Beyoncé’s husband, the artist formerly known as Jay-Z, turns 50 today, and to celebrate he’s giving us all a gift: a reason to end our Tidal subscription the ability to listen to him on Spotify. Two years ago, all of Jay-Z’s solo music disappeared from Spotify and Apple Music “at the request of the artist†according to the music streamer at the time. It reappeared on Apple Music earlier this year, but it’s been two years since a Spotify listener could bump “Big Pimpin’.†The only place you could find the work of Mr. Shawn Carter was his own streaming platform, Tidal. The rapper hasn’t made an official statement regarding the Spotify news, but we presume he’s busy going over the numbers with Blue. According to Variety, one stream paid, on average in 2018, $0.004, although different artists and songs make different amounts. Jay-Z’s is likely higher because, well, Jay-Z. And because Blue Ivy is famously a shark when it comes to making deals. Seems to be a win-win for both Spotify listeners and the Carters.
This past April, Beyoncé kindly allowed her album Lemonade on other streaming platforms, including Spotify. Before that, it was only available for purchase or on Tidal. The last time the Carters dropped music, Everything Is Love debuted on Tidal exclusively, then appeared on other streaming sites. Maybe the next time they deign to release music, we’ll get a complete launch. Trust in Blue Ivy’s process.