One of Apple Music's main strategies for expanding its subscriber base is based on exclusive releases. Throughout these two years of the life of the streaming music service, there have been many artists who, for a limited time, have shown the world their latest work through Apple Music, in a unique and exclusive way. However, those with the bitten apple do not get all those exclusives.
Coinciding with the second year of Apple Music, one of its main competitors, Tidal, released last Friday in exclusive "4:44", the latest album by artist Jay-Z. Rumors immediately began to emerge: the exclusivity is only one week so Next Friday, July 7, the new Jay-Z could be already available on Apple Music.
It was this weekend, practically hours after its launch exclusively on Tidal, that rumors began that artist Jay-Z's new work, “4:44”, would also be about to hit Apple Music. The reason is simple: the exclusivity window is limited to just seven days.
As undisclosed sources have told Billboard this weekend, 4:44 will hit Apple Music and iTunes later this week. Specifically, it is estimated that Tidal and Sprint have broadcast exclusivity for one week, in such a way that fans of this artist and Apple Music subscribers could listen to the new songs starting on Friday, July 7, right in the middle of the chupinazo.
Recall that last year there was a strong rumor that pointed in the direction of the possible purchase of Tidal by Apple, however, Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine soon launched into debunking such plans: “We are really running our own career, we are not looking to acquire streaming services. Also, for a short time this year, Jay-Z even removed all his albums from Apple Music and Spotify, although most of them made their comeback just a few days later.
It is especially striking that one of the songs included in Jay-Z's new album, “Smile”, refers to the rivalry between Apple Music and Tidal, and even specifically mentions Jimmy Iovine:
F *** a slice of the apple pie, want my own cake
Chargin 'my own fate
Respect Jimmy Iovine
But he gotta respect the Elohim as a whole new regime