If you pay for pro uploads to SoundCloud, now you can earn money off your tracks. Sometimes referred to as the YouTube for audio, SoundCloud said the expansion would unlock revenue for hundreds of thousands of creators. Previously the program was open by invitation only to thousands of artists. Widening Premier has been a goal of the company's since at least early this year. SoundCloud has been a principal force for independent artists as streaming music became the de facto way most people listen to tunes. While music services like Spotify, Apple Music and Pandora have been instrumental in popularizing streaming with listeners, the easy uploads of SoundCloud, along with YouTube, have made them powerful tools for performers to get their music out, sometimes reaching heights of popularity once limited to stars backed by a major label. The new move comes less than three weeks after Spotify, the world's largest music service by listeners, opened up the chance for artists to upload directly. Initially, the feature is limited to a few hundred handpicked artists in the US. SoundCloud Premier pays artists a revenue share of 55 percent for their sound recordings.


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Username or email. Keep me signed in until I sign out. In October , Soundcloud announced that it will open its direct monetization program for Indie artists. However, the exact amount you can earn as an artist was not exposed to the public. So we did our own little research and found a number. The program, called SoundCloud Premier, was created in but has been limited to an invite-only beta until now.
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We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Today, SoundCloud announced that it is opening up its direct monetization program to the public, finally giving most artists the ability to make money off of the platform. The program, called SoundCloud Premier, was created four years ago but has been limited to an invite-only beta until now. Only original content will be accepted, but there are hints that, in the future, other content, like podcasts, remixes, and full DJ sets , will be considered. Any songs monetized with SoundCloud Premier are non-exclusive, and the creator retains all rights. Participation in Premier is free outside of the required subscription , and eligible uploaded tracks are immediately available to be monetized. A representative for the company says that creators who monetize with SoundCloud Premier will get a 55 percent net revenue share for the songs they upload and own the rights to. Additionally, SoundCloud will pay publishing royalties to rights holders and societies. The representative also said Premier songs will be available to stream everywhere but will only monetize when played from the countries listed above.
SoundCloud has always been a distinct outlier in the online streaming music industry. What has set them apart is how they allow anyone to upload and stream music without any annoying ads or monthly fees. For the past six years, SoundCloud has continued to thrive, even in a market dominated by competitors.