In answer to the question we posed last week: yes, Mixcloud is launching a paid streaming service. It’s already here.
Today, Mixcloud launches a new subscription service called “Select.” The program rolls out among 47 channels today, including Afrojack, Defected Records, John Digweed, Soul Clap and more.
Unlike Spotify, Apple Music or SoundCloud Go, Mixcloud Select users can subscribe to individual channels for a set fee beginning at $2.99 per month but set by the channels themselves. An undisclosed portion of this fee is transmitted to the rights holders of the music being streamed, with the rest being assigned to the channel itself. It works more like Patreon than Spotify.
What do users get out of it?
Not much, actually. Aside from the act of paying the DJ (which – I’m not knocking it – everyone should do), users can download shows (but seemingly only on the Mixcloud app) for offline listening, view “upfront” tracklists and “enjoy your shows without licensing restrictions.”
That’s actually it. The subscription mainly acts to unlock a series of restrictions that Mixcloud itself has imposed.
This is fairly underwhelming, and the features in development for Select don’t seem all that spectacular either: participating channels may in the future be able to “offer exclusive content” and “direct message with their subscribers.” But paying the DJ should always be encouraged and if it does that as a bare minimum it will be hard to complain.
Existing channels that aren’t among the chosen 47 at launch can register their interest in joining Select here.
