Trolley soundcloud partnership

Photo Credit: Trolley / SoundCloud

SoundCloud taps Trolley to provide payouts for their artist payments program.

Music industry payout platform Trolley has announced its selection by SoundCloud to provide payouts for the streaming platform’s SoundCloud for Artists program. The partnership will enhance and streamline artist payouts while fostering trust and enabling additional revenue streams for the music industry worldwide.

“We pay out millions of dollars to artists every month and getting this right is a responsibility that we don’t take lightly,” said Stephen Shirley, SoundCloud’s Product Director for its Creator suite. “Trolley enables SoundCloud to have confidence that royalties will be handled with the care that they deserve. Overall, this builds trust between SoundCloud and the artist community, which is vital to SoundCloud’s future.”

Trolley CEO Tim Nixon stated, “Our mission is to build the payout platform for the internet economy. SoundCloud shares this vision by unlocking the economic opportunity for musicians and artists around the world.”

As a streaming platform, SoundCloud prides itself in amplifying the reach of artist releases as a distributor to all major platforms and social networks, including Apple Music, Spotify, and TikTok.

“At SoundCloud, we’re driving a more equitable and exciting future for all artists — big or small. SoundCloud continues to be a creator-first company, focusing on what artists need to build their careers and thrive,” said Shirley.

“We believe that artists, producers, and songwriters are a driving force that continues to push what’s next. We believe that what’s next isn’t determined by algorithms and gatekeepers, but that the true path toward a long and successful career is best achieved by cultivating deep fan relationships and community.”

In launching its Fan-Powered Royalties program, SoundCloud has enabled artists to be paid based on fans’ actual listening habits, providing a more equitable and transparent way for independent artists monetizing directly with SoundCloud to get paid.

To that end — and as the music industry continues to undergo transformative changes — the SoundCloud and Trolley union helps shape a pivotal moment for the future of artist payouts.

“As Trolley becomes the backbone of SoundCloud’s payouts infrastructure, it not only streamlines their financial workflows, but also empowers them to accomplish more for artists,” says Nixon.

Shirley concludes, “With a solution for payouts in place, we can focus on how to best connect artists and fans in ways that generate more revenue for artists beyond just streaming royalties.”