SoundCloud to Allow Direct Music Purchases
The new feature rolls out in beta with 200 Artist Pro users to provide their feedback ahead of a wider launch in the fall.
SoundCloud, the popular streaming platform, is set to introduce direct music purchases through its Artist Pro program, starting on August 26. Around 200 creators will have the opportunity to sell their songs directly from their profiles on SoundCloud. This move aims to provide an additional revenue stream for artists, allowing them to build their audience in one place while fostering real communities.
SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton emphasized the importance of artists finding their first fans and building a loyal fanbase on the platform. The program lets artists set the price of eligible tracks for sale via Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard. Fans can download the songs in either MP3 or WAV format. Artists will retain 100% of each sale, excluding standard fees and taxes.
SoundCloud plans to gather feedback from initial users to refine the offering before a wider rollout in the fall. In October, artists on Artist and Artist Pro plans will keep 100% of royalties when distributing songs to other streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and YouTube. Previously, SoundCloud took a 20% cut.
The company also introduced a Fan Support program in October, allowing fans to donate between $1 and $1,000 for their names to be featured on the artist's page. SoundCloud recently partnered with elasticStage to offer print-on-demand vinyl for users.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
