Tidal announces Desktop App and Student Pricing

Jay Z’s Tidal music streaming service announced today the availability of a desktop application.

TIDAL today announced availability of a beta desktop application, updated user interface and for the US-market initially, ticketing functionality through Ticketmaster and student pricing available in the coming few weeks.

The beta desktop player is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. It will enable TIDAL members to more easily access the full catalogue of over 30 million songs, more than 75,000 videos and exclusive content. In addition, the player enables members to enjoy gapless play, support for media keys and sound output management.

The app detects and supports different audio sources, like Mac Airplay and Digital Audio Converters (DAC), making it easy to play the music on compatible stereo systems. 

TIDAL members will also experience an updated design and functionality for its mobile platform, including: improved search functionality, updated menu and icons, including a prominent “offline mode” button, as well as new personalization options. These updates are a part of a series of platform improvements aimed at making it easier for members to discover and enjoy music.

It is essential for TIDAL to also offer a desktop application to match the offering of iTunes. TIDAL has to brace itself on Monday when Apple is expected to reveal the Apple Music Streaming service. Depending what Apple will announce, TIDAL might have to adjust its strategy to survive. Today though the company made some interesting announcement to stay around. Especially the student pricing for a TIDAL subscription is a great move.

Supported by Ticketmaster, TIDAL will also enable ticketing functionality, starting in the US, allowing users to view upcoming tour dates for their favorite artists and purchase tickets to upcoming shows. Through this partnership, TIDAL members will have access to exclusive ticket giveaways, presales and discounts to further bring fans closer to the artists.

Furthermore, TIDAL will introduce discounted pricing for students in the US. Users with a valid .edu email address will be eligible for a 50% discount and can subscribe to TIDAL at a discounted rate of $4.99 for the premium tier and $9.99 for the Hi-Fi tier. Students will be able to sign up at TIDAL.com in the coming weeks.

About Tidal

TIDAL is a music and entertainment platform to experience and discover music from artists around the world, enjoy access to exclusive and curated content, and connect and share with artists. TIDAL is available in 44 countries with a catalog of over 30 million songs and more than 75,000 high quality videos. The service offers high-fidelity, CD sound quality, high quality video, expertly curated content and unique offline experiences for members.

A free month of service is available to all TIDAL members. The service is ad-free and available on www.tidal.com, or it can be downloaded from iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store. TIDAL has two pricing tiers: $9.99 and $19.99 per month. Both pricing levels come with the same access to exclusive content and experiences, and the $19.99 tier has the added benefit of high-fidelity sound, delivering the music to your ears the way the artists and producers intended it to be heard. There is no compression of the files, and the music is CD-level quality.

The desktop player can be downloaded at www.tidal.com/download.