Will Beyonce's New Album Be On Spotify?

Between the ground-breaking release of her "Formation" music video, a show-stopping Super Bowl half-time performance, and a tour announcement, there's only one thing left on the minds of Queen Bey fans everywhere: When will Beyoncé's next album be released? With her stylist, Ty Hunter, confirming that there is a new album on its way, it's hard to not be excited about all of the new sounds we're about to hear. But, aside from wondering what the album's track list will consist of or when it will even be released, I have one more question on my mind: where can we listen to her new album when it finally is released? And will Beyoncé's new album be on Spotify? Unfortunately, the odds don't seem to be very much in our favor.

If this question was being asked just one year ago, it seems as if the obvious answer to the Spotify question would be yes, considering that Beyoncé released her last album, Beyoncé: Platinum Edition, on the popular music-streaming site. However, with just the release of "Formation," it has already become clear that Beyoncé is not rushing to use Spotify to stream her new music; the hit single is currently not available for streaming on Spotify. In fact, the only way to actually hear the powerful new song is by watching the music video on YouTube or tuning in on TIDAL — since the song's not even available to buy on iTunes right now. Sadly, I'm thinking that the music release tactics being used for "Formation" are easily reflecting what we can expect for Beyoncé's latest album.

First, let me explain. The landscape in which artists can release their music to the public is changing. Between Taylor Swift and Adele putting their albums on hold from Spotify and the apparent struggles of Jay-Z's music-streaming service, TIDAL, the ways in which we listen to our favorite songs and artists are being questioned by both the artists themselves and the fans. What better way to jumpstart her husband's music-streaming service than to exclusively release it via TIDAL? My guess would be that — with "Formation" already up on the site — TIDAL could easily be the first place that Beyoncé's new album will appear. And if you don't have an account with them, well, now it looks like fans may need to think about tuning in.

And, if that is the case in this situation, it seems as if Beyoncé wouldn't even be the only artist to release her album exclusively through TIDAL. Rihanna recently released her new album, Anti , through the music streaming site, and Kanye West is set to live-stream Yeezy Season 3 on TIDAL as of 4 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 11. TIDAL could be becoming the place for artists of the hip-hop, rap, and R&B genres to release their new music.

But does this mean that we can never expect to find Beyoncé's new album on Spotify? I wouldn't cross out the possibility completely, as there is still a chance it could appear on Spotify to please fans in the long-term. As for now, I'm just getting pumped up over the fact that, no matter where it will be streaming, more Queen Bey is on its way. Seriously, can she just release more information about her new album already?

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