For nearly a decade, SoundCloud has supplied budding musicians with an awesome indie different to industrial streaming companies resembling Spotify or Tidal to get their music into the general public area. The web’s greatest indie music platform, SoundClound, lets artists add their tracks to the location, serving to them attain their listeners instantly by reducing out the intermediary – the document labels. It additionally supplies an awesome platform for indie music fans to find new and offbeat music that industrial music labels might not at all times be thinking about. Nevertheless, as current occasions have proven, the platform’s monetary troubles is placing its very existence in jeopardy. It survived an in depth name earlier this month when a $170 million greenback emergency funding stopped it from having to tug down its shutters, however until the corporate can determine a greater technique to earn money, who is aware of when these points would possibly crop up once more. That being the case, should you’re an impartial musician on the lookout for a platform to host your music or an audiophile looking for an awesome new platform to find new beats, right here’s our record of the 8 finest SoundCloud options it’s best to try:
1. Bandcamp
Bandcamp might be the primary title that involves thoughts if you discuss of SoundCloud options. It’s a music publishing platform that has been round for over a decade. Like SoundCloud, it additionally caters to indie artists for essentially the most half, and is commonly the primary port of name for musicians on the lookout for an alternative choice to SoundCloud. Artists who join with the service are supplied with their personal customizable microsite the place they will add and share their music. As a fan, you’ll be able to stream all tracks totally free, however may select to purchase both complete albums or particular person tracks at costs that you just set your self. It’s also possible to donate to an artist or obtain a free monitor or album by becoming a member of the artist’s mailing record.
In contrast to SoundCloud, musicians don’t have to pay a set yearly quantity to Bandcamp to add their music. The corporate expenses a 15% fee till your general gross sales attain $5,000, after which, the fee drops to 10%. Every artist’s web page on the Bandcamp web site additionally options data on the artist, their social media hyperlinks, merchandising hyperlinks and an inventory of their accessible music. The service was a website-only platform till 2013, when the corporate launched its cellular apps for Android and iOS.
Go to Web site (Free account, $15% fee on gross sales as much as $5,000, 10% thereafter)
Apps: Android, iOS
2. Audiomack
Primarily referred to as a hip-hop platform till now, Audiomack is among the prime SoundCloud options on the web and, has been gaining a cult following amongst producers and DJs in current occasions. The location’s design borrows closely from the acquainted SoundCloud web site, and so does its record of options for the listeners. That being the case, you’ll get to share, like/favourite, repost and add to playlist any monitor you want, similar to SoundCloud. Nevertheless, in contrast to SoundCloud that expenses customers $180 per yr for limitless storage, Audiomack is totally free, with no premium accounts.
Audiomack can also be simply the third platform after SoundCloud and BandCamp to combine its companies with influential music weblog aggregator Hype Machine. As of now, Audiomack claims to have over 5 million month-to-month customers, and its cellular app can also be extraordinarily common each on Android and iOS. It stays to be seen if the service will ever match as much as the recognition and ubiquity of SoundCloud, however it’s certainly heading in the right direction.
Go to Web site (Free account, Fee is determined by gross sales)
Apps: Android, iOS
3. YungCloud
As an artist, should you’re seeking to attain your followers instantly by reducing out the assortment of middlemen, YungCloud is a good different to Soundcloud. In response to its founders, “Yungcloud is supposed to attach up-and-coming artists and supply them with a platform to get their music heard by bigger audiences”. True to its title, the service is far youthful than any of the opposite platforms above it in out record, having been launched solely in 2015. The YungCloud web site is fairly just like that of SoundCloud when it comes to its feel and look, so present SoundCloud customers will really feel at-home whereas utilizing the platform.
Whereas YungCloud has all of the makings of an efficient SoundCloud different, there are some things which are holding it again proper now. One of many main complaints concerning the platform has been the comparatively excessive variety of bootlegs that exist unabated. The corporate will clearly need to deal with this drawback severely if it desires to be taken severely by musicians from around the globe. Secondly, the service’s comparatively small user-base can also be an issue for indie artistes who need their music to succeed in as many listeners as potential. Nevertheless, as soon as YungCloud tackles these points, likelihood is, it will likely be a more practical SoundCloud different than it’s in the intervening time.
Go to Web site (Free account, Fee is determined by gross sales)
Apps: Android, iOS
4. ReverbNation
ReverbNation describes itself as an internet platform that “helps artists develop by introducing them to music business companions, exposing them to followers, and constructing progressive instruments to advertise their music”. Like SoundCloud, ReverbNation has additionally been round for a very long time, however in contrast to its greatest competitor, it focuses on native indie artists and in direction of that finish, informs customers of every part taking place within the music scene of their neighborhood. The platform additionally seeks to join native artists with native followers, and supplies a stable platform for musicians to ascertain a secure platform of their hometown earlier than venturing out for larger and higher issues.
Like SoundCloud, ReverbNation additionally permits customers to find music primarily based on their tastes. As a part of ReverbNation’s give attention to native indie artists, the service additionally has a ‘Reveals’ function that supplies customers with an inventory of exhibits and occasions taking place close to them. Total, ReverbNation will not be as common as among the extra well-known names within the enterprise, however is definitely price trying out as a SoundCloud different.
Go to Web site (Free, Premium plans begin at $9.95/month)
Apps: Android (for artists) (for followers), iOS (for artists) (for followers).
5. HearThis
HearThis formally describes itself because the “Greatest SoundCloud different on the web”. Whereas that in itself means valuable little, the very fact is that the service does supply tons of options that match these of its extra illustrious competitor. The wealthy set of options embrace feeds, profile pages and the flexibility to love, remark and share tracks. Along with all that, HearThis additionally gives a function referred to as ‘Maps’ that retains you recent concerning the native music scene. HearThis additionally permits customers to import their SoundCloud profile into their platform, making it even simpler for customers eager to migrate to the service.
HearThis permits customers to kind their feed by style, size of the monitor and when it was uploaded. The service additionally has a ‘Teams’ function that was as soon as a staple of SoundCloud, however has since been achieved away with. For those who’re a musician and seeking to soar onto the HearThis platform, you’ll even be completely satisfied to know that similar to SoundCloud, the service additionally gives artists the chance to promote their music on to followers by reducing out document labels and different middlemen.
Go to Web site (Free, Premium plans begin at €4/month)
Apps: Android, iOS
6. Orfium
Orfium is a fast-rising on-line music publishing platform that provides musicians direct add and limitless free internet hosting. You additionally get the chance to advertise, promote, distribute, license and monetize your music whereas retaining 100% of your copyright, which suggests you’re entitled to gather royalties each time your music is performed on YouTube, Fb or elsewhere. Orfium expenses a fee of simply 20% in your earnings as soon as your content material begins producing income and, in contrast to SoundCloud, you don’t need to pay something to add your music to the platform.
As for the followers, the Orfium web site feels just like SoundCloud insofar because it has tabs for albums, tracks and playlists. The service additionally gives a ‘Uncover’ function just like that of SoundCloud’s, however you too can seek for music manually by style, sub-genre and temper. Total, Orfium has obtained every part going for it, and it shouldn’t be lengthy earlier than it attains vital mass, given how briskly it has risen this a lot in such a brief span of time.
Go to Web site (Free account, 20% fee on gross sales)
Apps: NA
7. NoiseTrade
NoiseTrade is a Nashville, TN-based service that provides a manner for impartial musicians to add their songs and share their albums with followers totally free, very like SoundCloud. The platform additionally gives an analogous function for authors, however I didn’t fairly give it any greater than a cursory look, so will chorus from making any statements about it at this stage. Whereas the platform geared toward authors is a comparatively new rollout, the service for musicians has been in existence for nearly a decade, having been launched again in 2008 by American singer-songwriter Derek Webb and some different musicians. In response to NoiseTrade’s official web site, the platform was “designed to assist artists construct their audiences by distributing free music in alternate for fan information (e-mail & postal code)”.
NoiseTrade permits artists to add their music that may then be downloaded by followers totally free. In return for his or her free music, followers have to signup with an e-mail ID and a Zip/Postal code and subscribe to an elective e-newsletter. Followers are additionally inspired to share an artist’s work on social media and will pay the artists any quantity of their selecting. NoiseTrade retains a 20% fee, so artists get to maintain as a lot as 80% of the cash they obtain from their followers.
Go to Web site (Free, 20% fee on voluntary ‘Suggestions’)
Apps: NA
8. Jamendo
Jamendo is an internet music distribution platform that describes itself as “the world’s largest digital service totally free music”. It was launched in 2005 with a view in direction of releasing music underneath the Inventive Commons licenses, and though the corporate has since let go of these lofty beliefs, it nonetheless gives free music for for private use. In response to the corporate’s web site, its aim is to attach artists and their followers from all around the world in an effort to deliver collectively a worldwide group of indie music lovers by “creating experiences and worth round it”.
Jamendo permits free music downloads for followers, however lets artists monetize their content material by means of its music licensing platform referred to as ‘Jamendo Licensing’, which sells licenses for music synchronization and background music. The corporate claims to have a group of round 3 million members, and has over 40,000 artists on its platform from round 150 nations.
Go to Web site (Pricing begins at $4.99/month)
Apps: Android, iOS
Bonus: Mixcloud
All of the aforementioned websites are pretty just like SoundCloud in additional methods than not, however Mixcloud is a bit completely different from most of them. In contrast to SoundCloud (and its options talked about herein), Mixcloud is aimed extra at podcasters, discuss present hosts and DJs than singers and musicians typically. That since you don’t actually get to add complete albums at one go, however just one monitor at a time. Certain, you’ll be able to add your authentic music one monitor at a time, however it’s extremely inconvenient for each the artist and the listener.
In contrast to SoundCloud, Mixcloud doesn’t set up any connection between creators and shoppers, however permits customers to find content material by looking for an artist’s title from the location’s built-in search choice. It’s not remotely as intuitive or feature-rich as SoundCloud, Bandcamp or Audiomack, however will get the job achieved for essentially the most half. In a phrase, Mixcloud is nice in case you are a radio discuss present host or a podcaster, however should you’re a musician seeking to join together with your followers, there are higher companies accessible for you on the web.
Go to Web site (Free, Premium plans begin at $15/month)
Apps: Android, iOS
SEE ALSO: 10 Greatest Android Music Gamers You Can Use
The Greatest SoundCloud Options on the Web
Now that SoundClound has survived its brush with extinction, it can hopefully not simply survive, however thrive going ahead. Certain, it has warmed as much as the document labels in current occasions, which has alienated it from lots of its customers, however it continues to stay the main music publishing platform for indie musicians worldwide. No matter our emotions are about SoundCloud, whether or not we adore it or hate it, all of us acknowledge that extra choices are at all times a very good factor. Which is strictly what all of the above platforms deliver to the desk. So, have you ever used any of the above SoundCloud options? Or are you planning to sooner or later? Do tell us by leaving your ideas within the feedback part beneath.
