SoundCloud’s surprise release tool
SoundCloud launched a “follower exclusive” feature that lets artists drop tracks to their followers before public release—Chris Stussy is among the first to test it, a potential game‑changer for EDM artists and DJs who want controlled pre‑listening windows (edm.com).
SoundCloud rolled out the new Follower Exclusive Releases feature in a company push publicized at the end of March 2026, with coverage appearing March 30–31 across trade outlets. (digitalmusicnews.com) Multiple industry reports say the tool is restricted to SoundCloud’s paid artist tier — outlets refer to that plan as Artist Pro or Next Pro in their writeups. (musicbusinessworldwide.com) (celebrityaccess.com) Dutch DJ-producer Chris Stussy is the launch partner, using the feature to make his single “What Makes You Feel” available to followers ahead of his debut album Lost, Found & Forgotten…, which is slated for release on April 3, 2026. (edm.com) (edmidentity.com) SoundCloud lets artists “gate” tracks behind a follow, and creators can set those exclusives as timed early-access windows or leave them available to followers indefinitely. (musictech.com) (digitalmusicnews.com) The feature builds on SoundCloud’s interactive tools—follows trigger chronological feed updates and in‑app notifications, and the company says exclusives are intended to let artists experiment and gather feedback from core listeners. (edm.com) (businessday.ng) Industry coverage frames the rollout as part of a wider superfan monetization trend on streaming platforms, noting rivals like Spotify have been exploring similar creator-first features. (digitalmusicnews.com) (musicbusinessworldwide.com)
