In 2014, SoundCloud revamped its platform and introduced “On SoundCloud Premier” as a way for users to generate revenue off of the work they created. Originally, the SoundCloud monetization service was extremely limited and only offered to a select number of users. With over 175 million monthly users, SoundCloud continues to expand and is now looking to open up its monetization service to more content creators. Here is everything you need to know to start monetizing with On SoundCloud Premier:
How SoundCloud Monetization Works:
Similar to YouTube’s Partner Program, On SoundCloud Premier offers artists the opportunity to take a percentage of the income made through advertising in addition to its subscription services every time an artist’s content is streamed. These paid advertisements will appear as pre-roll audio ads before a song is played. Similar to its competitors, Apple Music and Spotify, the platform’s revenue-share model is directly tied to both the performance of the individual audio track, as well as the service overall. Although SoundCloud has not released the exact metrics used to determine how much each artist will get paid per play, SoundCloud’s Chief Content Officer Stephen Bryan reveals that payments are based on “share of engagement” and “listening time.”
How to Start Monetizing On SoundCloud
Currently, SoundCloud only permits its Premier Partners to generate revenue through ads. The three groups that are eligible to enter a Premier Partnership are:
1) Artists that work with a record label or distributor
2) Independent artists that own the proper rights to their music,
3) DJ’s or producers who have the rights to their creative works/remixes.
At this time, artists have to be invited to become Premier Partners to monetize on SoundCloud. However, the audio streaming platform is continually building out its infrastructure to be able to invite more creators.
As a preferred partner of SoundCloud, Vydia VIP users can now apply to start monetizing their audio content on this premiere streaming service. If you fit these metrics and are interested, please apply to monetize on SoundCloud here.