The new SoundCloud Artist Subscription marks a significant strategic pivot, positioning the platform as a true all-in-one ecosystem for independent music creators. The streamlined plan, launched globally, combines distribution, fan support, and physical merchandise tools under a single umbrella. This move directly challenges existing music distributors. Ultimately, it aims to simplify the often complex business side of an artist’s career, allowing creators to keep more of their earnings.
100% Royalty Retention: A Game Changer
The headline feature of the SoundCloud Artist Subscription is the promise that artists will keep 100% of their distribution royalties. Starting with the next payout cycle (late November), SoundCloud will completely eliminate its revenue share from distributed earnings. Furthermore, this applies not just to royalties earned on SoundCloud. It also covers streams on external platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and over 50 other services.
This is an aggressive move in the music distribution space. Historically, independent artists have had to juggle various services and often split profits or pay high yearly fees. In contrast, SoundCloud combines unlimited uploads, professional distribution, and full royalty retention into one plan. Ultimately, this offers unmatched value to artists at all career stages.
Commission-Free Fan Support and Tipping
SoundCloud is also deepening its commitment to direct fan-to-artist relationships through its “Fan Support” feature. Artists can now add a Support button directly to their profiles, enabling fans to tip or donate directly.
Crucially, SoundCloud takes zero commission on these fan payments. This feature is designed to foster community and put money directly into creators’ pockets. By removing this financial barrier, the SoundCloud Artist Subscription incentivizes deeper engagement. Therefore, it empowers listeners to become true patrons of their favorite music.
Integrated Physical Monetization
Moving beyond digital earnings, the new plan also integrates tools for physical goods, eliminating the need for complex, third-party vendor setups:
- On-Demand Vinyl: Artists can turn their tracks into vinyl records directly from their accounts. This process requires no upfront costs or bulk orders, solving a major financial hurdle for indie artists.
- Artist Storefronts: Musicians can showcase and sell merchandise and vinyl right alongside their tracks. This streamlines the path from discovery to financial support, creating a single, centralized commerce hub. The extra income from merchandising can be put towards upgrading studio gear or buying new hardware. For example, this income could fund the purchase of controllers discussed in the Traktor Play DJ App Launch article.
In the competitive landscape of creator platforms, the new SoundCloud Artist Subscription represents a significant shift. Specifically, it moves toward a simplified, artist-first business model. By providing 100% of distribution revenue and centralizing fan engagement and physical sales, SoundCloud is aiming to be the definitive ecosystem for the modern independent musician.
Source: Based on reporting by EDM.com on SoundCloud’s All-in-One Artist Subscription.
Original Article: https://edm.com/industry/soundcloud-executives-discuss-all-in-one-artist-subscription/
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