Triller Teams With SoundCloud to Cross-Promote Emerging Artists

Triller is linking with SoundCloud on a new integration to showcase emerging SoundCloud artists on the short-form video app, the two companies announced Wednesday (May 5).

A new monthly playlist featuring music from up-and-coming SoundCloud artists across genres will be added to Triller’s Music Discovery page, which Triller creators can pluck songs from for use in their videos on the platform. The playlist will live on SoundCloud as well, and artists with accounts on both Triller and SoundCloud can now link their profiles, making it easier for fans to discover their music.

The integration is intended as a cross-promotional tool for the featured artists, who will not be paid directly for the use of their music in the Triller app, Billboard has learned.

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“With a shared goal of showcasing established and emerging talent, this partnership puts artists first — just like Triller does,” Triller CEO Mahi de Silva said. “In front of a global audience, emerging artists will now have the opportunity to develop a Triller fan base that is empowered to create, share and connect.”

The team-up makes sense: SoundCloud has built a reputation as the platform where emerging independent artists often share their music first, and user-generated video content involving music on platforms like Triller and rival TikTok continues to popularize new artists and tracks. Triller claims to have 300 million global downloads (although it has been accused of inflating its usership figures), and SoundCloud has more than 30 million creators and 250 million tracks.

SoundCloud hopes the integration will indirectly help artists who are signed up to its monetization programs (including Premier, Repost, and Repost Select) drive more revenue through the platform’s new, so-called “user-centric” royalty payment system, implemented April 1.

“The new SoundCloud playlist on Triller offers one more more way to elevate and promote the rising artists who are building their careers independently today,” said Repost by SoundCloud head of artist marketing Allison Moore. “We’re very excited to be working with Triller to connect these artists with a new audience — helping them to get discovered, build their profiles, and grow their careers both on and beyond SoundCloud.”