Syed Imran Haider 
SoundCloud has launched a new tool to allow artists to engage with their fans in a more enhanced way. The Fans – the latest product allows artists to send followers a Direct Message and sort out their listeners using various engagement measures.
In April 2023, SoundCloud unveiled a business deal with Merlin for artists with the label to contribute to the fan-powered royalties program. The deal included the member companies, such s Beggars Group, Domino Recording Company, Sub Pop Records, and Mad Decent.
According to SoundCloud, it made the new Fans product to 10,000 artists in the first phase. It will now release the beta version to more than 50,000 subscribed artists to its Next Pro product. The company says some artists have tested the product and used it to share links to unreleased songs with their fans and arrange gathering events.
Two years ago, SoundCloud rolled out a fan-powered royalties model, aiming to distribute subscription and ad income. The company now uses the data extracted from that product to back some metrics for the Fans tools. The features let artists work with parameters like listening behavior, comments, country, and sharing habits to sort their fans. They can also sort out listeners to identify their potential collaborators. Artists can use these metrics to get an idea of types of tracks that can get better engagement.
The Fans Engagement ToolsÂ
The company rolled out a TikTok-like feed that allowed users to scroll the Discover feed vertically to discover unheard tracks. SoundCloud also disclosed hand-curated playlists after it signed a deal with Merlin. The one-to-one messaging tool aims to let artists build a deep association with supporters.
The Fans tool is currently available in beta version for Next Pro-subscribed tracks. The Berlin-based music-sharing service says it plans to increase the accessibility of the messaging-centered offering gradually across the board within the upcoming months.
If any user does not want to use the artist’s message, SoundCloud lets them withdraw from it by deactivating the relevant toggle. However, users will still be able to receive the message from the artists they follow and report abusive messages or block the sender.
SoundCloud believes that artists should directly access their fans. The company helps artists connect and share music. In March, another known music-sharing company Spotify introduced new tools catering to artists, allowing them to promote tracks with paid recommendations, modify the songs’ priority for discovery algorithms and advertise their meet-and-greet events.
Unlike SoundCloud’s latest features that focus on personal engagement with fans, Spotify’s functions concentrate more on reaching more music listeners. The Fans tool will have an updated list of all participating artists and their most dedicated supporters. The new tool will identify the aforementioned tools by reviewing primary indicators like a direct response or social acts like sharing.
SoundCloud has elaborated on each point, saying the artist must monetize their music work under the fan-powered model on the platform. Warner Music supports the framework through a listening deal with the Berlin-based company.
