It’s easy to get bored with the radio when the same songs seem to play over and over again. Finding new music to listen to on great apps like Spotify might even get difficult after a while. Need some fresh tunes in your life? SoundCloud might be the app you’ve been looking for.
SoundCloud is unique because anyone can upload music for the entire world to hear, whether you’re an aspiring DJ or big-time music producer. It’s a platform for everyone and includes all genres of music. Users are constantly uploading new music and you can find a variety of things to listen to, from chart-topping albums to live sets and underground hits. There’s also a large selection of audiobooks and podcasts of all genres, from comedy and entertainment to news, politics and religion.
As someone who listens to a lot of rap and EDM, I love SoundCloud because a lot of my favorite artists release new music exclusively on the app — basically, tracks that aren’t “official” enough for players like Spotify or iTunes but still worthy of sharing with fans. It’s very common for DJs to upload new remixes or live sets to SoundCloud after performing them (it’s like your re-living the concert all over again!) and casual collaborations between popular rappers are easy to find, too.
YOUR MUSIC STREAM
As you start following artists on SoundCloud, a customized music stream will become your home page. It’s similar to a Twitter feed, but specifically for music. There, you can see when artists post playlists, upload albums, and repost tracks. It’s a great way to stay up-to-date with whatever your favorite artists are up to.
While most of your stream activity will consist of artists promoting their own music, they’ll sometimes repost tracks from other artists too, which is a great way to find new people to follow and new music to enjoy.
At the bottom right of each post, you’ll see the option to “repost” or “like” a track. Liking a track saves a song, while reposting a track will make it appear in your followers’ stream. You also have the option to add it to one of your playlists or start listening to a radio station based on that song.
DISCOVERING NEW MUSIC WITH SOUNDCLOUD
By tapping the magnifying glass icon in the bottom center of your screen, you’ll see suggested tracks and stations based on your likes and listening habits. You can also browse SoundCloud’s charts based on music genre and popularity.
If you’re looking to listen to content other than music, SoundCloud also has a selection of audio charts, where you can find a large variety of audiobooks and podcasts, completely free of charge.
YOUR PROFILE
You can find your SoundCloud profile in the bottom right corner of your screen. There, you can browse over songs and albums you’ve liked, recent stations you’ve listened to, and playlists you’ve curated. It’s well-organized and pretty user-friendly.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, SoundCloud is a very straightforward app — it’s easy to use and has all the basic features of any music app these days. What sets it apart is its seemingly endless content to explore, whether it be music, podcasts or audiobooks. It also gives anyone the platform to become a musical artist.
I will acknowledge, however, that SoundCloud probably appeals most to listeners who enjoy rap and EDM music. Small-time remixes and underground rappers make up the majority of SoundCloud’s content. If you’re not a huge fan of these genres, SoundCloud may not be the best fit for your music tastes. However, SoundCloud’s top charts by genre — which include a variety of styles from Latin, metal and piano to indie, jazz and blues — are worth giving a try. You never know what you might find.