SoundCloud, Pandora, and Facebook roll out new content and features for artist support amid pandemic

With many artists struggling to make ends meet as the coronavirus pandemic drags on, more and more audio companies are promoting their tools to help them better reach listeners and continue to make money. There have been several moves in this space in the past week, so here’s a round-up of what’s happening where.

SoundCloud secured a partnership with Twitch to gets its creators faster access to monetized livestreams. Now the company announced that it will have four shows of its own on the video platform. These channels will offer inspiration and self-care, as well as behind-the-scenes stories highlighting artists from SoundCloud’s Fresh Pressed playlist.

Pandora is launching a series of online classes to help artists understand how to leverage the tools in its Artist Marketing Platform. There will be sessions targeted at introducing new users to the tools and ones aimed at existing users who might have specific questions about the service.

Facebook is rolling out a tool that lets creators charge for access to live streams. The social network’s Facebook Live is a place where artists already have a built-in fan base, and the upcoming feature will let those performers offer paid content. The company didn’t provide any timeline for when artists will see that paid option. However, Facebook did say it is bringing back its Live With tool, letting users add another person into their live video. This could open up duets as well as some podcasting potential.

Anna Washenko