We have seen a real push to create music content in Dolby Atmos but this will all be for nothing unless people’s favourite music can be delivered to them in immersive formats like Dolby Atmos. As part of the push to be able to deliver music in Dolby Atmos, TIDAL has brought support for Dolby Atmos to their TIDAL HIFI Platform. This means you can now listen to music in Dolby on your Dolby Atmos compatible Android smartphone or tablet. Dolby says…
“Dolby Atmos Music allows you to feel more clarity, detail, and depth in every song. Go beyond just hearing music – with Dolby, you’re put inside the song in a whole new way and can experience the artist’s vision without compromise.
Together with TIDAL, we are expanding the reach of Dolby Atmos Music by enabling a more immersive way for people around the world to enjoy their favorite songs and albums.”
The current library of music available in Dolby Atmos from Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group includes songs from some of the world’s biggest artists such as The Weekend, Blondie, Ariana Grande and more. TIDAL is working closely with its artist-owners, including JAY-Z, to mix their catalogues in Dolby Atmos – which are expected to become available in 2020.
To take advantage of Dolby Atmos Music on Tidal you’ll need a HiFi level membership which normally costs $20 per month and a compatible device. Currently, the list of devices is limited to specific Android smartphones and tablets that TIDAL has authorised to receive Dolby Atmos:
Samsung (Galaxy S10, S10+, Galaxy Fold, Tab S5, and others)
Huawei (Mate 20 x, Mate 20 Pro, and others)
Oppo (Reno ACE and others)
RAZER Phone 2
Sony Xperia 1 and 5
If you have one of these devices, you will be able to hear Dolby Atmos Music through the built-in speakers, or a set of connected headphones.
Bizarrely, recent iPhones, even though they’re Atmos-compatible, aren’t yet supported.
We Go From One Streaming Service Delivering Music In Dolby Atmos To Two
Prior to this announcement, the only way to experience Dolby Atmos Music was via Amazon Music HD, but only if you own Amazon’s Echo Studio, a 3D-sound smart speaker that is compatible with the immersive format.
The addition of Dolby Atmos Music to Tidal brings the total number of streaming services that support it to two. If music in Dolby Atmos is going to take off as a consumer format then 2020 will need to bring further announcements about streaming and device support.
Another blockage to rolling out music in Dolby Atmos to the consumer is that we understand that currently there is no way to get Atmos Music on an Atmos-equipped home theatre speaker system or soundbar, even if you can access Amazon Music HD or Tidal HiFi on those setups. This needs to be fixed or there will be a bizarre divide between entertainment content in Dolby Atmos and music in Dolby Atmos.
Interestingly, Sony Music who has launched its competing immersive audio format - 360 Reality Audio, Apparently you can already listen to 360 Reality Audio tracks on Amazon Music HD, Tidal, Deezer, and Nugs.net (a streaming service for live concerts), with more than 1,000 tracks currently remastered for Sony’s 3D audio tech.
Can You Buy Music In Dolby Atmos?
The simple answer is that it isn’t possible to buy Dolby Atmos Music content online, except for a couple of very small ‘niche’ providers.
There is, however, another way to get Dolby Atmos Music. Blu-ray discs can be used to play Dolby Atmos Music and we understand that there have been some albums released in this format. Beatles fans will be happy to know that Abbey Road happens to be one of them. Unfortunately, even this selection is still very small, and it’s questionable whether Blu-ray will be the way most people listen to Atmos Music in the future, which is why the TIDAL announcement may prove to be a significant turning point. Time will tell.
How To Experience Dolby Atmos Music On TIDAL
Subscribe to TIDAL HiFi - Make sure you’re using a Dolby Atmos compatible Android smartphone or tablet. TIDAL HiFi costs $20 per month.
Discover the best of Dolby Atmos Music - To listen to Dolby Atmos Music on TIDAL, you can click on the ‘Dolby Atmos’ menu option under the ‘Explore’ tab. All available Dolby Atmos Music tracks can be viewed there.
Find your favourite songs in Dolby - Each Dolby Atmos Music track will have a 'DD' logo displayed. Additionally, when you click on an album that is in Dolby Atmos, a ‘Dolby Atmos’ logo will be displayed.
If you already have a TIDAl Premium subscription then you can upgrade it to a TIDAL HiFi from your account page.