Kanye West took to Twitter today to announce yet another change to the release plan for his new album The Life Of Pablo, now saying that the album will remain a Tidal exclusive permanently.
The latest episode in the ongoing saga of insanity that has been The Life Of Pablo‘s protracted and much delayed release, this is however a very important change, should Kanye stick to it, because it means that one of the year’s most anticipated releases would only be (legally) available to Tidal subscribers.
West had originally planned to stream the album exclusively on the service for a week while selling the album on his own site, and had plans to later open it up for everyone to sell. However, Yeezy quickly pulled the ability to purchase it on Sunday after the album was only live for an hour.
Originally, Kanye had said he was only holding it off for another week while Tidal kept getting new subscribers seeking to access it, and also mentioned that the service is funding his scripted content ideas, whatever those might be.
Please for all music lovers. Please subscribe to tidal!!! I decided not to sell my album for another week. Please subscribe to tidal.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 14, 2016
Tidal is also funding a lot of my scripted content ideas. It’s a new day people. More Ultra Light Dreams to be realized.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
With Tidal shooting to the top of the App Store following T.L.O.P.‘s release, West’s album has certainly proved to be the most successful product the service has launched so far. Having initially failed to gain many subscribers, and with exclusive releases from Beyoncé, Coldplay and Nicki Minaj all failing to help the situation, The Life Of Pablo seems to have succeeded where other album have failed.
So what better way to keep subscribers coming back than a steady drip feed of Kanye? And having had the same idea himself, it seems he has come out today and said the album, when it returns, won’t be available to purchase or stream anywhere else. It will only be available on Tidal.
My album will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale… You can only get it on Tidal.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
What’s more, Kanye says his Good Fridays series will also go up on Tidal exclusively. Considering he’s already baiting fans with dozens of Kendrick Lamar and Young Thug colabs and more, salvaging the troubled release as an exclusive might be the best way for Tidal to come out on top.
Also all Good Fridays songs will be on Tidal. Me and Kendrick got 40 songs and me and Young Thug got 40 songs. 40/40 club!!!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
only problem I got with Good Fridays is I got more songs than I got old pictures!!!! Lol!!!!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 16, 2016
It’s unclear what Tidal offered West to keep The Life Of Pablo on the service exclusively. However, considering all the noise he has been making about his supposed $53 million in personal debt and his calls for funding from Mark Zuckerberg to bring more ‘dope shit’ into the world, maybe Jay-Z has thrown his old protégé a bone and invested in Team Kanye?
