SoundCloud can now say they are the first streaming platform with built-in distribution services. The Berlin-based company announced artists will be able to upload their music directly to Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Tencent, YouTube, and Instagram using SoundCloud distribution.
Currently in open beta for premium accounts, SoundCloud's distribution tool will additionally allow artists to keep 100% of their rights, and all of their third-party royalties accrued on other platforms. Eligible artists will be informed via email when the tool becomes available to them.
Though SoundCloud is the first streaming service to directly integrate their distribution in-platform, Spotify and Apple Music seem to be headed in a similar direction. Last year, Spotify acquired a stake in DistroKid, and Apple acquired London-startup Platoon.
For SoundCloud, being first to market with their new distribution service means artists will spend less time jumping between platforms, and more time on SoundCloud. Positioning themselves as a central hub for music and audio, SoundCloud's innovation presents a value proposition to independent artists looking to expand their digital imprint.
