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A thread on @SoundCloud. The good, the bad and my perspective as one of the largest accounts on the platform.
First a couple stats:
5.51 million followers
147 million plays
Income received: $0
5.51 million followers
147 million plays
Income received: $0
For comparison, here's my @Spotify stats. Steadily growing from 2015 to 2020. Also coinciding with the decline in Soundcloud plays.
368.64 million plays.
Income generated: nearly impossible to calculate exact figures because most of it is still being recouped.
368.64 million plays.
Income generated: nearly impossible to calculate exact figures because most of it is still being recouped.
Back to 2007 though,
Most people forget that in the bloghaus era, people HOSTED mp3s on their own servers incurring huge costs with no way of monetizing their site aside from some google ads.
RSS feeds were all the rage.
Google Reader RIP.
Most people forget that in the bloghaus era, people HOSTED mp3s on their own servers incurring huge costs with no way of monetizing their site aside from some google ads.
RSS feeds were all the rage.
Google Reader RIP.
This was the last real movement in grassroots music journalism. It's a shell of itself at this point.
I wish it wasn't, but just being honest.
These curators had a real say in music culture and defined an entire era. They fully supported me and I'll always appreciate that.
I wish it wasn't, but just being honest.
These curators had a real say in music culture and defined an entire era. They fully supported me and I'll always appreciate that.
It pays off being early on a platform. I joined Soundcloud in 2009. I think one of the top accounts had 6k followers and that seemed insane at the time.
Soundcloud solved a simple issue. Audio hosting. No more huge hosting bills, it was a predictable bill each month.
Soundcloud solved a simple issue. Audio hosting. No more huge hosting bills, it was a predictable bill each month.
Just for context, prior to this, aside from self-hosting, myspace was the primary landing page for artists. We were limited to 4 tracks and 8 top friends (s/o to Tom)
Somebody in my position with a lot of music, Soundcloud was a fantastic fit.
Somebody in my position with a lot of music, Soundcloud was a fantastic fit.
The platform continued to grow and so did my following. It was one of the most insane periods of growth in my career.
It's funny how when you're in it, you think it's gonna continue forever.
It's funny how when you're in it, you think it's gonna continue forever.
> Hype Machine joined the chat.
Ok, now we're getting serious. Aggregating all of these blogs and creating a chart added fuel to the raging fire.
Hundreds of blogs aggregated, posting my tracks, hosted on my Soundcloud. This was my moment.
Now it's quantified and measurable.
Ok, now we're getting serious. Aggregating all of these blogs and creating a chart added fuel to the raging fire.
Hundreds of blogs aggregated, posting my tracks, hosted on my Soundcloud. This was my moment.
Now it's quantified and measurable.
I unofficially have the record for most #1's on the hypem charts. Not super relevant, but just taking a moment to brag about it before it completely fades into obscurity lol
This potent combo led to my account growing exponentially from 2010-2014.
This potent combo led to my account growing exponentially from 2010-2014.
That's when the cracks started to show. Soundcloud was BIG at this point. Everybody knew about it. I visited their massive new modern offices in Berlin.
Unfortunately the big bois had noticed and the pressure started. They had no control over it.
Unfortunately the big bois had noticed and the pressure started. They had no control over it.
Under the guise of cOpYrIgHt pRoTeCtiOn they started to crack down on Soundcloud. I obviously wasn't a part of those discussions so perhaps it's best to not speculate, but suddenly there's hit pieces in all the major news outlets, claims of copyright infringement, etc..
Siderant: Piracy is a symptom of failing to deliver what the consumer wants, not the consumer trying to steal from you.
Meanwhile all the artists on the platform are like "huh?". We want to upload to Soundcloud. The fans are there, it's the center of the cultural zeitgeist, why the hell would we not?
I was signed to a major label at the time and they got mad when I uploaded my latest single to the platform.
It turns out they told everybody on the label to not post because they were negotiating some back deal.
Imagine telling an artist not to upload a song to 5mil people.
It turns out they told everybody on the label to not post because they were negotiating some back deal.
Imagine telling an artist not to upload a song to 5mil people.
So, using their underpaid artists as leverage to force a platform to succumb to their will. Gotcha.
Not sure why this was surprising to me.
Not sure why this was surprising to me.
Meanwhile the major label owned Spotify started to gain traction. What a coincidence.
I've always been perplexed why Soundcloud didn't enable monetization from the start. I think it probably had something to do with these negotiations.
I've always been perplexed why Soundcloud didn't enable monetization from the start. I think it probably had something to do with these negotiations.
You see, equity is valuable. Not just because of power, but because you don't need to give any profits to artists that gave you that power.
Keeping your competitor down while allowing the incumbent version to succeed is how monopolies operate.
Keeping your competitor down while allowing the incumbent version to succeed is how monopolies operate.
On the plus side, it's better than ever for the consumer. There's an illusion of a free market and people can stream any album they want for a small fee.
At this point in time I'm technically losing money on Soundcloud. I'm paying something negligible (16/mo) to host my work and not getting anything in return for it.
I just keep paying because my follower count is pretty high and maybe just maybe the users will return.
I just keep paying because my follower count is pretty high and maybe just maybe the users will return.
I guess it's back to where it started. A hosting service.
