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SoundCloud and Other Music Platforms: Availability, Integrations, and Distribution in 2025

SoundCloud’s relationship with other music platforms can be viewed from three main angles: where SoundCloud content is available, which platforms it integrates with, and which external platforms artists can distribute their music to from SoundCloud. In 2025, SoundCloud has evolved from a standalone streaming site into a more connected hub in the music ecosystem. Below is an in-depth look at each of these aspects, along with some insights on what they mean for artists and listeners.

SoundCloud Supported Platforms (Where You Can Use SoundCloud)

SoundCloud is accessible across a wide variety of platforms and devices, ensuring listeners can stream music virtually anywhere. Key platforms that support SoundCloud include its web interface, dedicated mobile apps on iOS and Android, and integrations with smart devices and consoles. For instance, SoundCloud can be played on Sonos speakers, Chromecast, and even has an app on Xbox One. This multi-platform availability means users can switch seamlessly from a laptop to a phone to a home speaker while keeping their SoundCloud experience consistent.

Notably, mobile listening is a huge part of SoundCloud’s usage. More than half of all SoundCloud listening activity now takes place on mobile devices. (In fact, even back in 2014 SoundCloud reported about two-thirds of its listening was on phones and tablets, and mobile usage has only grown since.) This underscores why SoundCloud invests heavily in its iOS and Android apps and continuously improves the mobile experience – the majority of its 175+ million monthly listeners are on the go. Overall, SoundCloud’s broad device support and emphasis on mobile ensure that it remains easily accessible to users wherever they are.

Integrations with Other Music & Social Platforms

Beyond being available on many devices, SoundCloud actively integrates with other popular music and social platforms to expand music discovery and sharing. These integrations enhance SoundCloud’s ecosystem and allow content to flow between SoundCloud and other services. Some of the most significant integrations as of 2025 include:

  • TikTok Integration – SoundCloud × TikTok for music discovery: In May 2025, SoundCloud announced a partnership with TikTok to integrate with TikTok’s “Add to Music App” feature. This means when TikTok users discover a catchy song in a video, they can directly save that song to their SoundCloud library with one tap (adding it to a special “Liked Tracks” playlist on SoundCloud). This integration turns TikTok’s viral music moments into lasting connections on SoundCloud, helping casual listeners become SoundCloud fans of the artists they find. It’s a two-way win: TikTok users get a convenient way to keep track of songs they like, and SoundCloud artists benefit as trending TikTok tracks drive listeners to follow them on SoundCloud.
  • “Move Your Music” Library Transfers – Importing your collection from other streaming services: Alongside the TikTok integration, SoundCloud rolled out a “Move Your Music” feature that makes it easy for users to transfer their music libraries from other streaming platforms into SoundCloud. Supported services for import include Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music. In practice, this means if a user has built playlists or liked songs on another app, they can quickly duplicate those on SoundCloud without starting from scratch. This is a strategic move by SoundCloud to lower the barrier for new users to switch or at least add SoundCloud as a primary listening platform – you don’t lose your music collection when you come to SoundCloud. It positions SoundCloud not just as a repository of indie tracks, but as a full-fledged streaming alternative where you can bring over all your favorite songs.
  • DAW Integrations for Creators – Direct uploads from music production software: SoundCloud has also integrated with the tools musicians use to create music. Most major Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) now let artists upload songs directly to SoundCloud as part of the export process. Platforms like FL Studio, Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubase, Ableton Live, and others have a built-in “Upload to SoundCloud” option. This streamlines the workflow for creators – as soon as a producer finishes a track, they can publish it to their SoundCloud profile straight from the studio software, without manual uploading. By partnering with popular DAWs, SoundCloud cements itself as the go-to first destination for new music releases by indie artists. It’s essentially baked into the creation process. (In addition, SoundCloud has even partnered with some new AI music tools for direct uploads, showing an eye on the future of music creation)
  • Blockchain and Web3 Experiments – Exploring new ownership models: While not yet mainstream, SoundCloud has shown interest in emerging music platforms like Audius, which is a decentralized, blockchain-based music service. According to some reports, a partnership between SoundCloud and Audius introduced limited blockchain-based track ownership features for artists, hinting at experimental ways for creators to release exclusive or tokenized music. This is an early, limited trial of how NFTs or blockchain tech might enable fans to have verifiable ownership of special tracks or for artists to offer exclusive releases. It’s not a core SoundCloud feature for all users, but it demonstrates SoundCloud’s awareness of Web3 trends. By dabbling in this space via Audius, SoundCloud can gauge how fan-funded, collectible music releases might coexist with its traditional streaming model. It shows SoundCloud’s willingness to partner and experiment at the cutting edge of music technology – potentially paving the way for innovative artist monetization models in the future.

These integrations collectively enhance SoundCloud’s role in the music landscape. By linking up with social discovery (TikTok), competing streaming services (through library imports), creator tools (DAWs), and even experimental platforms (Audius), SoundCloud is extending its reach and utility. The platform is no longer an island; it’s part of a broader connected network of music experiences. For users, this means SoundCloud can easily plug into their digital life – songs flow in and out of SoundCloud from other apps – and for artists, SoundCloud becomes a central hub to leverage other platforms (for discovery, audience building, and new tech like blockchain) while retaining control of their content on SoundCloud.

Artist Distribution from SoundCloud to Other Platforms

One of the biggest evolutions in SoundCloud’s offering is that it now doubles as a music distribution service for independent artists. Through SoundCloud for Artists (formerly called Repost by SoundCloud), creators on SoundCloud can distribute their music to most major streaming platforms and digital stores worldwide, all from their SoundCloud account. In practical terms, an artist can upload a track to SoundCloud and then with a few clicks send that release to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora, and many more services (even region-specific ones like Melon in South Korea or Tencent’s music platforms in China). This integrated distribution covers dozens of outlets – essentially all the places a modern artist would want their music to be available.

What makes SoundCloud’s distribution feature notable is how it simplifies life for DIY artists. Instead of using a separate distributor (like DistroKid or TuneCore), eligible SoundCloud creators can manage everything in one place. They upload a song once to SoundCloud, and the platform handles delivering it to all selected external services. Changes to the track (metadata, cover art, even audio replacements) can be made on SoundCloud and propagate out, which is far more convenient than dealing with each store separately. Moreover, SoundCloud’s distribution is offered at no extra cost for subscribers of certain plans, and SoundCloud doesn’t take a cut of the earnings from other platforms – artists keep the revenue share those streams generate. In other words, if your song racks up plays on Spotify or Apple Music via SoundCloud’s distribution, you receive 100% of what those platforms would normally pay out, with SoundCloud just facilitating the connection. This artist-friendly approach (centralized distribution and transparent payouts) has lowered the barrier for emerging musicians to get their music everywhere without a label or hefty fees.

The ability to distribute from SoundCloud to the likes of Spotify and Apple was a game-changer introduced in 2019, and by 2025 it has become a core part of SoundCloud’s appeal to creators. It effectively transforms SoundCloud into a one-stop hub for publishing music: you gain the benefits of SoundCloud’s own huge audience and community, and at the same time you push your music into all the other popular services where fans might listen. This has boosted many independent artists’ reach beyond just the SoundCloud ecosystem. For example, an artist can build a following on SoundCloud and monetize via SoundCloud’s fan-powered royalties, while also growing listenership on Spotify/Apple and beyond – all managed through a single dashboard. SoundCloud has even expanded its list of partner platforms over time, ensuring it delivers to new services as they gain popularity. In short, SoundCloud has evolved from being an endpoint (where artists upload for fans to hear on SoundCloud) to also being a distribution springboard (a launchpad that sends the artist’s work to every major platform).

Conclusion: SoundCloud’s New Role as a Central Music Hub

From the above, it’s clear that SoundCloud circa 2025 is much more than an indie music streaming site – it’s becoming a central hub in the digital music landscape, connecting various platforms together. By being available on diverse devices, integrating with trending apps like TikTok and key creator tools, and even acting as a distributor to rival streaming services, SoundCloud is embracing a very holistic strategy. This represents a shift in how SoundCloud positions itself relative to other music platforms:

  • Rather than isolating itself as a competitor, SoundCloud is collaborating and interlinking with the rest of the music industry’s digital platforms. For listeners, this means less friction – your SoundCloud world and Spotify/Apple world (or TikTok world) don’t have to be separate silos. For artists, it means SoundCloud can serve as the nerve center of your music career online, from creation to promotion to distribution.
  • SoundCloud’s approach also highlights its focus on the artist-first model. By integrating distribution and offering tools to move music from anywhere, SoundCloud is catering to what artists need in order to succeed in today’s multi-platform environment. This strategy acknowledges a reality: audiences are fragmented across many apps, and an artist’s success often depends on being everywhere their fans are. SoundCloud is leveraging its creator community strength by giving them the means to reach fans on all platforms, not just on SoundCloud. As TechCrunch noted when SoundCloud launched its distribution tool, the company recognized it could “offer more value by investing in tools that artists need,” pivoting from just being a streaming service to becoming a broader service platform for musicians.
  • Another insight is how these integrations might future-proof SoundCloud. By partnering with TikTok (a dominant force in music discovery) and experimenting with things like blockchain ownership via Audius, SoundCloud stays relevant to emerging trends. It’s positioning itself as the place where the next generation of music culture happens, whether that’s a viral TikTok hit or a limited NFT music release. No single platform can do everything, but SoundCloud’s web of integrations ensures it remains plugged in to where music innovation is occurring.

In summary, SoundCloud’s relationships with other music platforms – from the devices it’s on, to the apps and services it plays nicely with, and the external networks it distributes to – have reshaped it into a uniquely interconnected platform. A SoundCloud user in 2025 can discover a song on TikTok and add it to SoundCloud, listen on a smart speaker or Xbox, and the artist who made it can then distribute that same track to Spotify and beyond, all through SoundCloud. This interconnectivity, combined with SoundCloud’s original strengths (its huge library of user-uploaded music and active community), gives SoundCloud a new competitive edge. It is no longer just one more streaming app; it’s a focal point where different corners of the music world converge. Going forward, it will be interesting to watch how SoundCloud builds on this role – possibly introducing even more integrations or services – but it’s clear that its evolution into a musical hub for both creators and fans is well underway. SoundCloud is effectively turning itself into the Switzerland of music platforms: neutral, connected with all, and invaluable as a central base for music lovers and artists alike.