It’s been a relatively quiet week for the music industry, but Soundcloud has launched a new streaming service but independent creators aren’t impressed, and Australia musicians are living off $2 a days!
Streaming Service To Rejuvenate Dying Soundcloud
This Tuesday struggling music platform Soundcloud released its own streaming service to rival industry powerhouses Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and Tidal. The service titled Soundcloud Go will deliver uninterrupted, ad-free listening, offline play and a massive catalog of both emerging and established creators for $9.99 per month.
For years now Soundcloud’s most unique feature has been its massive expanse of emerging creators, but moving into the streaming world it seems Soundcloud are foregoing the independent creators for major labels.
“Before, you’d have to use two or three services to get all the tracks into different playlists. It feels very different when you can have one playlist with everything you want, whether it’s back catalog Drake or a beef track he just recorded,” said Soundcloud CEO, Alex Ljung.
The move to accommodate major labels in the Soundcloud environment has been met with heavy criticism from existing independent creators, the platform already asks creators to shell out $16 a month for a Pro account, giving them access to unlimited uploads and analytics, a further $5 per month will be required for access to Soundcoud GO.
“You’ve (Soundcloud) been running ads for a while now without paying us… But now you’re charging people for access to our songs, rolling out the red carpet for the major labels and say you’ll get around to us eventually,” said Dave Wiskus, of indie rock band Airplane Mode in an open letter to Soundcloud.
“So not only are you getting our music for free and paying us nothing, we’re actually paying you to take it. What an excellent deal. For you,” continued Wiskus.
The launch of the new streaming service comes just one week after the Recording Industry Association of America released its yearly revenue report where, first the first time, streaming music provided the largest contribution to the American recorded music market.
The last news we heard from Soundcloud was in February when the company released is latest financial filings revealing a loss of €39.1 million on top of previously annual losses, putting the company at a lost of €75 million over the last few years. Entering into the booming streaming market could see Soundcloud claw its way back to the top.
Australian Musicians Surviving On $2 A Day
This May a number of Australia musicians and music industry members will be taking part in the Live Below the Line challenge, in a bid to raise much needed funding and awareness for work the helps end poverty.
Those participating will be challenged to make their meals count, but feeding themselves on $2 a day for five days, that’s the Australian equivalent of the extreme poverty line.
Joining the challenge will be Tom Iansek (Big Scary & #1 Dads), Will Cumings (LANKS), both Simon and Shane of DZ Deathrays, six piece outfit The Brow and Live Below the Line veteran and radio personality, ex-triple j host, LIndsay “The Doctor” McDougall.
“It’s important to remember that while we’re out there spending thousands of dollars on our acai-infused chia and cacao sommothes, there are people in the world who have to feed themselves on two dollars a day,” said McDougall.
To make donations head to the LIve Below the Line website.
The Round Up
ARIA award winning Josh Pyke joins PPCA board as artist representative.
MusicNT’s grassroots music program for women and girls in remote communities in Central Australia will return in 2016, the first block of Sista Sounds workshops starts on April 5
Eithad Airways and the Sydney Opera House have announced the extension of their major partnership for a further five years.
Industry mega event BIGSOUND has opened up early bird ticket sales, get your tickets here.
ARIA Album Chart
1. Violent Soho – WACO
2. Matt Corby – Telluric
3. Molly (Soundtrack from the TV series)
4. Adele – 25
5. Hilltop Hoods – Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung
6. Gwen Stefani – This Is What The Truth Feels Like
7. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression
8. Justin Bieber – Purpose
9. The Cat Empire – Rising With The Sun
10. Justin Bieber – Purpose
AIR 100% Independent Singles Chart
1. Sia – Cheap Thrills
2. Flume Feat. Kai – Never Be Like You
3. The Temper Trap – Thick As Thieves
4. The Rubens – Hoops
5. Vance Joy – Fire and the Flood
6. Sia – Alive
7. Joel Adams – Please Don’t Go
8. Marcus Marr & Chet Faker – The Trouble With Us
9. Hermitude Feat. Mataya & Young Tapz – The Buzz
10. Flume Feat Vince Stapes & Kucka – Smoke & Retribution
AIR 100% Independent Album Chart
1. The Drones – Feelin Kinda Free
2. The Cat Empire – Rising with the Sun
3. Sia – This is Acting
4. Urthboy – The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat
5. Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear
6. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
7. Colin Buchanan – Boss of the Cross
8. The Jezabels – Synthia
9. The Murlocs – Young Blindness
10. Hermitude – Dark Night Sweet Light
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