Tidal Adds Direct-to-Artist Payments, Free Tier

Tidal launched direct-to-artist payments, said the streaming music service Wednesday. Each month, beginning in 2022, a percentage of Tidal’s highest tier’s subscribers' membership fees will be directed toward the top streamed artist. Royalties will be paid based on the actual streaming activity of individual HiFi Plus subscribers as opposed to the industry-accepted method of aggregating streams. Tidal also announced it entered the free streaming music space with a U.S. advertising-supported tier.