SoundCloud is adding direct music sales, giving artists a way to sell downloadable tracks from their profiles without paying the platform a commission.
The feature launched in Beta on August 26 for approximately 200 U.S.-based Artist Pro subscribers with Fan Support enabled. Participating artists can set their own prices, choose which eligible tracks are available to buy and offer downloads in formats including MP3 and WAV.
SoundCloud says artists will receive the full purchase price, minus standard payment-processing fees and applicable taxes.
Turning listeners into customers
The move closes a gap between discovery and commerce that SoundCloud has previously filled with external links. More than 250,000 artists have connected over 2.4 million SoundCloud tracks to outside music platforms, while SoundCloud sends more than half a million users to third-party sites to purchase music each year.
Now, fans in the Beta can discover, purchase and download a track without leaving the platform. SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton says:
"Artists should be able to build their audience in one place, on one platform. We’re continuing to bring more of what they need to grow their careers into that same experience, while letting fans directly support the music they love."
SoundCloud’s own artist research found that 14% of respondents already sell downloadable music, while another 14% would like to do so. The company also says highly engaged superfans can spend up to five times more on artists and music than casual listeners.
That makes direct purchasing more than a nostalgic revival of paid downloads. For independent artists, it creates a higher-value transaction with listeners who may already stream their music, follow their profiles or participate in their SoundCloud communities.
SoundCloud expands its direct-to-fan ambitions
Direct sales join a growing collection of SoundCloud monetization tools that includes Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and ticketing integrations.
Together, those features point toward SoundCloud’s broader ambition to become more than an upload and streaming service. The company increasingly wants to house multiple stages of an independent artist’s career, from releasing and promoting music to communicating with fans and earning directly from them.
The Beta’s small initial group will allow SoundCloud to collect feedback about purchasing friction, artist controls and the kinds of features creators want next. Sales data will be available through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard.
SoundCloud plans to expand access gradually before making direct music purchases available to all eligible creators later this fall.
+Read more: "Yes, Human Curation Still Matters for Real Fans."
