SoundCloud

What does SoundCloud own?
SoundCloud operates a single-brand portfolio consisting of the SoundCloud audio streaming platform, SoundCloud Go+ premium subscription service, SoundCloud for Artists (artist distribution and monetization platform, formerly Repost Network), and SoundCloud Pulse analytics app. The company acquired Repost Network in May 2019, which became the foundation for its artist services division.

Is SoundCloud publicly traded?
No. SoundCloud is a privately held company. It has raised approximately $542.8 million in venture capital funding across 11 rounds from investors including The Raine Group, Temasek Holdings, Union Square Ventures, Index Ventures, and Sirius XM. The company has not undergone an initial public offering and has not publicly disclosed plans for one.

Who founded SoundCloud?
SoundCloud was founded on August 27, 2007, by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss in Berlin, Germany. Ljung is a Swedish sound designer who studied at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Wahlforss is a Swedish electronic musician and computer scientist. Ljung serves as Chairman of the Board, while Wahlforss stepped back from day-to-day operations in 2017.

Where is SoundCloud headquartered?
SoundCloud is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, at Rheinsberger Strasse 76/77, 10115 Berlin. The company also maintains offices in New York City and London. Berlin provides access to European technology talent and a creative music ecosystem that supports the company's position at the intersection of technology and music.

How many tracks are on SoundCloud?
SoundCloud hosts over 320 million audio tracks from approximately 40 million artists, making it the largest audio streaming platform by content volume. The platform's open-upload model means its catalog is significantly larger than licensed streaming services like Spotify (approximately 100 million tracks) or Apple Music (approximately 100 million tracks).

Who owns SoundCloud?
SoundCloud is owned by its founders, venture capital investors, and employees. Major institutional investors include The Raine Group and Temasek Holdings, which led the 2017 rescue financing round. Sirius XM invested $75 million in January 2020 for a minority stake. Co-founder Alexander Ljung maintains significant ownership influence as Chairman of the Board.

SoundCloud was established in Berlin on August 27, 2007, by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss. Ljung is a Swedish sound designer who studied at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Wahlforss is a Swedish electronic musician and computer scientist. The founders initially built SoundCloud as a collaboration tool for musicians to share and discuss recordings, similar to what SoundCloud describes as "Vimeo for sound."

The platform launched publicly on October 17, 2008. It quickly evolved from a collaboration tool into a publishing and distribution platform for music. By early 2009, SoundCloud had received 2.5 million euros in Series A funding from Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures. The company reached one million users by May 2010.

Growth accelerated in 2011. SoundCloud raised $10 million in Series B funding from Union Square Ventures and Index Ventures in January 2011, reaching 5 million users by June 2011 and 10 million by January 2012. The company also secured investments from Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary's A-Grade Fund during this period.

By July 2013, SoundCloud had 40 million registered users, with 20 million new users joining monthly. The company began licensing negotiations with major music companies in 2014 to address copyright concerns and enable monetization of copyrighted content on the platform. That year, SoundCloud raised $60 million in funding at a $700 million valuation.

The company faced a critical period in 2016 and 2017. Revenue was not covering costs, and the company reportedly came close to running out of money. In 2017, SoundCloud raised $70 million in debt financing from The Raine Group and Temasek Holdings, which saved the company from potential shutdown. The crisis led to significant layoffs and the departure of co-founder Eric Wahlforss from his day-to-day role. Alexander Ljung stepped down as CEO in 2017, replaced by Kerry Trainor, former CEO of Vimeo.

Under Trainor's leadership, SoundCloud restructured its business model. The company introduced a subscription tier called SoundCloud Go+ and focused on monetization. In May 2019, SoundCloud acquired artist distribution platform Repost Network, expanding its services for independent artists. Trainor left in 2020, and Michael Weissman was appointed CEO.

In March 2021, SoundCloud introduced "Fan-Powered Royalties," a new payment model that directs subscription revenue from each listener to the artists they actually listen to, rather than pooling all revenue into a single pot. This model was designed to benefit independent and niche artists who might receive very little under the pro-rata systems used by Spotify and Apple Music.

In January 2020, Sirius XM invested $75 million in SoundCloud, strengthening the company's financial position and providing capital for growth initiatives. The investment gave Sirius XM a minority stake and a seat on SoundCloud's board.

Eliah Seton was appointed CEO in 2023, bringing experience from Warner Music Group where he led the Independent Music and Creator Services division. Under Seton's leadership, SoundCloud has focused on artist services, AI tools for music creation, and expanding its distribution capabilities.

In November 2025, SoundCloud eliminated the 20% distribution cut for Artist Pro subscribers, meaning artists on the Artist Pro plan now keep 100% of their distribution revenue. This change was part of SoundCloud's strategy to differentiate itself from competitors by offering more favorable terms to independent artists.

By 2025, SoundCloud had grown to approximately 76 million monthly active listeners and 180 million registered users. The company generated approximately $485 million in revenue, a significant improvement from the $300 million range reported in earlier years. The company's headcount has grown to approximately 849 employees as of March 2026.

SoundCloud has faced several notable controversies and challenges:

Copyright and Licensing Issues (2014-2017): SoundCloud's open-upload model led to significant copyright issues, with major labels and publishers complaining about unauthorized use of their content. In 2014, the company began negotiating licensing agreements with major labels to address these concerns. The copyright disputes contributed to the company's financial crisis in 2016-2017, as licensing costs increased while revenue remained insufficient.

Financial Crisis and Near-Shutdown (2017): SoundCloud came close to running out of money in 2017, with reports suggesting the company had only weeks of cash remaining. The crisis was resolved through a $70 million debt financing round from The Raine Group and Temasek Holdings. The company laid off 40% of its workforce and replaced co-founder Alexander Ljung as CEO. The near-shutdown highlighted the challenges of building a sustainable business around user-generated audio content.

Artist Compensation Concerns: While SoundCloud's Fan-Powered Royalties model was designed to address artist compensation concerns, some artists and industry observers have questioned whether the model actually benefits independent artists as much as claimed. The system's complexity and lack of transparency in how payouts are calculated has drawn criticism.

Content Moderation Challenges: As an open-upload platform, SoundCloud faces ongoing challenges with content moderation, including copyrighted material, hate speech, and inappropriate content. The company has invested in automated content identification systems but continues to face criticism for inconsistent enforcement.