SoundCloud
Entertainment • In-house SoundCloud
Reversed logo Tidal
High-fidelity music streaming service focused on audio quality and artist compensation, with a minimalist black and cyan identity.
Tidal’s minimalist wordmark and electric cyan accent communicate premium audio quality and artist-first values. The bold black typography paired with striking cyan (#00FFFF) creates a sophisticated identity that distinguishes Tidal from mainstream competitors. The 2020 refinement simplified the logo to its essence, reflecting the service’s focus on pure, uncompressed sound quality without unnecessary embellishment.
Logo History
Tidal launched in 2014 as WiMP’s premium tier before being acquired by Jay-Z and other artist-owners in 2015. The artist-led ownership generated significant press, with the logo appearing alongside music industry celebrities at the launch event. Early iterations featured more decorative elements before the 2020 redesign stripped the identity to clean typography and the signature cyan accent. This minimalism reflected Tidal’s audiophile positioning—just as lossless audio preserves sonic purity, the logo avoids visual clutter. The cyan color provides the only warmth in an otherwise stark black-and-white system, suggesting both digital technology and ocean depths referenced in the “Tidal” name.
Design Philosophy
The wordmark employs a bold, geometric sans-serif with distinctive letterforms—the “T” and “L” create strong vertical anchors while the “IDA” section flows horizontally. The all-caps treatment conveys confidence and authority appropriate for premium positioning. The cyan accent appears sparingly but strategically, highlighting premium features like “TIDAL HiFi” and “Master Quality” badges. Black backgrounds dominate the interface, creating a sophisticated atmosphere distinct from Spotify’s vibrant greens or Apple Music’s colorful gradients. This austere approach targets serious listeners willing to pay premium prices for superior audio fidelity.
Brand Identity
Tidal’s visual system prioritizes content quality over interface flash. Album art displays with generous spacing and minimal chrome, letting artwork breathe. The cyan accent appears in playback controls and quality indicators—visual cues that reinforce Tidal’s technical differentiation. The brand emphasizes artist storytelling through editorial features, liner notes, and exclusive content, with the minimal interface keeping focus on music rather than platform personality. Tidal’s design language communicates respect for artists and listeners, positioning the service as a curated experience rather than algorithmic playlist factory.
Cultural Impact
Tidal’s artist-ownership model and higher payout rates generated goodwill in music communities, though the service struggled to convert ethical appeal into mainstream adoption. The black and cyan logo became associated with audiophile culture and artist advocacy rather than casual listening. Exclusive releases from Beyoncé, Kanye West, and other artist-owners briefly made Tidal culturally essential, though most exclusives eventually appeared on competing services. Square’s 2021 acquisition by Jack Dorsey signaled potential strategic shifts, but the logo continues representing premium audio quality and artist-first values in a market dominated by tech companies prioritizing scale over sound quality.
Clear Space
Maintain adequate clear space around the Tidal logo to ensure visual integrity and maximum legibility. The minimum exclusion zone equals the height of the logo's cap height (represented as "x") on all sides. This protective space prevents the logo from appearing cluttered when placed near other graphic elements, text, or page edges.
x
x
x
x
Ratio: 7.6 : 1
ViewBox: 50 × 7
Logo Usage Guidelines
Preserve the integrity of the Tidal logo by avoiding unauthorized modifications. Consistent application across all touchpoints strengthens brand recognition and maintains professional standards. The examples below illustrate common misuses that compromise the logo's visual impact and brand identity.
Don't rotate
Don't skew
Don't stretch
Don't recolor
Don't add shadows
Don't crop
Don't outline
Don't place on busy backgrounds
Frequently Asked Questions
- The Tidal logo uses 3 colors: Black (#000000), Tidal Cyan (#00FFFF), and White (#FFFFFF). These values are used consistently across all official Tidal brand materials.
- Yes. Click the Download SVG button at the top of this page to get a production-ready vector file. SVG format scales to any size without quality loss, making it ideal for websites, presentations, and print materials.
- The Tidal logo was designed by In-house Tidal at Tidal in 2020. The design has become one of the most recognized marks in the Entertainment industry.
- Maintain clear space equal to the logo's cap height on all sides. Do not rotate, skew, stretch, recolor, crop, or add effects to the logo. Always use the official SVG file and ensure sufficient contrast with the background.
- A reverse logo is a white or light version designed for use on dark backgrounds. It maintains the same proportions as the primary Tidal logo while ensuring legibility on brand-colored surfaces, dark packaging, or apparel.
- The Tidal logo uses a sans-serif typeface. For accurate representation, always use the official vector logo rather than attempting to recreate the typography.
- Commercial use of the Tidal logo typically requires written permission from Tidal. The logo is trademarked intellectual property, so while editorial use and accurate product references are generally permitted, promotional or commercial use needs authorization. Do not alter the logo or use it to imply endorsement.
