Jay’z New Album (2017): How to download, stream and listen to 4:44 today
Our music lover’s guide highlights all the ways you can check out Jay-Z’s latest album, 4:44, including how to stream it online so you can listen to the whole thing today.
The biggest entertainment story of the past week has been the release of Jay-Z’s 13th studio album, 4:44. The new offering was made available exclusively on streaming service Tidal on June 30, but it seems there was some controversy following the launch.
Fans eager to hear the 35-minute long LP from one of hip-hop’s greatest signed up to Tidal, only to find the album was unavailable to new subscribers that joined after June 26.
Music stars including Snoop Dogg and Mark Ronson were both caught out by the requirement, with Ronson venting his frustration on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/statuses/880809519952965632
The problem seems to have stemmed from a bizarre tie-in promotion with US telecoms company Sprint, whereby its new users were given six months of free Tidal access – a bit like the Vodafone/Spotify tie-up in the UK.
However, new subscribers who signed up to Tidal after June 26th were unable to stream 4:44 unless they were also a Sprint customer – prior to that date, all Tidal subscribers and new Sprint customers were able to tune in.
Fortunately, Sprint and Tidal seem to have sorted things out, so any new user can listen to the album after signing up to either service. A post on Jay-Z’s Facebook page reads: “Celebrate the 4th of July with 4:44 and ‘Footnotes for The Story of O.J.’ – streaming now for ALL TIDAL users, courtesy of Sprint.”
https://twitter.com/statuses/881979520433172480
But is Tidal the only place to stream 4:44? Allow us to explain…
Jay-Z’s New Album 4:44: Download and listen to 2017’s hottest hip-hop release
So, do you need a Tidal subscription to hear all of Jay-Z’s revelations?
Well, for now, the answer is yes. You can sign up to the Jay-Z-owned service now for £9.99 a month, or £8.49 a month if you pre-pay for six months up front. If you want to take advantage of Tidal Hi-Fi, which allows you to stream tracks in lossless high-fidelity quality, it’ll cost you £19.99 a month, or £16.99 a month if you pay for six months up front.
However, if you’re not willing to sign up to Tidal just to stream one album, there might just be hope for you yet.
Variety reports that 4:44 will soon be made available on other streaming platforms, including Apple Music, after a week of exclusivity on Tidal.
According to the entertainment website, the information comes via a ‘source’, which isn’t all that reassuring. Still, there does seem to be hope, with another ‘source’ claiming the album will be available “on all major services” and Billboard also reporting the album will arrive on Apple Music and in physical form.
On top of that, long-time Jay-Z collaborator Young Guru teased physical copies of the album with the following tweet:
https://twitter.com/statuses/880933874800312320
There’s no official word on that at this point, but stay tuned. We’d expect it come to both Apple Music and Spotify in the end, though couldn’t speculate on a timeline at this stage.
4:44: Tracklist for Jay-Z new 2017 album
Jay-Z’s latest is only 35 minutes long, but there’s plenty to keep fans happy, with the emcee delving into his private life and revealing the details of his infidelity.
Here’s the full tracklisting:
- 01) Kill Jay Z
- 02) The Story of O.J.
- 03) Smile [ft. Gloria Carter]
- 04) Caught Their Eyes [ft. Frank Ocean]
- 05) 4:44
- 06) Family Feud
- 07) Bam [ft. Damian Marley]
- 08) Moonlight
- 09) Marcy Me
- 10) Legacy
That’s all we know right now, but stay tuned, as we’ll update this article with all the ways you can listen to Jay-Z’s new album, 4:44, as they become available.
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Let us know what you think of Jay-Z’s new album in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
