SoundCloud to introduce zero-commission music sales for artists
The company plans to expand the direct sales feature to more artists following the initial beta phase
SoundCloud is rolling out a new feature that will allow artists to sell their music directly to fans, with the platform taking no commission from sales.
In an announcement shared on August 26, SoundCloud confirmed that a beta version is now being rolled out to a "select group" of 200 US-based Artist Pro creators, with plans to make the feature available to more accounts at a later stage.
The beta is being introduced as part of SoundCloud’s Fan Support tools, which already include fan-powered royalties, vinyl and ticketing services. It will allow artists to sell music directly through their SoundCloud profiles while keeping "100% of each sale", excluding applicable fees and taxes.
The move follows similar initiatives from Bandcamp, which launched its highly successful Bandcamp Fridays in 2020, as well as music streaming company Nina Protocol, the independent music platform which SoundCloud acquired last month.
"Artists should be able to build their audience in one place, on one platform. SoundCloud has always been where artists find their first fans and build real communities. 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," says SoundCloud’s CEO Eliah Seton.
Read the full announcement here.
