If you have been wondering when Spotify’s lossless streaming tier is going to be released, then you’ve come to the right place. A new report from Digital Music News has just revealed that Spotify is set to launch their new Premium and HiFi tiers in several countries, with the former expected to debut in just a couple years, and the latter in 2022.
HiFi tier expected to launch in 2022
Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming service, has announced plans for a new subscription tier, known as the HiFi tier. This new tier will provide Spotify Premium subscribers with the option to listen to CD-quality lossless audio. However, the service has been delayed and may not launch until 2022.
Initially, Spotify said the HiFi tier would be launched by the end of 2021, but licensing issues delayed the launch. After announcing the new feature last February, the company stated it was “on its way” but did not give a firm date. It also said it would roll it out in certain markets later this year.
Several weeks after the launch of Apple Music, Amazon began to offer its own high-resolution lossless streaming. At the same time, Tidal, a competitor to Spotify, released its own 9216kbps streams. Unlike Spotify, Amazon does not charge extra for improved audio.
According to Reddit users, Spotify is “working on” a lossless quality setting. They suggest it will be similar to the one available on Tidal and Deezer. A video posted on the site has reportedly leaked a look at the service.
The new feature will be able to deliver higher-quality lossless audio, which means the audio will be more detailed. In addition, it will offer a headphone tuner. While there is no concrete information on the pricing, it is expected to be between $20 and $30 a month.
Earlier this year, Spotify introduced its Platinum plan. It includes access to Limited-Ad Podcasts, Studio Sound, and Library Pro. Among other features, the Platinum plan also provides Audio Insights and a Headphone Tuner.
Meanwhile, Spotify HiFi has been in development for almost a year, but the service has been delayed. Some rumors say it will cost $5-10 a month, compared to the standard Spotify Premium subscription, but it’s unclear how much it will cost.
During the HiFi announcement, Spotify said it was in constant dialogue with the music labels. Despite a lack of information, it’s clear Spotify’s new tier will compete with Tidal and Apple Music.
However, it remains to be seen how Spotify’s HiFi tier will be priced and whether it will be offered as an upsell or a monthly feature.
Premium tier expected to launch in several markets
Spotify is getting ready to launch its lossless streaming tier. It’s a new tier of premium music that will be available in select markets. The service will cost more than the standard Premium plan, and will offer CD-quality lossless audio.
There has been speculation over the quality of lossless music on Spotify. Some users have claimed that the company will provide lossless music in high-definition, while others have noted that the company is still working on extra features to justify the higher price tag.
Spotify hasn’t confirmed the exact release date of the HiFi service, but it is expected to roll out in select markets by the end of 2021. But in the meantime, it’s experimenting with different limitations to its Free tier. In addition, Spotify has said it’s working with the world’s biggest speaker manufacturers to make the service accessible to as many fans as possible.
Spotify hasn’t said when it will solve licensing issues, but it has hinted that the hi-fi tier may not be launched until later this year. While it’s still not clear when the service will launch, a survey conducted by Reddit user Dawn Ostroff revealed that it’s the feature that fans most want.
Spotify is planning to expand to more than 80 new countries in the future, and will be available in a total of 173 markets. This means that 80% of Spotify streams will come from outside of the US and Europe.
In February, Spotify announced a new tier of lossless streaming. Known as the HiFi tier, the service would offer CD-quality lossless audio to its Premium subscribers. The service will be available over Spotify Connect-enabled speakers.
But, it will cost more than the standard Premium plan. Besides, the HiFi tier won’t include spatial audio. However, a slide-out menu will show which type of streaming is available to the subscriber.
Spotify’s executives say that they are attempting to resolve the licensing issues. They also note that they are in “advanced discussions” with labels, but didn’t give any concrete answers to questions about the HiFi service.
Licensing issues
Almost a year after Spotify promised a lossless streaming tier, the feature hasn’t been released to users. This is primarily due to licensing issues, and it’s unclear when the feature will be launched.
Spotify hasn’t yet confirmed the price for the lossless tier. They’ve also not said if it will be included in the Premium tier. It’s possible that the company will just offer it at no extra cost to existing subscribers, or perhaps it will come with an exclusive incentive.
Several artists have complained about the payment system. Nils Lofgren, Roxane Gay, India Arie, and Neil Young have all pulled their music from the service. The company is now facing pressure from record labels and other musicians.
However, Spotify has said that it’s still in talks with music labels. The company’s CEO Daniel Ek has hinted at further delays in the HiFi subscription tier, which was expected to launch by the end of 2021.
If the hi-fi tier does launch, it’s likely to launch at different times in different markets. However, it could come in the middle of the next year, at no additional cost to subscribers.
It’s not clear what kind of music will be in the upcoming lossless streaming tier. While it was rumored that it would come with a $10 upgrade to the standard tier, the company hasn’t offered any concrete details. Nonetheless, the fact that the feature is in the works means that it’s coming soon.
Despite the delay, it’s a good idea for Spotify to bring its high fidelity audio tier to subscribers as soon as it can. It’s a big leap from the current quality of Very High. And it will allow Premium subscribers to upgrade the sound of their music.
However, it’s possible that the hi-fi tier is being held up due to licensing issues. Even though Spotify says it’s working to fix this, it’s unlikely to release the feature as a paid upgrade.
But it’s worth a try if you’re interested in listening to CD quality songs. There are tens of millions of these songs out there.
TIDAL HiFi Plus vs Spotify HiFi
Tidal and Spotify are both major music streaming services that offer a wide variety of subscription options. However, there are differences between the two. One is the number of songs in each service’s catalog, and the other is the quality of the audio.
While both services provide a great selection of music, Spotify has a bigger music library and more subscription options. It also features ad-supported free tiers, and its algorithm for song recommendation is powerful.
However, the free tier is limited in terms of the quality of the music. If you want the highest-quality sound, you’ll need to subscribe to one of the higher-priced plans. The HiFi plan is one option you should consider.
Tidal offers lossless audio streams. But only if you have compatible hardware. This includes studio-grade headphones. You’ll also need a Tidal Connect device, which will support the platform’s MQA-powered hi-res Masters tracks.
Unlike Tidal, Spotify does not support 192kHz and higher-resolution streams. That’s because Apple Music rolled out Lossless Audio to its service in May last year. Despite its large library, Spotify’s Free tier is limited to 96kbps.
Spotify has come into conflict with musicians over royalties. Despite that, it has managed to stay afloat, thanks to its popularity. As a result, Spotify has grown into a service that’s available in 180 countries. And its catalogue is much bigger than that of Tidal.
In addition to better audio and a larger catalog, Spotify also boasts an excellent feature set. The company has a great recommendation algorithm and an exclusive collection of podcasts. Additionally, its service offers free ad-supported access to millions of songs.
Spotify is best for those who want to listen to music on demand. Users can also benefit from its ad-free Premium tier. Nevertheless, Tidal is best for high-resolution music lovers, as it provides the best-quality audio. Plus, it’s available in more countries than its competitor.
Whether or not you choose to subscribe to either service depends on how important high-quality audio is to you. The only way to know for sure is to try it out.