SoundCloud shaped an entire generation of artists. But in a Spotify-dominated world, does it still matter? The answer is more nuanced than you'd think.
TL;DR
SoundCloud remains uniquely valuable for certain use cases: uploading demos and works-in-progress, building community through reposts and comments, and discovering underground music that doesn't make it to Spotify. It's not the dominant platform anymore, but it fills a niche that no other platform does.
What SoundCloud Still Does Better Than Anyone
SoundCloud's friction-free upload model remains unmatched. You can record a track, upload it immediately, and it's live within minutes. No distributor, no release schedule, no metadata requirements. For demos, works-in-progress, freestyles, DJ mixes, and experimental tracks, this immediacy is invaluable.
The comments system — timed comments that appear at specific points in the waveform — creates a uniquely interactive listening experience. When someone leaves a comment at the exact moment your beat drops, it's a micro-connection that no other platform replicates. This feature has fostered a culture of direct artist-to-listener interaction that Spotify's follow button can't match.
For genres like hip-hop, electronic, and experimental music, SoundCloud's community engagement and discovery mechanisms surface underground talent more effectively than algorithmic platforms. The repost culture — where artists and fans share each other's tracks — creates a human-curated discovery network that algorithms don't replicate.
Where SoundCloud Falls Short
Monetisation on SoundCloud is significantly worse than other platforms. SoundCloud's 'fan-powered royalties' model (where your listeners' subscription fees go directly to artists they stream) sounds progressive but typically pays less than Spotify's pool-based model for most artists. The platform's smaller user base means smaller royalty pools overall.
SoundCloud's user interface and app experience have fallen behind competitors. The platform feels dated compared to Spotify's polish, and features like offline listening and playlist curation are less refined. For casual listeners, there's little reason to choose SoundCloud over Spotify, which limits its value as a primary distribution platform.
Discoverability beyond existing SoundCloud users is limited. While Spotify's algorithmic playlists push music to new listeners constantly, SoundCloud's discovery features are weaker and reach a smaller potential audience. For artists whose primary goal is reaching new listeners, SoundCloud alone isn't sufficient.
The Strategic Role of SoundCloud in 2025
Smart artists use SoundCloud strategically alongside Spotify, not instead of it. Upload official releases through your distributor to all major platforms. Use SoundCloud for everything else: demos, remixes, DJ mixes, live recordings, collaborations, freestyles, and experiments.
SoundCloud is invaluable for building relationships with other artists. The repost system creates reciprocal promotion, the comment system creates conversation, and the platform's culture encourages discovery and sharing in a way that Spotify's more passive listening model doesn't.
For DJ mixes specifically, SoundCloud is essentially the only option. Spotify doesn't host DJ mixes, and while MixCloud exists, SoundCloud's larger user base and social features make it the default platform for mix culture. If DJing is part of your practice, SoundCloud remains essential.
SoundCloud Success Stories That Still Inspire
Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Chance the Rapper, XXXTentacion, Lil Uzi Vert — the list of artists who broke through via SoundCloud is remarkable. The platform's cultural impact on modern music is undeniable, and while the pathway has changed, the spirit of SoundCloud discovery persists.
Today's SoundCloud success stories are smaller in scale but no less genuine. Producers building followings through beat uploads, rappers developing regional fanbases through freestyle series, electronic artists connecting with niche communities — these micro-success stories happen daily on the platform.
The common thread in SoundCloud success is prolific output. The artists who build followings on SoundCloud release constantly — weekly or even daily. The platform rewards volume and consistency in a way that Spotify's more polished release cycle doesn't. If you have a lot of music to share, SoundCloud's model suits your workflow.
Our Verdict: Use It, But Don't Depend On It
SoundCloud is like a sketchbook for musicians. It's where you share works in progress, experiment publicly, interact with your community, and document your creative journey in real time. It's not where you build your commercial career or reach mainstream audiences — that's what Spotify, Apple Music, and social media are for.
The ideal approach: distribute official releases to all platforms through your distributor. Use SoundCloud for everything else — the informal, the experimental, the raw. Let your SoundCloud profile be the authentic, behind-the-scenes counterpart to your polished Spotify presence.
At Noise, we have a soft spot for SoundCloud. It represents the internet's best instincts around music — open, democratic, community-driven, and artist-friendly. The platform has its problems, but the culture it created continues to shape how music is made, shared, and discovered. Long may it continue.