Before debating on which one is “The one,” let us first understand Spotify and SoundCloud’s landscapes by highlighting their perks.
Let us talk numbers. Buckle up, and here we go!
The Song Library:
This might come as a surprise to you, but Soundcloud has more songs in its library than Spotify. In 2016, it was reported that Soundcloud had over 120 million songs, where at least 110 million of them were free for the public. While Spotify has around 70 million songs in its library. But what does this mean anyway? Is it because no one wants to work with Spotify? Spotify is for mainstream artists, while Soundcloud is known to be a hub for indie artists (also known as bedroom artists), who use their rooms for production and simply drop their songs directly to SoundCloud.
But! There is always a but, if we are talking quality, Spotify might have more polished and top-quality audio than Soundcloud.
Algorithms:
The real game-changers! Well, Spotify’s algorithms will collect your data (i.e. your music taste), and based on that, it will recommend songs and artists. Soundcloud also has algorithms that work on personalization, but Spotify’s personalization abilities will surely crash Soundcloud’s. Also, Soundcloud is creating a room for paid promotions where artists get featured just because they are paying to get exposure by the largest number of people.
So if you are up to throwing some cash on the table, then I would suggest choosing Soundcloud over Spotify because the latter is filled with top-notch projects, so if yours is relatively an amateur project; then choose Soundcloud.
The Business Model:
If you are a bedroom artist and you just want to drop a song that you have just produced, sorry to let you down, but you will not be able to do so. Why? This will take us to Spotify’s business model which says that whoever wants to drop a project on the platform, he/she should use a distributor who is the one responsible for dropping your projects.
In a nutshell, no one will win this contest, because each is beautiful in its own way and catered for a specific need. If you are an ambitious creator who does not want to get into music and you do not want that to cost you an arm and a leg, then pick Soundcloud. And remember, if you are using Soundcloud as a production platform, you can always play and experiment with your projects, until you fully master the tools.
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