SoundCloud partners with elasticStage to make vinyl releases easier for independent artists

SoundCloud has teamed up with on-demand vinyl and CD production platform elasticStage to help independent artists sell vinyl globally, without the usual barriers of high upfront costs or bulk orders.

As of July 11, SoundCloud Artist Pro subscribers can join the service’s waitlist with zero initial payment and no minimum quantity requirement. Once approved, artists will be able to select tracks directly from their SoundCloud catalogue, add credits, upload artwork and create an on-demand vinyl release. SoundCloud will then generate a dedicated sales page for each release and make it available for purchase online.

Each vinyl record will be individually pressed and shipped by elasticStage and SoundCloud as orders come in, with artists earning revenue directly from every sale. Shipping will be available to nearly 100 countries worldwide. Thanks to the on-demand model, only records that are actually purchased will be produced, with all production, fulfilment and customer service handled entirely by elasticStage.

SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton said in a press statement about the new initiative: “Vinyl sales have surged over 300% since 2016, yet most independent artists have been excluded from this growth due to high manufacturing costs and logistical limitations. At SoundCloud, we’re committed to helping artists thrive by providing new opportunities for connection and monetization. This partnership is another step toward ensuring that every artist—no matter where they are in their career—has the tools to build a sustainable career.”

Steve Rhodes, CEO and co-founder of elasticStage, added: “We created elasticStage’s on-demand vinyl technology to make physical music as accessible as streaming for artists and music fans everywhere. Records have been bringing fans closer to their favourite artists for decades, but today’s modern music creators are now shut out of the vinyl market by high costs and outdated practices - our mission is to break down these barriers so musicians can sell vinyl with zero cost or risk. SoundCloud’s artist-centric platform is a perfect fit for us, and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with them to help independent artists connect with fans and build long-lasting music careers.”

You can find more details about the new service here.