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New music platform Audius plans to capitalize on SoundCloud's faults
A new streaming service, Audius, wants to make up for SoundCloud's shortcomings. The free hosting service and music streaming platform launched today, and it's positioning itself as a blockchain-based SoundCloud alternative that lets artists upload songs at no cost. The founders claim it's built with artists in mind and will be free from things like takedowns, which plagued SoundCloud.
Chance the Rapper’s first two mixtapes hit Apple Music and Spotify
Before Chance the Rapper released his 2016 streaming-only album Coloring Book, he shared his first two mixtapes, 10day and Acid Rap, for free on SoundCloud. They've lived there since 2012 and 2013, respectively, but as of today, they're available on Apple Music, Spotify and other major streaming services, too. As Engadget's Billy Steele wrote when Drake's So Far Gone mixtape hit streaming services, these early works don't always make it to streaming platforms, so it's significant when they do.
SoundCloud puts music writers in charge of its new playlists
The streaming era is producing its own music stars and SoundCloud is tapping the industry's tastemakers to help you discover them. Putting its financial woes aside for a minute, the service is doubling down on playlists promoting its fresh artists across genres (hip-hop, electro) and moods (morning routines, first dates). This time it's getting a little help from music journalists including former Pitchfork editor-in-chief, Mark Richardson; electronic music critic, Philip Sherburne; hip-hop reporter, Sowmya Krishnamurthy; and Pitchfork and Rolling Stone contributor, David Turner.
SoundCloud finally offers student pricing for its paid music service
SoundCloud has taken some steps to reform its paid streaming music services since a messy 2016 debut, but student pricing hasn't been part of it. You've paid $10 per month while your Spotify- and Apple Music-toting classmates shelled out half as much for years -- and they've sometimes received more in the bargain. The company is at last closing the gap, though. It just launched a SoundCloud Go+ plan for students that offers the same unfettered access for $5 per month, making it a considerably better deal if you need some tunes for study breaks.
SoundCloud lets artists distribute music to Spotify and Apple Music
SoundCloud is helping artists distribute uploaded music to other services, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Instagram, Pandora and even Napster. The Premier distribution tool will be available in open beta at no extra cost for eligible Pro and Pro Unlimited subscribers. SoundCloud won't take a cut of the earnings artists make from other platforms, and it pledged to streamline payments for them. Musicians will also keep all of the rights to their work.
SoundCloud is losing its second and final co-founder
SoundCloud co-founder and CPO Eric Wahlforss is stepping aside from his duties at the music sharing platform. In a statement shared on Twitter, Wahlforss said he would transition into an advisory role beginning March 1st. "After more than 11 years of building up our wonderful platform...I have come to the realisation (sic) that now is the right time for me to take a break, reflect and think about what to create next," said Wahlforss.
Serato adds SoundCloud, Tidal and more to your DJ toolbox
Serato DJ's latest Pro 2.1 and Lite 1.1 software updates have been in public beta for a couple of months, but today those final versions go live. Included with these updates are the addition of SoundCloud and Tidal streaming services right from your library, which is a big step forward for expanding your repertoire on-the-fly. The Serato Play expansion pack ($39) is also now an option, which provides controller-like tools on your keyboard, four decks, a row of filter knobs and headphone splitter capability, so you can finally do proper sets without connected hardware (if you really need to).
SoundCloud updates Premier program terms after backlash
If SoundCloud's Premier program terms seemed too onerous to you, you're not the only one. SoundCloud has changed the Premier agreement in response to criticism, most notably removing a covenant not to sue the company. This was an "outdated" element from the previous invitation-only agreement, SoundCloud said. Artists won't have to go through arbitration (which tends to favor companies) if there's ever a dispute.
SoundCloud’s Premier program is a bad deal for artists
Earlier this month, SoundCloud made its direct monetization program public, allowing hundreds of thousands of creators to make money from the platform. However, The Verge has gotten its hands on the contract artists have to sign to become a part of SoundCloud Premier, and it's rife with stipulations that aren't in artists' interests. From mandatory arbitration clauses to weak payment terms, SoundCloud's contract stands to limit creators' positions and restrict the steps they can take if they feel that they've been wronged.
SoundCloud users can now share song links to Instagram Stories
SoundCloud users will no longer have to settle for screenshots when they want to share music on Instagram, as the company announced today that tracks can now be shared to Instagram Stories directly from the SoundCloud app. Instagram announced at F8 that it would start letting users post to their Stories from third-party apps, including Spotify and GoPro, and SoundCloud has now jumped on board. However, it should be noted that sharing from SoundCloud only adds a sticker to your Story, and to hear the track, viewers will have to tap the "Play on SoundCloud" link and listen to the tune in the SoundCloud app. The feature doesn't add a soundtrack to your Story.
SoundCloud will let DJs instantly mix millions of its tracks
DJ sets and electronic music were integral to SoundCloud's initial success. In the past, the streaming also-ran has tapped into its community of mixers by letting them upload via Pioneer's DJ app. Now it's going one further by allowing creators to stream and incorporate its entire music catalogue in real-time using software from Native Instruments, Serato, Virtual DJ, DEX3, Mixvibes and DJuced/Hercules. That means access to 200 million tracks, in case you were wondering.
SoundCloud brings high quality streaming to Go+ subscribers
SoundCloud is giving its Go+ subscribers access to better audio while streaming. The top tier service from the company now offers a high quality streaming option, meaning that, whenever content is uploaded in a lossless or high bitrate format, subscribers will be able to stream that audio at 256kbps AAC. Just head to your SoundCloud settings and adjust your selection under "Streaming quality" to opt in.
SoundCloud’s web series shines a spotlight on its creators
You only rarely hear SoundCloud positively associated with the words "internet superstar," but the music sharing platform helps a lot of creators get their work out there. To shine a spotlight on its community, the company has launched a series entitled "First on SoundCloud: Studio Sessions Berlin." The web series will focus on emerging creators whose careers began on the platform — simply put, it's a documentary that will follow their journeys and the creative process behind their latest tracks SoundCloud has opened up its Berlin production studio to the creators it chose to highlight, so the company can capture all the behind-the-scene happenings when they create music. It also gave them access to the studio's in-house sound engineer. The company is kickstarting the series with electronic music producer San Holo — yes, that's a play on Han Solo — who used SoundCloud's Berlin HQ to produce worthy, the feature track for his new album. San's album aptly entitled album1 is now available for streaming on the platform.
Spotify offers free direct uploads for indie artists
Spotify is making life easier for indie artists who want to get their music on the service by letting them directly upload their own tracks without having to go through an intermediary like a label or distributor. The free feature is launching in beta in Spotify for Artists.
SoundCloud adds weekly personalized playlists
SoundCloud announced today that it's releasing a weekly personalized playlist for its users. Updated every Monday, SoundCloud Weekly pulls music from the platform's millions of creators, which the company notes is "multiple times more than are featured in playlists on other streaming services." Like those from other services, such as Spotify's Discover Weekly, SoundCloud Weekly's tracks are determined by the creators and tracks users like, share and listen to the most. It follows the release of the daily mixes of new uploads the company launched last year.
Pioneer's DJ app can upload your mixes directly to SoundCloud
DJs make up a huge part of the SoundCloud user base, uploading long mixes and gathering original electronic music to include in live performances. Pioneer is taking advantage of this fact with an update to its iOS mix recording app, DJM-REC. The company has just made it possible to record and share your DJ mixes directly from the app to your SoundCloud account.
SoundCloud’s redesigned app puts the focus on music discovery
Today, SoundCloud launched a redesigned app that puts an emphasis on discoverability. It takes a page from Spotify, with a new home screen that has curated recommendations and personalized playlists to help listeners find their new favorite SoundCloud artists and albums. You can download the updated app today.
SoundCloud shows how its algorithms influence music streams
SoundCloud wants the world (and, more importantly, record labels) to know that it can break artists too. And, who can blame it. It must sting when Apple Music declares that it helped Post Malone (who went viral on SoundCloud before invading the Billboard Hot 100) become a streaming record-breaker. And, when Spotify's Rap Caviar playlist (stocked with SoundCloud upstarts, like Lil' Uzi Vert and Lil' Pump) is hailed as a hit-maker. Its solution? A new stat that reveals the power of its algorithm in helping creators nab more plays. The update follows the insights SoundCloud added to its SoundCloud Pulse app and the web, including playlist streams and top listeners, cities and countries.
Mixcloud plans subscription service with Warner Music deal
Mixcloud -- a user-generated audio site similar to SoundCloud but with more of a focus on long-form content -- just signed a licensing deal with Warner Music, the Financial Times reports. This means that the site can soon begin to offer subscriptions. Mixcloud plays host to around 17 million listeners per month who tune in to some 12 million radio shows, DJ sets and podcasts. Some of its content generators include Tiesto, David Byrne of the Talking Heads and The Guardian.
SoundCloud isn't shutting down just yet
SoundCloud's financial woes have just been granted a bit of relief. An investment proposal was circulated among SoundCloud investors earlier this week which outlined a deal that would bring in around $170 million from global merchant bank The Raine Group and investment company Temasek Capital Management. The plan also included a reorganization of the company that would put current CEO Alex Ljung on SoundCloud's board and bring in former Vimeo CEO Kerry Trainor as the new chief executive. In order for it to go through, shareholders were asked to decide on the deal by the end of today and in a statement provided to Engadget, SoundCloud has confirmed that the deal has gone through.
