Mastering SoundCloud for Artists

SoundCloud offers artists a dynamic space to showcase their music, build an audience, and accelerate their careers. If you're ready to take your music to the next level on SoundCloud, here are some crucial steps to help you maximize the platform's potential:

How to get my music on SoundCloud?

Getting your music on SoundCloud is simple, and it offers great benefits for artists looking to grow their presence and connect with listeners. SoundCloud is one of the largest platforms for sharing music, where you can upload, share, and promote your tracks to a global audience. Here’s how you can create an artist account and start uploading your music:

1. Create an Account

• Go to SoundCloud and sign up with your email or social media accounts.

2. Set Up Your Artist Profile

• Choose your profile to create a professional profile. Add your bio, profile picture, and social media links to attract followers.

3. Upload Your Music

• Click Upload, select your track, add details (title, genre, etc.), and choose privacy settings. You can share your music publicly or privately.

4. Start Sharing and Building Your Audience

• Once your track is uploaded, share it with fans and track your progress through SoundCloud’s analytics.

By following these easy steps, you can start sharing your music and building your presence on SoundCloud!

How to get Verified on SoundCloud?

Getting verified on SoundCloud is reserved for well-known creators who are highly visible on the platform, or who generate significant search traffic. The verification process aims to protect artists, labels, and creators from impersonation. Here's how you can apply for verification:

1. Go to Settings:

   • Log in to your SoundCloud account.

   • Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner and select Settings.

2. Submit Your Verification Request:

   • In the Profile section, you'll see the option to Request Verification.

   • Click the button to apply and fill out the necessary information, such as your artist name, social links, and any other required details.

3. Wait for Approval:
   SoundCloud typically processes requests within 30 days. If you're a Next Pro subscriber, your request will be prioritized. SoundCloud reserves the right to revoke verification if the account violates its terms or if your profile changes (such as altering the artist name).

Important Notes:

• Verification is not guaranteed. SoundCloud makes the final decision at its discretion.

• If your account is verified and you change your display name, your verification will be lost, and you will need to reapply.

How We Can Help

If you're a premium artist working with us, we can assist with your SoundCloud verification process. While we cannot guarantee verification, we can submit a request on your behalf through Merlin Network, which increases your chances of approval.

For more information, or if you'd like us to help submit your verification request, simply reach out to us! We’ll ensure everything is in order to maximize your profile's chances of getting the blue verification badge.

How to Monetize my Music on SoundCloud?

Monetizing your music on SoundCloud offers artists a way to earn revenue from their tracks. There are two main ways to enable monetization on SoundCloud:

1. SoundCloud Next Pro (Paid Option)

To monetize your music directly on SoundCloud, you can subscribe to SoundCloud Next Pro, which costs $100 per year. This plan offers access to monetization tools, giving you the ability to start earning from ads and listener support on your tracks. However, this is a paid option and may not be accessible to everyone.

2. Monetization Through a Record Label (Our Free Service)

The second way to enable monetization is through a record label. If you distribute your music through a record label, they can set up monetization for you. We offer this service for free to all our artists, whether you're on our Basic or Premium plan.

How We Help You Monetize

By distributing your music through our platform, we can enable SoundCloud monetization for you at no extra charge. We do not need access to your SoundCloud account—just provide us with your SoundCloud artist page URL, and we will handle the process for you.

Requirements for Monetization

• Your music must be exclusively distributed through our service.

• You must own the exclusive rights to your music.

• After submission for monetization, you must not change track names or URLs, as this can cause monetization to fail.

• We only accept tracks that meet SoundCloud's eligibility criteria for monetization.

• One Artist Profile Per Track: For tracks with multiple primary artists, the release will live on only one profile. Be sure that the Soundcloud profile you want to distribute to is the only one linked to your release.

• Territorial Availability: Distributed tracks are only fully playable in regions where SoundCloud supports monetization. The territories where users will be able to listen to the tracks are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, UK, USA, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, and Sweden. In non-monetized territories, tracks will appear as previews​.

How to Get Started

If you're ready to start earning revenue from your music on SoundCloud, simply send us your SoundCloud artist page URL via your Artist Backstage. If you're on our Premium plan, we will prioritize your request for monetization. Artists on the Basic plan can also request monetization, and we’ll review your profile for eligibility.

With us, you can enjoy the benefits of SoundCloud monetization without the extra cost or hassle!

What is SoundCloud Next Pro?

SoundCloud Next Pro is a premium subscription plan that costs $100 per year, designed for artists who want to access advanced features on SoundCloud. This plan provides a range of tools and services to help musicians grow their audience and monetize their content. One of the key features of SoundCloud Next Pro is the ability to monetize your music directly through SoundCloud’s ad revenue system. This allows you to earn money from ads placed on your tracks, giving you a more direct way to generate income from your content.

Some additional benefits of Next Pro include:

• Monetization access: You can start earning revenue from ads on your tracks.

• Advanced statistics: Get deeper insights into your listeners, performance, and engagement.

• Unlimited uploads: Upload an unlimited amount of tracks to your profile, with no restrictions on the amount of content you can share.

• More control over your music: Advanced privacy settings and more control over how your music is shared and presented on the platform.

How We Can Help

While SoundCloud Next Pro requires a paid subscription, as a record label, we can enable SoundCloud monetization for free for all our artists, regardless of whether you're subscribed to Next Pro. The moment we activate monetization for your tracks, you will automatically gain the benefits of Next Pro, including unlimited uploads. However, we prioritize premium artists and activate monetization first for them, as they have the potential to generate more revenue.

This means you won’t need to pay for the subscription or request it separately. Once we enable monetization, you can distribute as much music as you want from your SoundCloud account, all while earning revenue from your tracks. This streamlined process allows you to focus on your music and growth without extra steps.

If you're interested in SoundCloud Next Pro, we can also help guide you through the process, making it easy for you to access these premium features without the added cost of the subscription. We want to make it as simple as possible for our artists to grow their careers and maximize their earnings.