The brand new SoundCloud Artist Subscription marks a major strategic pivot, positioning the platform as a real all-in-one ecosystem for impartial music creators. The streamlined plan, launched globally, combines distribution, fan assist, and bodily merchandise instruments beneath a single umbrella. This transfer instantly challenges present music distributors. Finally, it goals to simplify the customarily complicated enterprise aspect of an artist’s profession, permitting creators to maintain extra of their earnings.
100% Royalty Retention: A Recreation Changer
The headline function of the SoundCloud Artist Subscription is the promise that artists will preserve 100% of their distribution royalties. Beginning with the subsequent payout cycle (late November), SoundCloud will fully eradicate its income share from distributed earnings. Moreover, this is applicable not simply to royalties earned on SoundCloud. It additionally covers streams on exterior platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and over 50 different companies.
That is an aggressive transfer within the music distribution area. Traditionally, impartial artists have needed to juggle numerous companies and infrequently cut up income or pay excessive yearly charges. In distinction, SoundCloud combines limitless uploads, skilled distribution, and full royalty retention into one plan. Finally, this presents unmatched worth to artists in any respect profession levels.

Fee-Free Fan Assist and Tipping
SoundCloud can be deepening its dedication to direct fan-to-artist relationships by its “Fan Assist” function. Artists can now add a Assist button on to their profiles, enabling followers to tip or donate instantly.
Crucially, SoundCloud takes zero fee on these fan funds. This function is designed to foster group and put cash instantly into creators’ pockets. By eradicating this monetary barrier, the SoundCloud Artist Subscription incentivizes deeper engagement. Due to this fact, it empowers listeners to develop into true patrons of their favourite music.
Built-in Bodily Monetization
Shifting past digital earnings, the brand new plan additionally integrates instruments for bodily items, eliminating the necessity for complicated, third-party vendor setups:
- On-Demand Vinyl: Artists can flip their tracks into vinyl data instantly from their accounts. This course of requires no upfront prices or bulk orders, fixing a serious monetary hurdle for indie artists.
- Artist Storefronts: Musicians can showcase and promote merchandise and vinyl proper alongside their tracks. This streamlines the trail from discovery to monetary assist, making a single, centralized commerce hub. The additional earnings from merchandising may be put in the direction of upgrading studio gear or shopping for new {hardware}. For instance, this earnings may fund the acquisition of controllers mentioned within the Traktor Play DJ App Launch article.
Within the aggressive panorama of creator platforms, the brand new SoundCloud Artist Subscription represents a major shift. Particularly, it strikes towards a simplified, artist-first enterprise mannequin. By offering 100% of distribution income and centralizing fan engagement and bodily gross sales, SoundCloud is aiming to be the definitive ecosystem for the fashionable impartial musician.
Supply: Based mostly on reporting by EDM.com on SoundCloud’s All-in-One Artist Subscription.
Authentic Article: https://edm.com/industry/soundcloud-executives-discuss-all-in-one-artist-subscription/
