SoundCloud
SoundCloud to Launch “Fan-Powered” Royalty Payment Model
SoundCloud is putting artists’ revenue in the hands of their fans. Today, the streaming platform announced a new royalty payment system in which each listener’s subscription or advertising revenue is distributed among the artists to which they listen, rather than being pooled to every artist of the platform. The music streaming service says the “fan-powered royalties” model “levels the playing field for independent artists by tying payouts to fandom” and claims the system will allow artists to grow a deeper connection with their most dedicated fans, and give those fans the opportunity to “directly influence how their favorite artists are paid.” SoundCloud adds the move was inspired by feedback from independent artists. Michael Weissman, Chief Executive Officer of SoundCloud, issued a state...
SoundCloud Will Pay Independent Artists Based on Listeners, Not Streams
Effectively, if Taylor Swift gets 5% of all streams on Spotify in June, she and her label will get 5% of your monthly subscription fee, even if you never listened to one of her songs. But support has been swelling for a user-centric payment system, which would allow artists to get paid based on how many fans listen, instead of how many streams the artist accrues. Under SoundCloud’s “fan-powered” model, if a user paying $10 a month only listens to five artists, those five artists will get an equal split of that $10 — after SoundCloud takes its cut — no matter how many times the user listens to each of them. “Many in the...
HHW Gaming: SoundCloud Announces First-Ever Gaming Tournament, SoundCloud Player One
Source: SoundCloud / SoundCloud Player One Look out Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Here comes a new challenger. Audio distribution platform and music sharing website Soundcloud is now getting into the world of gaming. Tuesday (Feb.9), the Berlin-based company announced its first-ever live-streamed gaming tournament, Soundcloud Player One. The event will be hosted by recording artist Rico Nasty and Professional Esports Caster MonsterDface. Along with the announcement of the tournament, SoundCloud also revealed who would be participating. When viewers tune in on February 18, they will see a full lineup of artists-turned-gamers going head-to-head in Fortnite Battle Royale. Names like 2KBABY, Chevy Woods, DC The Don, Gxx, Jaywall, Shaylin B, TOKYO’S REVENGE, and whiterosemoxie will duke it out in ...
SoundCloud Announces Inaugural Fortnite Tournament “SoundCloud Player One”
SoundCloud is officially entering the world of esports with a new video game tournament. Dubbed, SoundCloud Player One, the online festivities will see eight artists compete against each other in the digital battlegrounds of Fortnite. The games will be hosted by Rico Nasty and professional esports commentator, MonsterDface. In addition to the in-game action, viewers will be treated to a special halftime performance from Rico Nasty. At the time of writing, it’s not yet known which artists will be featured in the games. Unfortunately, not much is known about the format of the competition as well. Considering each Fortnite game can host up to 100 players, some have questioned how the tournament will keep score with just eight competitors. SoundCloud Player One kicks off o...
SoundCloud Is Now Verifying Popular Creatives Pages , Struggle Rappers This Doesn’t Apply To You
Source: MARTIN BUREAU / Getty When you stop by your favorite artist’s SoundCloud page, you will now notice a blue check next to their profile image. In a blog post, SoundCloud announced that it decided to go the blue check route to help users easily identify if the creator is legit or not. “We’re doing this to help well-known artists stand out and maintain their authenticity and to help listeners identify these artists more easily,” the company stated. SoundCloud shared the criteria you will have to meet to have your page verified, and it’s very clear. An artist applying for verification would have to be frequently searched for or a well-known DJ, musician, podcaster, curator, or collective to qualify for a blue check. Their profiles also cannot contain any misleading informati...
All Music Industry Initiatives to Help Get Out the Vote This Election Season (Updating)
On Nov. 3, U.S. voters will decide if President Donald Trump gets four more years in office or send Democratic ticket Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House. Ahead of what has been said to be the most important election in at least a generation, non-partisan voter registration organizations including HeadCount and Voto Latino, in partnership with labels and artists, have launched music-driven initiatives that incentivize eligible voters – especially young ones – to get registered and vote. Even labels and digital streaming platforms have rolled out campaigns to encourage both employees and artists to vote this election. And venues across the country will serve as polling sites for early voting and on Election Day. From Spotify’s “Play Your Part” to HeadCount’...
SoundCloud Is Now Offering Algorithmic Audio Mastering for $5 a Song
SoundCloud has partnered with Dolby to offer algorithmic audio mastering. “Mastering on Soundcloud” provides a variety of “mastering profiles,” and seeks to bridge the gap between amateurs and professional-quality masters for a fraction of the price. When done by a skilled human, the final master can cost anywhere between $50 and $200 a song. On SoundCloud, that service is available for $4.99. If it works — and that’s not guaranteed — it could do what Instagram filters did to photography, and radically reshape the market. Of course, many “groundbreaking” products are ultimately worse versions of what’s currently available, and that may be the case here. But SoundCloud and Dolby are big players, and what they say they can do is tantalizingly cheap. In a new blog post, SoundCloud revealed th...
What Place Will Virtual Tipping Have in the Post-Pandemic Music Industry?
In China, virtual tipping provides a widespread, legitimate revenue stream for artists. Some think the pandemic will help (finally) normalize the practice Stateside. Andy Bothwell, a Brooklyn-based artist who performs under the moniker Astronautalis, has an online hub that lists links to his music, social media accounts and merch site. But after the coronavirus pandemic cut off the touring income he relies on to pay his bills, he added two new links to the top of the list: His Cash App and Venmo accounts, allowing fans to send him money directly. “I’m curious to see if I keep it there,” he says. His decision is more than a curiosity. As the pandemic has shut down economies across the globe, many artists are asking fans directly for cash — and music companies like SoundCloud and Spoti...
SoundCloud Launches Its Own Twitch Channel for Original Live Programming
SoundCloud has officially thrown its hat into the music livestreaming ring by signing up for its own Twitch channel. On the heels of some big moves to bolster their position in the virtual music livestreaming space by other major companies, like Facebook, SoundCloud is making a concerted effort to intensify their endeavors in an increasingly robust streaming landscape in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the launch of its own Twitch channel, SoundCloud jumps into the fray to capitalize on the heightened consumer demand for livestreaming experiences by building out its own catalog of original content. SoundCloud will be airing panel discussions with industry experts, DJ and live music sets, and a number of interview series with artists, producers, and creator...
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