SoundCloud, the DIY music-streaming service, announced a new music distribution tool for its premium accounts aimed at artists.
With the service, artists can upload their hits to major music platforms — including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Tencent, and YouTube Music — all at the same time, according to TechCrunch.
The music distribution market is hot
SoundCloud notes that its new service is the first distribution tool built directly into the platform. But with Spotify’s recent investment in DistroKid and Apple’s acquisition of the label services company Platoon, that may not be the case for long.
SoundCloud’s new service gives artists the chance to monetize their music through a broader revenue-sharing program, keeping companies like Spotify from taking an arguably criminal percentage once songs are uploaded to their platforms.
A page out of the Vimeo playbook
After finally admitting it couldn’t compete with the likes of YouTube, Vimeo changed its focus entirely to become a creator tools hub for filmmakers back in September, and it paid off — with a revenue increase of 28% last quarter.
So SoundCloud may be finally hearing the music, realizing that it can offer more value by creating tools that musicians need.
