SoundCloud is making its biggest social push yet with new community features that let users see what friends are listening to. The audio platform launched friend-based playlists, trending feeds, and follow suggestions Thursday as it battles Spotify for social music discovery dominance.
SoundCloud just fired a shot across the bow in the streaming wars. The audio platform rolled out its most significant social update Thursday, introducing features that transform how users discover music through their networks.
The centerpiece is 'Liked By Your Crew' - a daily-updated homepage feed showing tracks your friends and followed artists are enjoying. It's SoundCloud's answer to the social discovery gap that's let Spotify dominate playlist culture for years.
'We're seeing users crave more connection around music discovery,' SoundCloud told TechCrunch in Thursday's announcement. The timing isn't coincidental - Spotify recently launched direct messaging features that let users share playlists and songs directly with friends.
The new 'Liked By Playlists' feature creates scrollable carousels curated from your network's activity, while the Trending Trackwall surfaces popular tracks with filtering options. These tools address a core SoundCloud weakness - helping users navigate its vast catalog of independent and emerging artists without getting lost.
Mobile users get two exclusive features: 'Hot For You' delivers a daily personalized trending track, while improved follow suggestions help users connect with similar music tastes and real-life contacts. The friend discovery carousel appears directly on the homepage, making social connections frictionless.
SoundCloud's social pivot comes as streaming platforms battle for engagement beyond just listening. While Spotify dominates with 500+ million users, SoundCloud's 76 million registered users represent a more creator-focused community that could benefit from tighter social features.
The audio platform has long been the go-to destination for independent artists and podcast creators, but struggled to compete with Spotify's algorithm-driven discovery and social playlist culture. These updates signal SoundCloud's intention to leverage its creator community as a social differentiator.
Industry analysts see this as SoundCloud playing catch-up rather than leading innovation. The features mirror social elements that platforms like Last.fm pioneered over a decade ago, but SoundCloud's timing could be strategic as users grow tired of algorithm-only discovery.