Spotify vs. Tidal: Can a star-studded newcomer upend the current king?

By Joshua Smith Published May 18, 2015

With music streaming services like Spotify abuzz with more than 10 million paid subscribers, new competitors will have to sweeten the pot to lure them away.

Rapper and business mogul Jay Z is trying his hand at exactly that with the recent purchase of the music streaming service Tidal, Spotify’s latest competition. But will the likes of big-name celebrities and hi-fi streaming be enough to surpass Spotify?

Recommended Videos

In this episode of VS., we pit Tidal against the “veteran” Spotify to see which streaming service makes the most sense. Take an in-depth look as we compare features, functions, and the prices between both services.

There are millions of songs at hand, but only one service can reign as victor. Check out the video to see who comes out on top.

Joshua Smith

Former Video Contributor

Just another not so ordinary kid living this thing we like to call life.

Topics

Music

The best music streaming services of 2025

Who could have ever imagined that one day we would be able to access the entire discographies of our favorite artists and albums right from our smartphones or tablets, no matter where we are in the world? This remarkable convenience is one of the many wonders of music streaming services, a revolution that has transformed the way we experience and enjoy music.

In today's digital age, numerous audio platforms have emerged, each offering unique features and catering to different tastes. Whether it's Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, or any of the myriad other options available, these services aim to deliver your beloved tracks, intriguing podcasts, hilarious comedy specials, and countless other sound bites directly to your ears with just a few taps on your screen.

Music

Save on Avid Pro Tools music production software and start creating magic

Typically, when you create music, whether a full-fledged track, background music for another project, or even just playing around, you have to use a variety of tools. You might have to jump between applications to do various things, like recording, applying post-production effects, and more. Avid Pro Tools is a comprehensive end-to-end audio production suite that aims to provide you with everything you need. With the tools, you can create, edit, produce, mix, master, and deliver, and much more.

Here's the kicker: For New Year's you can save 33% off and make music for a full year at a heavily discounted price. Normally, you'd pay $99 per year for Avid Pro Tools Artist, but right now it's only $66 per year. That deal will only be available from December 31 to January 3, though, so there isn't a lot of time if you want to take advantage.

Phones

Spotify vs. Pandora: which streaming service should you choose?

Let's settle a musical debate: which music streaming platform should you use: Spotify or Pandora?

Both services have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Spotify boasts a more extensive music catalog, robust social features for sharing and discovering music with friends, and a more polished user experience across devices.