles) again [as rationed out in iTunes and other online sellers].
As mentioned in my Twitter spiel yesterday Having researched and studied trends online from 1999 through the 2000s and into the age of social media and all digital technology trends (up to and including studying the iTunes giant), I knew that in order to build a media portal and streaming service, it would have to first: be army strong—with all music artist (not just 16) understanding the business model and teaching them a new school of thought and show them that collectively, they would no longer be at the mercy of even iTunes’ big feet—if done right (as my plan demonstrated).
One of Tidal16’s (stole) and stepped out with a mere 16 of music’s biggest (rather than the industry army) and now (reportedly) has made an enemy out iTunes—if they (or any music artist keep up with this “exclusive” content available of Tidal only).
One publication reports [quote]:
Robert Kondrk, vice president of iTunes Content, has also declared war on artists who sign up with Tidal. Robert told execs at Universal Music Group that Rihanna and other Tidal artists’ music would not be promoted as featured artists on iTunes if they put exclusive music out on Tidal.”
[unquote]
Although iTunes denies it (of course) industry rumors are reporting that the technology giant is punishing Rihanna and any other artists in support of offering “exclusive” content for Tidal’s streaming service—assisting them in lieu of Apple’s streaming service [set to launch in June].
It’s said that Rihanna’s song “American Oxygen” was purposely suffocated by iTunes-a warning shot of sorts sent [as punishment because the single was debuted on Tidal].
Interestingly, during that time, there were “technical problems” with her music on iTunes. Reportedly, say the source:
“Rihanna’s songs were scrambled and were out of commission for periods of time.”
As you can see via Rihanna’s tweets (at the time American Oxygen was dropped), she offered it via Tidal first, and quickly changed her tune—making it available on iTunes too.
Yesterday, Jay Z (who rarely Tweets) took to Twitter yesterday to remind the Tidal naysayers they were jumping to gun too soon in gauging Tidal’s demise in less than thirty days since its launch less than 30 days ago. Within his spiel, he also notated while posting his “#TidalFacts:”
Rich getting richer? Equity values… YouTube $390 billion. Apple $760 billion. Spotify $8 billion. Tidal $60 million. #TidalFacts
It seems like some things are wavy beneath the surface of all this, and Jay Z is going to need more than a talent search of Nigeria and abroad to keep float alive in Tidal (should iTunes decide Tidal is its enemy).
The fact of the matter is this: All that’s well-ends well. You start in right. You end up right.
Did Tidal start in and start up right? (You already know my answer to that. Like the law of the universe goes: You reap what you sew).
The ONLY 3 Ways Tidal Can Survive This Turbulence and Keep Their Heads Above Water
Let’s talk business sense FIRST:
NO company (Tidal or otherwise) that is going to charge for a streaming service for music media etc. will survive unless it can rival iTunes. THAT’S #1 Tidal’s ONLY hook, line and sink to get (resistant) people on Tidal was “exclusives.” Anybody willing to pay Tidal for streaming services (they still get for free on Spotify) will need “exclusives” from some major / happening artists. Either way (major or not so major artist-iTunes already put the word out and made the BIGGEST selling artist their example: “Give Tidal your ‘exclusives’–game on. They made “Rihanna” an example! That’s quite the warning shot…
NO company (Tidal or otherwise) can rival iTunes UNLESS…the entire music industry (not just 16 people) come together, own their own portal by which allllllllll their videos, music etc. sits-and is eventually taken down from all other online free or selling sites ( + see “bonus” at bottom of page)
How can this begin:
1) Do the right thing.
Make it right with whom the business model’s mantra / school of thought and inspiration was: Me (because I will NOT let up…No sir ree bob. As much money as it costs me to fight Kanye/Jay Z/Tidal in an intellectual property lawsuit is worth gold, diamonds and millions to me-having their fans and the court of public opinion be their judge in the interim). Choice is theirs.
2) Tell the truth.
Admit to their fans that it was stolen and birthed by way of #1 and move forward (cause I will NOT stand for the 6 of the 16 merely rich people playing my gold-minded ass like some rat-bum idiot. No sir ree bob).
3) Humble themselves.
Apologize to the rest of their industry colleagues for thwarting my business model’s plans (for all to be included) and instead, greedily and egotistically hand selecting his 16 chosen plutocrats
Their fans (and colleagues) can only respect them if they tell the truth.
Their colleagues (after reading my Sunday 4/26/15 + favorites + the stolen business model within) may very well get on board and accept Jay Z and Kanye’s apology for handling what could have been a good, monumental game-changer (and necessity), now near ruins no thanks to ego and greed.
BONUS:
If the industry accepts Jay Z and Kanye’s apology and they all come aboard, I have SUCH A MAJOR cherry on top of following through with how my business plan was designed (for all-not just 16 ppl)….that it will nearly force iTunes to even be a partner. iTunes would be GLAD to be a partner with this secret. I will NOT share it however. But I will tell you this: NO online streaming service is doing it (or even thinking about it. It is KILLER…shut down–over for EVERYBODY with this addition. This addition is NOT written in my 60+ page business model).
