Key Takeaways
- SoundCloud is an internet streaming platform for music and podcasts, permitting artists to simply add their content material and acquire publicity.
- The platform affords a user-friendly app for iOS and Android customers to reinforce the listening expertise.
- SoundCloud is free to make use of with some limitations, however affords paid subscriptions for ad-free listening and extra options for each listeners and artists.
SoundCloud has been round for musicians making an attempt to make a reputation for themselves since 2007. Though the platform is most nicely related to impartial, underground music, many now well-known artists like Submit Malone, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Ice Spice, and Lil Nas X discovered their begin on SoundCloud.
From podcasts to music, by way of free and paid-for plans, we have all the important thing particulars you might want to find out about what SoundCloud is, the way it works, and why it is best to give it an opportunity.
Why you should try Tidal over Spotify or Apple Music
If you’d like a music service that mixes an enormous library with truthful pay for artists and top-notch audio high quality, Tidal is it.
What’s SoundCloud?
Though music streaming companies like Spotify or Apple Music have develop into extra recognizable names, at its base, SoundCloud is an internet streaming platform for music and podcasts, similar to these companies.
One attribute that makes SoundCloud distinctive is how straightforward the platform has made it for artists to add their songs, tracks, podcasts, or different audio. Establishing a profile to share music via is straightforward and might be free, permitting novice and funds artists to get their names on the market.
This high quality has made SoundCloud an ideal platform for up-and-coming artists to interrupt out, since SoundCloud’s customers are usually fairly concerned about discovering new music and artists.
How SoundCloud works
Obtain SoundCloud
SoundCloud originated as an internet site that you possibly can solely entry on an web browser. Though the web site remains to be up and operating, SoundCloud has since developed a user-friendly app for iOS and Android customers.
Navigating SoundCloud
On the high of SoundCloud’s dwelling web page, each on-line and within the app, you will be prompted to discover a few of the platform’s trending genres. Instantly beneath these, SoundCloud affords an array of music that their algorithm has deemed as tracks you might take pleasure in primarily based on what else you hearken to. If you wish to hearken to what’s widespread within the US proper now, you’ll be able to scroll right down to the part that provides Music Charts with High 50 playlists for varied genres.
You are additionally capable of search with filters to seek out any tracks, artists, albums, or playlists you are in search of. One other fascinating function on SoundCloud are the “Scenes: Corners of SoundCloud” playlists and “FOSC: First on SoundCloud 2023” artists discovered slightly additional down on the platform’s dwelling web page. Scenes highlights some area of interest genres which have discovered a group of listeners on SoundCloud, and FOSC places an annual highlight on 5 of its rising artists with the objective of serving to these artists acquire listeners and attain new audiences.
SoundCloud
Is SoundCloud free?
SoundCloud’s origins are rooted in impartial music and user-driven uploads, so it is nonetheless obtainable to make use of at no cost, though there are some drawbacks.
Free listening has promoting in it, and non-paid customers aren’t capable of obtain any tracks for offline listening. Nonetheless, income that SoundCloud makes from ads helps them to pay the artists whose music you are listening to.
There are a number of tiers of paid memberships for SoundCloud, which every carry additional options.
SoundCloud pricing for listeners
SoundCloud affords multiple paid options for these trying to hear ad-free and with another perks. Listed here are their subscription choices:
The extra primary paid subscription is SoundCloud Go, which prices $4.99 month-to-month and removes all of the advertisements whereas additionally letting you obtain as many tracks as you need for offline listening.
SoundCloud Go+ is priced at $9.99 which affords the advantages of SoundCloud Go in addition to permits you to hear with higher-quality audio, will get you entry to a wider library, and even permits you to combine obtainable tracks in sure DJing apps. For college kids, SoundCloud Go+ is obtainable at a 50% low cost.
SoundCloud pricing for artists
For those who’re looking to upload music, SoundCloud affords a free subscription known as SoundCloud Subsequent. This selection permits artists to add as much as three hours of audio both privately or publicly and have entry to primary analytics stories of listeners.
SoundCloud Next Pro is the platform’s paid artist plan, which prices $8.25 a month. It removes the restrict on how a lot music you’ll be able to add and opens the door to a complete heap of stats that will help you perceive who’s listening to your music and the way. This plan helps artists to increase their tracks’ attain, have wider distribution, monetize their tracks, have restricted entry to trace mastering, and extra.
![Spotify out of a music funk feature image headphones over a blue background with green soundwaves](https://static1.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/02/spotify-out-of-a-music-funk-feature-image.jpg)
7 Spotify tricks for getting out of a music funk
Caught in a relentless playlist shuffle? Sick of taking part in the identical songs on repeat? Listed here are my favourite Spotify options to combine up your sound.
What competes with SoundCloud?
SoundCloud faces competitors from a variety of music streaming companies. Spotify and Apple Music lead the market with in depth music libraries and personalised experiences, whereas YouTube Music leverages video content material, and Tidal affords high-quality audio and unique releases for audiophiles. See the chart beneath for a extra thorough breakdown.
Music app |
Key options |
Pricing |
---|---|---|
SoundCloud |
A novel platform for music and podcasts, identified for its ease of content material add and discovery of recent artists. |
Free tier obtainable; SoundCloud Go at $4.99/month, Go+ at $9.99/month. |
Spotify |
A number one music streaming service with an enormous library, providing songs, podcasts, and personalised playlists. |
Free tier obtainable; Premium plans begin at $9.99/month. |
Apple Music |
Apple’s streaming service, providing a variety of tracks, radio exhibits, and integration throughout units. |
Plans begin at $9.99/month, with no free tier. |
YouTube Music |
Google’s service targeted on music movies and tracks, together with an enormous library of user-generated content material. |
Free tier obtainable; Premium plans begin at $9.99/month. |
Tidal |
Presents high-fidelity sound high quality and unique content material, aimed toward audiophiles and music fans. |
Plans begin at $9.99/month for traditional high quality, with HiFi plans at $19.99/month. |
![what is spotify and how does it work image 1](https://static1.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/139236-apps-news-feature-what-is-spotify-and-how-does-it-workimage1-71xhfr5dgv.jpg)
What is Spotify and how does it work?
Our full information to Spotify – what it’s, how a lot it prices and the way it works. Every thing you might want to know in regards to the audio streaming service, defined.
Who makes use of SoundCloud?
Whereas SoundCloud is utilized by a wide selection of artists and listeners from all over the world, sure genres have undoubtedly discovered their area of interest viewers on the platform.
“Listeners usually flip to SoundCloud to hearken to new and distinctive sounds and artists fairly than the present Billboard High 50.”
Some present trending genres on SoundCloud embody electronic, house, reggae, pop, and hip hop & rap. Trying on the songs discovered on SoundCloud’s trending playlists reveals that whereas some large names are included, like Megan Thee Stallion, Jhené Aiko, and Zeds Lifeless, most of the trending artists are removed from family names. There are additionally playlists obtainable that supply new tracks exclusively found on SoundCloud or every week’s fresh sounds on the platform.
SoundCloud may also be used to hearken to extra area of interest music genres that many individuals could by no means have heard of. Though stats aren’t but obtainable for 2023, the 2022 fastest growing genres included plugg, an Atlanta-based hip-hop scene, drill, a entice subgenre during which Ice Spice had a high SoundCloud monitor of 2022, phonk, UK dance, and digicore, a hyperpop microgenre.
![apple music feature image](https://static1.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/01/apple-music-feature-image.jpg)
How much is Apple Music and is it a good Spotify alternative?
Here is all the things you might want to find out about Apple Music, together with how a lot it prices, what it affords, and how you can apply it to any gadget.
rachit-tank / unsplash
Must you attempt SoundCloud over Spotify?
SoundCloud outshines Spotify for underground music discovery as a result of it lets any artist add their tracks effortlessly, making a hub for brand new and impartial expertise. This method ends in a various assortment of music, providing listeners entry to recent, undiscovered artists and sounds not discovered on extra mainstream platforms.
For those who like to find new artists, area of interest genres, and distinctive tracks, you need to be utilizing SoundCloud. SoundCloud affords a world away from trending music that is being overplayed on the radio. A number of underground expertise that deserves to be heard is obtainable to hearken to completely on SoundCloud. For those who give SoundCloud artists an opportunity, you possibly can discover ardour for genres you did not know existed or uncover the following large identify in music.