Soundcloud GO+
When a new, hot-ticket musician emerges these days, it usually comes from the bubbling cauldron that is Soundcloud. Soundcloud differs from the other services on this list in that it is more focused on newer, independent artists posting music directly to their listeners and has deeper and more fully integrated social elements. Soundcloud is the place to go if you want to find the next Post Malone, Billie Eilish, or Lil Nas X before they hit the charts.
Soundcloud's free tier is ad-supported, but their subscription service Soundcloud GO+ plus provides ad-free listening, full access to their catalog in high-quality audio (though audio quality is dependent on what artists upload), and the ability to use Soundcloud tracks in select DJ mixing apps.
Soundcloud also supports creators through a scheme similar to Tidal called "fan-powered royalties," which means that your monthly price goes towards supporting the musicians you listen to the most. Soundcloud has a student plan and a more limited plan called Soundcloud GO (without the +); however, no family, couple, or home plans are currently available.
Price: £9.99/mth
Key details:
- Free tier: Yes;
- Free Trial: 1 month;
- Audio Quality: 256Kbits/sec - 320Kbits/sec;
- Offline downloads: Yes;
- Shared plans: No
Website: https://soundcloud.com/
