Jay-Z’s recent album 4:44 may still be a Tidal exclusive, but that hasn’t stopped the album from reaching platinum status in an incredibly short amount of time. Per the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the album was certified platinum earlier today, an impressive feat given that it wasn’t released until last Friday.
On Friday, 4:44 was released exclusively through Tidal and was only available to pre-existing subscribers, as well as Sprint customers. Earlier this week, it became available to all Tidal users, with a physical release on the way. Just before JAY-Z put out his last LP, 2013’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, the RIAA changed the rules for going gold and platinum so that digital sales would count toward an artist’s achievements; previously, a record had to be out for at least 30 days.
More than anything, Jay-Z’s achievement arguably proves that there’s some life left in Tidal. If you can recall, the streaming company has seen a number key executives leave over the last 24 months, with some analysts even saying that the company is ripe for a takeover. This past May, for example, Tidal CEO Jeff Toig stepped down after just five months with the company. All told, Tidal has seen three CEOs come and go in a span of just two years.
At this point, it remains unclear how many subscribers Tidal actually has, but it’s hard to imagine the company enjoying the same type of growth rivals like Apple Music and Spotify have seen over the past two years. Last we heard, Apple Music now boasts 27 million subscribers while Spotify now has more than 140 million active users, of which 50 million are said to be paying subscribers.
For any non-Tidal subscribers curious to check out 4:44, rumor has it that the album will be available on Apple Music and iTunes beginning later this week.
