SoundCloud Sinks as Leaks Say Layoffs Buy Little Time

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monkeymagick

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There is news of the online audio distribution platform SoundCloud slowly treading into rough waters. According to a piece by TechCrunch, the online music distribution platform may not have enough cash to last after the next 80 days. Last week, the company recently laid off about 40 percent of its staff due to cost reductions in order for the company to keep afloat. SoundCloud has been unsuccessful in its attempts to compete with other music streaming services such as Spotify that targets mainly mainstream music listeners. A tiered subscription service launched last month seems to not help much in converting free users to subscribers.

The coolness of SoundCloud was existing as an online repository of remixes and original tracks from unsigned artists. The site basically became the new music spot for MySpace bands without the garbage. Spotify might actually have a chance to acquire the company now.

...further funding would require faith in SoundCloud that its own staff lacks. When asked about morale of the remaining team, one employee who asked to remain anonymous told TechCrunch "it's pretty shitty. Pretty somber. I know people who didn't get the axe are actually quitting. The people saved from this are jumping ship. The morale is really low."

Another employee from a different office described the all-hands as "a shitshow" and said "I don't believe that people will stay. The good people at SoundCloud will leave.
 
My problem was that soudcloud made a few decisions that really put me off. They mostly involved me having to sign in. When I'm uncertain that I'll use a place much I will not make an account. You could not use the app unless you signed in, even just to hear things that you can on the web without doing so. A lot of the free downloads required you to sign in and while I kind of get that it doesn't make me need the site. Most times I'd just say oh well and move on without it.

That's just me.
 
I used to use Soundcloud for posting my band's and my personal music projects to Facebook, then they disabled the embedded player widget, requiring listeners go to the Soundcloud site to hear the tracks. I dropped them like a hot potato after that.
 
I love Soundcloud. I hope someone buys them and puts all their music on another platform that I can play in the background unlike Youtube on my phone.
 
Soundcloud is basically Napster in different clothes. They never did have a sustainable business model outside of them becoming the most popular music streaming site and getting huge volume and market clout. Since that hasn't happened they have little choice but to sell themselves off to someone, someone who will gut them into something unrecognizable as Soundcloud. Its a lose-lose for everyone.

I do like Soundcloud, but I don't pay them any money. I like that I can find remixes that are both terrible and awesome on the same site. But how it isn't considered a piracy site is beyond me.
 
Soundcloud is better than Mixcloud, imho.

If all you do is listen to top 100 trash, Soundcloud was never for you to begin with .
 
Horrible management. They still have their lunches catered, and they were hiring new people up to these layoffs. They barely have enough cash for 3 months, but didn't make any decisions prior to that? Dur.
 
Smashing Young Man said:
I used to use Soundcloud for posting my band's and my personal music projects to Facebook, then they disabled the embedded player widget, requiring listeners go to the Soundcloud site to hear the tracks. I dropped them like a hot potato after that.
Click to expand...
oh wow, that sounds like a terrible decision.
That may be part of the reason I had no idea what Soundcloud is.
 
TwistedAegis said:
Horrible management. They still have their lunches catered, and they were hiring new people up to these layoffs. They barely have enough cash for 3 months, but didn't make any decisions prior to that? Dur.
Click to expand...

That is some terrible management.
 
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