What Do You Want in a Music Streaming Service?
There are so many different music discovery and listening experiences these days. For the most part, it can be overwhelming to figure out which ones to use. This is especially true when you take into account the fact that the majority of them aren't free - at least not if you want an enjoyable listening experience without ads.
Most music streaming sites that offer a free version also come with some kind of cost, such as ads or limits on the features available. Your experience will be severely limited, you won't be able to listen to all content, and you'll have to sit through annoying ads after every few songs.
In order to decide which music streaming service is right for you, you first need to figure out what you hope to get out of it. For example, some people may want to listen to specific genres of music all the time, while others may just want convenience and a wide range of songs. Each music streaming platform has different advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to research which one will fit your needs the best.
For those listeners who enjoy discovering new music and creating custom playlists, Spotify is the perfect service. For listeners who are especially interested in high-quality sound and want to have exclusive access to certain content, Tidal is the perfect choice. For listeners who just want to listen to radio stations and songs without too much involvement, Pandora is a good option.
What are your music streaming service needs? Do you just want to listen to mainstream pop tunes, or do you appreciate more obscure, underground artists? Do you use social media on a regular basis? If your music streaming service had a built-in social network element, would you use it?
If you answered "yes" to one or more of these questions, it may be a good idea to consider streaming on SoundCloud. Particularly if you are both a fan and artist. SoundCloud is different than any other music streaming service out there, as it is made up mostly of artists, producers, and DJs who are networking with one another. This allows for great collaborations between fans and artists which benefits both parties equally. If pursuing your own music career is something that you are interested in, SoundCloud is an important site to have a presence on.
The Largest Music Streaming Service in the World?
Sound Cloud was founded in 2007 in Berlin, Germany by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss. SoundCloud quickly grew into one of the largest music streaming services in the world over the last decade.
Today, the music streaming platform boasts 175 million monthly listeners and 75 million monthly subscribed users around the globe. This is no small feat - especially for a music streaming platform that features, primarily, lesser-known and up and coming artists. This meteoric rise to success must have been achieved, then, one would think, through offering an excellent freemium music streaming service, right? Well, let's take a look for ourselves and see.
From the moment you log in, the site design might be difficult to navigate at first. It's a bit cluttered compared to other music streaming services, which tend to go for a more minimalist approach. Then again, most other music streaming platforms don't do nearly as much as Sound Cloud does - so, we can forgive the clutter, I think, especially considering the fact that, once you get the hang of how to move around the site, it becomes as simple as any other. Just a matter of getting accustomed to it.
As I briefly touched upon earlier, Sound Cloud is more than just a music streaming site. It is a hybrid streaming service and social network with a lot of data and features to try and fit onto a single page. The way that they have opted to do this is by placing their music steaming features in the center of the page, their social network features on the right-hand side, and an ever-present music player spanning the bottom of the page. This makes it convenient for users and not in the way.
In the middle of the page, you'll find a list of newly featured music, a section that allows you to browse the Sound Cloud charts by genre, top playlists, some suggested songs based on your listening habits, a new arrivals corner (usually dedicated to bigger artists), and trending songs for you to check out. In the social networking section of your home page, you'll find suggestions of who to follow, as well as your own listening history. There is a lot going on as I said, but once you get used to it, it's nothing to be intimidated about.
Free Version for Fans; Pro Version for Serious Artists
So, let's address another issue that I brought up earlier regarding Sound Cloud being primarily geared towards artists. This is not to say that there won't be more than enough for you to enjoy as a listener. But, if you are planning to use Sound Cloud as a casual fan, there is probably no need for you to upgrade to a paid account. You can just enjoy the site for free without any notable issues that will degrade your experience.
If you are an artist and are considering creating a Sound Cloud account, I highly recommend going with the Sound Cloud Pro Unlimited account. It will cost a little bit more than, say, Spotify each month but it's definitely worth it. Sound Cloud has been responsible for launching numerous successful artists' careers so it's definitely worth the investment.
If you're serious about taking your career to the next level, I highly recommend looking into Sound Cloud Pro. With a Sound Cloud Pro membership, you can upload an unlimited amount of any type of audio and take advantage of exclusive Sound Cloud promotional opportunities. Additionally, paying for a Sound Cloud Pro account grants you access to industry-standard tools and software which can help you further monetize your tracks and distribute them across all major streaming platforms.
However, if you are not as interested in pursuing a music career on your own, Sound Cloud's free version will be perfect for you! You will be able to discover tons of new music, follow your favorite artists, and even send direct messages to other listeners.
Over 165 Million Songs!
SoundCloud is a music streaming platform that has a large quantity of songs. With 125 million songs, you will never run out of new tunes to vibe to. Plus, new songs are being added to Sound Cloud all the time, so the number is bound to be even higher by the time you create your account.
All in all, I think Sound Cloud may not be the most convenient or easiest to navigate music streaming service, but it is certainly the largest. It has music from all of your favorite big-named artists, as well as countless tracks from underground and up and coming acts that you have yet to hear about.
If you want an enormous music streaming service that doubles as a social network, SoundCloud?s free version is perfect for you. And if you are looking to grow as an artist and step your music career up to the next level, you should definitely consider Sound Cloud Pro for $14 per month. Either way, Sound Cloud is a win-win for fans and artists alike.
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