SoundCloud

Monday, December 12, 2016

DJ Mixes Are Now Legal on SoundCloud, Says Founder

SoundCloud
Image source: Instagram

SoundCloud founder Eric Wahlforss has said in an interview that DJ mixes are now legal and “problem-free” on the service.

Wahlforss told Germany’s Groove magazine:

“During the negotiations for SoundCloud Go, we achieved agreement with collecting societies like GEMA in Germany, making these problems a thing of the past -– even for users who do not subscribe. This means that DJ mixes are now legal and problem-free on SoundCloud. So this is a very positive news for DJs.”

SoundCloud was once the go-to platform to host DJ mixes, but many DJs have stopped uploading their mixes in recent years because of increased takedowns for copyright infringement. Some have even had their accounts deleted for repeat violations.

As a result, many DJs have been uploading their mixes to less popular services like Mixcloud and Mixcrate. However, those platforms have been subject to increased takedowns over the last year, with Mixcrate closing its doors in October.

While Wahlforss’ comments are encouraging to DJs and fans, it is unclear at this point if all mixes are indeed safe on SoundCloud.

Related: DJs Should Stop Playing SoundCloud and YouTube Rips

| Music Industry, Music Tech
Legal, SoundCloud,
Thursday, June 18, 2015

SoundCloud’s Streaming Limit Doesn’t Apply to Embeds

SoundCloud
 
UPDATE: SoundCloud has clarified that this change does not affect the embedded player, and if you have not heard from them, your app is unaffected.
 
SoundCloud announced today that they will be implementing a 24-hour streaming limit of 15,000 plays on all songs streamed via client applications starting July 1.
 
Many news sources have reported that the regulation will apply to embeds on websites. However, according to The Next Web and Stoney Roads, embeds will not be affected.
 
SoundCloud’s announcement says: “We’re dealing with an increasing number of applications that abuse creator content. To help us limit this type of behaviour, we’re introducing a daily rate limit on API play requests.”
 
The statement continues: “Only a small number of developers will be affected by this change, and we’ll be contacting them via email to ensure a smooth transition.”
 
Some sites have suggested that the rule will ensure that SoundCloud’s ads get served to everyone. As of right now, third party sites that use SoundCloud’s API can get around the ads via their custom players (e.g. Hype Machine).
 
Read SoundCloud’s full announcement here.
 
Related: DJs Can Now Import SoundCloud Mixes Into Mixcloud

| Music Industry, Music Tech
SoundCloud,
Thursday, May 7, 2015

DJs Can Now Import SoundCloud Mixes Into Mixcloud

mixcloud-600
 
SoundCloud has been an unreliable service for hosting DJ mixes ever since record labels started cracking down on the company last year. Thankfully, those who are tired of takedowns can now import their existing mixes directly into Mixcloud with a new tool.
 
The company’s SoundCloud importer was previously only available to Mixcloud content partners, but the company has now made it available to the public as a beta. The tool is only available for long-form content such as mixes, radio shows and podcasts, as Mixcloud doesn’t allow single track or album uploads.
 
Mixcloud also differs from SoundCloud in that it’s a licensed Internet radio service and has agreements with various collecting societies. This means that while Mixcloud doesn’t allow downloading and rewinding within a mix, their service is completely legal, and DJs don’t have to worry about takedowns.
 
The company also offers premium accounts with more features, and DJcity readers can get three months of free service with the promo code: DJCITYFREETRIAL (monthly plan only).
 
Related: Four Hours of Audio Is Uploaded to Mixcloud Every Minute

| DJ Culture, Music Industry, Music Tech
Mixcloud, SoundCloud,
Sunday, March 22, 2015

SoundCloud Versus the Alternatives

SoundCloud
 
For a long time, SoundCloud was the number one choice for many DJs looking to host their mixes online. However, the company has stepped up copyright enforcement over the last year, and many DJs have had their mixes taken down, and even their accounts removed.
 
As DJs continue looking for alternatives, DJWORX has compared SoundCloud with its leading alternatives, including MixCloud, Mixcrate, YouTube, PodOmatic, and others. Their extensive breakdown looks at various aspects of each service, including audio quality, interface and cost. Check out their article here.
 
Related: Four Hours of Audio Is Uploaded to Mixcloud Every Minute

| Music Tech
Mixcloud, SoundCloud, YouTube,
Friday, October 17, 2014

Twitter Introduces Embedded SoundCloud Player

Twitter
 
Twitter just made it easier for creators to share music and other types of audio with fans. The company introduced audio cards yesterday, a new feature that enables users to play audio directly in their timeline on both iOS and Android devices.
 
Throughout the listening experience, users can dock the audio card and keep listening as they continue to browse inside the Twitter app. The feature was launched in partnership with third-party streaming services and SoundCloud is the first to implement it.
 
So far, only a small group of artists have audio cards but SoundCloud says they’ll be available to everyone soon. Current users include David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Martin Garrix, Chromeo, Migos, among others.
 
Both Guetta and Chance the Rapper have already taken advantage of the feature by sharing new tracks:
 


 
Related: SoundCloud Introduces Advertising for the First Time

| Music Tech
Social media, SoundCloud, Twitter,
Thursday, August 21, 2014

SoundCloud Introduces Advertising for the First Time

SoundCloud
 
It’s been a big week in the world of digital music. On Tuesday, DJ Skee announced the launch of DASH Radio and Mixcloud unveiled subscription plans, and today, SoundCloud debuted a three-tiered program which introduces advertising to the platform for the first time.
 
Recognizing that not every artist has the same needs, On SoundCloud comes in three different flavors: Partner, Pro Partner and Premium Partner.
 
The free Partner tier is for beginners that don’t need a lot of upload time or advanced analytics while the Pro Partner tier is a paid plan for those that need more upload time, advanced tools and other nifty features.
 
Last but not least, SoundCloud is inviting select partners to participate in the Premium tier which gives creators the opportunity to make money through advertising. It also includes Pro features and more benefits.
 
SoundCloud’s Chief Business Officer Jeff Toig told Billboard:
 

“This is where we start to figure out how to generate revenue and help our creators make money in order to enable them to build careers with us . . . When Alex [Ljung, SoundCloud’s CEO] and Eric [Wahlforss, SoundCloud’s CTO] founded the company, they really saw an opportunity to build a business with a global, open platform that would kind of evolve over time.”

 
It should be noted that today’s announcement is not the result of SoundCloud’s on-going talks with the major labels. Toig told Billboard that the company is in “active and ongoing, advanced discussions” with Sony, Universal and Warner Music, but that this week’s launch was meant to illustrate how SoundCloud can be for anyone.
 
He continued, “SoundCloud is not just a service that depends on the majors only — although we do work with them and hundreds of their artists all the time, and we’d obviously love to have them onboard . . . But there is a much broader creative ecosystem here and we’re really keen to represent that in a full and complete way.”
 
Toig also said a paid subscription service is expected to be launched in the coming months, although details about the plan were not mentioned.
 
Related: SoundCloud Removes 70% of Kaskade’s Content

| Music Industry, Music Tech
SoundCloud,

Popular