Among the multitude of streaming services available, SoundCloud and Spotify stand out as two of the most popular platforms for distributing and discovering new music. But when it comes to promoting your music and reaching your audience, which platform is best for you?
Let’s take an in-depth look at the features, benefits and target audiences of both SoundCloud and Spotify as by understanding the benefits of each platform and aligning them with your goals, you can make an informed decision that best serves your music career aspirations.
1. A brief introduction to SoundCloud
Chances are you’ve heard of SoundCloud. Launched in 2007, SoundCloud was introduced as a groundbreaking platform where independent artists, DJs, producers and musicians can upload their own music, remixes and podcasts directly to the music streaming service, making it accessible to listeners worldwide.
The focus was and remains on user-generated content which allows a diverse range of artists to gain exposure and build a loyal fan base without the need for a record label. Indeed, if you have a quick look at the platform, you’ll see that it hosts a wide range of genres, from mainstream pop and hip-hop to niche sub-genres and experimental music and we’ll explore this further later on, but it really is this diversity that makes it an ideal platform for artists wanting to explore new sounds and connect with like-minded listeners.
Now even if you haven’t heard of SoundCloud, you most certainly have heard of Billie Eilish and she represents one of SoundCloud’s most famous success stories. Indeed, she and her brother Finneas initially uploaded their music to the streaming platform before gaining widespread attention with the release of “Ocean Eyes.” The song went viral, leading to a major record deal and catapulting Billie to worldwide fame as one of the most influential pop artists of her generation.
See below her music video for Ocean Eyes and have a listen. Do you hear how she has, in a way, challenged traditional pop music conventions by crafting a very distinct sound that blends elements of pop, electronic, and alternative music? Launching a new sound such as this might not have worked on any other platform than Soundcloud.
Now if we take a quick look at the subscription model, SoundCloud offers several subscription tiers. It has a free tier which allows users to access a limited catalog of music and audio content with occasional advertisements. This makes SoundCloud one of the best free Spotify alternatives. Then there’s SoundCloud Go and this subscription service offers an expanded catalog of music and audio content without ads. Users can also listen offline and access higher quality audio streaming. Finally, there’s SoundCloud Go+, which is a premium subscription tier that offers all the features of SoundCloud Go, plus access to an even larger catalog of music and audio content, including full access to premium tracks and albums.
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2. A brief introduction to Spotify.
Now let’s have a quick look at Spotify. Founded in 2006, Spotify has become one of the world’s largest music streaming platforms, with millions of users and a vast music library full of songs to listen to and download.
What really sets Spotify apart is it’s vast user base – with over 345 million active users on the platform worldwide, it’s an attractive platform for artists looking to reach a wide audience as it offers unrivalled potential for exposure and discovery.
As we did with SoundCloud, let’s take a quick look at Spotify’s subscription model. It also has several subscription tiers. The free tier allows users to access Spotify’s music library for free, but with advertisements and certain limitations like shuffle-only play and a limited number of skips per hour.
Spotify premium removes advertisements, allows users to listen to music on demand and offline, offers unlimited skips, and provides higher audio quality.
Then you have Spotify Premium Family and this subscription plan allows multiple family members to have their own Premium accounts under one billing account, often at a discounted rate compared to individual Premium subscriptions.
Spotify Premium Duo is a plan is designed for couples or pairs living at the same address, offering two Premium accounts at a discounted rate. And finally, you have Spotify Premium Student, providing all the benefits of Spotify Premium to eligible students at a discounted rate.
3. Which music streaming service is best for you and your music?
Now that we’ve taken a quick look at both music streaming platforms, how do you choose the right platform for your own music?
The first thing to point out is that both platforms have a user-friendly interface and offer artists the opportunity to create official profiles where they can upload and showcase their music, create playlists, share updates and connect with their fans.
As we saw previously, both platforms operate on a subscription model and both offer several subscription tiers and both platforms provide artists with analytics tools to track the performance of their tracks, including the number of listens, likes, replays and listener demographics. All of this information helps artists to understand their audience and adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.
So at this point, one thing you have to consider is the genre and style of your own music.
SoundCloud’s diverse community caters for a wide range of genres, making it suitable for artists experimenting with new sounds (remember Billie Eilish?), whereas Spotify primarily offers a vast catalogue of mainstream music, including songs, albums and playlists from major labels and artists. And while Spotify allows independent artists to upload music through services such as Spotify for Artists, it focuses more on curated playlists and algorithmic recommendations based on user preferences.
This brings us to our next point and questions you have to ask yourself are who is your target audience and what are their listening habits? Are they looking for underground and independent artists and therefore, more active on SoundCloud. Or are they more likely to discover music through playlists on Spotify? Adapt your selection of platforms to align with your audience’s preferences.
One thing to talk about and which is probably high in your list of goals as an artist is discoverability. Spotify’s discoverability relies on algorithmic recommendations (such as Discover Weekly, Release Radar, Intelligent Shuffle…), editorial features and curated playlists. All of these play a significant role in helping users discover new music and independent artists may benefit greatly from being featured on playlists with the most popular music or having their music recommended to users based on similar artists or genres.
SoundCloud, on the other hand, offers a more democratic approach to discoverability, where artists have the opportunity to gain exposure through user-generated playlists, reposts by other users, and community engagement. The emphasis is on high-fidelity and on fostering a community of creators and this social aspect of the platform is crucial as it fosters collaboration, feedback and networking opportunities for artists. On top of that, it also allows artists to communicate directly with their fans through messaging and commenting features, and this direct interaction fosters a sense of connection and loyalty among fans, leading to a deeper engagement with the artist’s music.
With all of this in mind, emerging artists may find it easier to get noticed on SoundCloud compared to more a more saturated platform like Spotify.
Another thing to take into account, of course, is monetization. Spotify offers artists the opportunity to earn revenue through streams, with royalties paid out based on the number of plays their songs receive (over 2 million artists earn royalties on Spotify). However, the payout rates can vary considerably depending on factors such as the location of the listener and the artist’s contract with their record label or distributor, and artists may need a large number of streams to generate significant income. SoundCloud offers various monetization options for artists, including SoundCloud Premier, which allows artists to monetize their music through advertising, subscriptions, and direct fan support. Additionally, SoundCloud offers a platform for artists to sell merchandise and tickets to shows directly to their fans.
You should also bear in mind that SoundCloud does not require licensing agreements for user-generated content, which means that artists retain ownership of the content they upload to the platform and have control over how it is shared and distributed. Spotify, on the other hand, obtains licensing agreements with record labels and publishers to stream their music on the platform so Spotify retains control over the distribution and availability of content.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision between SoundCloud and Spotify depends on your particular situation, your goals and your target audience as an artist. Both platforms offer valuable tools and opportunities to promote your music and connect with fans and listeners. And always bear in mind that it’s worth diversifying your presence across multiple platforms to maximise your reach and exposure. While SoundCloud and Spotify are two of the most popular streaming platforms, other music streaming sites such as Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and Bandcamp also offer unique benefits and opportunities for artists.
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