Spotify to Launch Hifi Tier in 2021

All Things Music
#1

Confirmed directly from Spotify:

6d3dc97db4782c431c13e80144bf5f9c
6d3dc97db4782c431c13e80144bf5f9c737×330 24.6 KB

I switched to Tidal at the beginning of the year, after paying a small fee to some service (i forget the name of it) to transfer all of my playlists. I had been using Spotify for seven years at that point, but figured that I would finally try the switch. I still maintain my subscription to Spotify, mainly because of the Joe Rogan podcast. Both streaming services have their pros and cons.

I’ll definitely be trying out Spotify Hifi. I’ll probably also keep my Tidal subscription for the time being, unless Spotify Hifi totally blows me out of the water which, given Spotify’s total market dominance and generally much more user-friendly experience (imo), is possible.

7 Likes
#2

I’ve been sticking with Spotify because of the diverse catalog, the interface, and because to me the “high quality” version sounds plenty good to my ears. I’ll be very interested to try their HiFi service whenever it finally launches. “Later this year” could mean Dec. 31 so I’m not holding my breath.

#3

Don’t call it SpottyHiFi

I’m sure artists will get their full 0.000000000000325 cent additional royalty payments per play with the higher tier prices.

2 Likes
#4

Tell me about it…I don’t want to start the whole “artists should be compensated better” conversation here (better suited for other forums), but you’re exactly on point.

1 Like
#5

Yeah, this is one of the reasons I’ll probably stick to Qobuz (that and Roon integration). Spotify treats artists like crap.

5 Likes
#6

I’m ok with having that conversation - at the very least it’s an issue we shouldn’t ignore.

I’m with you guys - I’m on Qobuz for music discovery and I go to bandcamp for purchases for the same reason.

It’s a shame, I like to buy CDs to support artists but the last good store where you could go and buy new CDs in person in NYC just moved to a new location and now only sells vinyl. I get it, market forces and all that… But it’s a bit depressing when Barnes and Noble is now the go-to place for new CDs (not knocking B&N, it’s just that they don’t really stock the latest indie rock or bluegrass releases).

Back on topic, it’ll be interesting to see what the findings of the “Economics of Music Streaming” inquiry by the UK’s House of Commons will be. The evidence submitted to it makes for interesting reading.

2 Likes
#7

That is a shame…I’m sorry to hear that.

I’ll have to check this out, thank you for sharing! I hope they come to a good solution.

#8

the last good store where you could go and buy new CDs in person in NYC just moved to a new location and now only sells vinyl.

I miss Sounds and Other Music.

1 Like
#9

I miss my lost youth. Peaches was not a bad brick and mortar store in the late 70s.

In 1990 or so, I was trying to start a business with some friends. ILC, or Infinity Link Corporation. We had the idea of selling books and CDs over the internet. Maybe a year before Amazon?? We had a telnet front end, and ran on Progress. I think we tried to look at Cello, then NCSA Mosaic came along and we tried that. Made Scott Yanoff’s list of Internet resources in 1991. Pretty decent as proof of concept. Tried to sell the idea to Borders Books - they weren’t interested - nobody, they said would ever buy books or CDs on the internet. Also couldn’t sell our way faster and improved multi-user database setup to Baker and Taylor or hmmm I forget the other wholesale/distributor. Started with a C. Anyway lots of who cares and not invented here. So we went out of business. Barbara still says that Amazon took our idea and made my billion. But everybody was trying to figure it out then. I was too early on the curve, and too poorly funded. But there are literally hundreds out there that probably used ILC on Telnet, and maybe left a CD review.

8 Likes
#10

A lot of this has to do with having early big money. Insiders reward those let inside.

Bezos was a Wall Street guy and had access to start-up $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Zuckerberg was anointed by Bill Gates and had start-up $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Borders was managed by idiots. Time Warner was managed by idiots who let the company be bought by AOL.

4 Likes
#11

Not just Time Warner. Mapquest was started locally by RRD (R.R. Donnelley), and got purchased by AOL. A bit of it was spun off and did catalog maps - maps for companies putting directions in catalogs, or in manuals. Another bit became a GIS company.

But thanks for reading. It was exciting.

1 Like