Kanye album launch pushes Tidal to the top US app

[Hi-res streaming just needed a celebrity endorsement… as potentially will high-end audio when there is a product worth endorsing [with wide appeal, of course, plus a manufacturer that can handle the ramp up to a billion dollar business (when currently many cannot handle a $100K+ sale without trashing their dealer network). ].

Also from TheNextWeb:

In an increasingly crowded space, and with the noted absence of Taylor and Adele, Spotify has been named the global leader in music streaming across both iOS and Android. It knocked Pandora off the top spot among Apple users as of September.

Pandora is still the most used service in the US but comes in at number three worldwide, according to App Annie’s music streaming report, with SoundCloud just pipping it to the post.

China’s QQMusic comes in fourth, with Japan’s LINE Music soaring to fifth place, despite only launching in June.

Revenues from music streaming apps have doubled in the past year and Spotify tops the chart here too, yet again at the expense of Pandora. This was boosted by an increasing number of people opting to make premium in-app upgrades.

Making people pay is an art that’s proving successful for other streaming services too, like Jay Z’s Tidal. Since launching back in March, it’s already become the fifth highest-grossing streaming app in the world.

Beats Music, meanwhile, which was acquired by Apple last year, has been discontinued as of 30 November, with paying subscribers merged into Apple Music since it launched in June. Beats was actually a rather lucrative service too, reaching number four in terms of revenue just months before being shut down.

and…

Mobile music streaming is booming, creating huge opportunities for app publishers and marketers. The top streaming1 apps worldwide saw data consumption per active Android phone user grow by about 25% year-on-year while downloads increased by around 15% and revenue from in-app purchases more than doubled.

• Spotify leads the way worldwide in active users, downloads and revenue. However, new opportunities are growing and being served by other players, particularly in APAC markets where local content puts regional players ahead of global giants. LINE MUSIC and AWA Music have shown enormous potential in Japan while Saavn and Gaana grow rapidly in India.

• Europe is home to three of the world’s biggest streaming apps (Spotify, SoundCloud and Deezer) that dominate the region’s landscape. Traditional FM radio networks are also finding some traction with apps, potentially providing a model that networks in other markets can replicate.

• Pandora Radio still takes the top spot in the US with its interactive radio service. Mixtape streaming apps are also on the rise, highlighting the value users place in new music discovery, and the potential for genre-specific streaming apps.

Full App Annie report

[So streaming has some decent yoy growth as they pivot their business models (in-app purchases) to find ways to actually make money at it.

Music, like Games, will be free for most people, and the quality (fidelity) will be an add-on purchase]