Customer Reviews (500)

Hayhjkfbbjvhdhsh • 2025-03-21T22:46:20-07:00

Please replace/removethe like button or put more space between the like and rewind button. I have already accidentally unliked a couple songs and replacing them can be hard.

ElVic_2233 • 2025-03-21T19:19:58-07:00

Me encanta!!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Gdduuuhgvvvdd • 2025-03-21T18:15:53-07:00

Better than Spotify

Summary of Key Insights

SoundCloud enjoys a generally positive sentiment, primarily driven by its extensive music library, particularly for independent artists, remixes, and tracks not found on other platforms. However, the app faces significant challenges related to excessive advertising, bugs causing crashes and freezes, and limitations on free accounts. Many users express frustration with the frequency and intrusiveness of ads and the limitations placed on free users, which push them towards paid subscriptions. While users appreciate the unique content and community aspects, technical issues and monetization strategies detract from the overall experience. The app has a strong base of loyal users, many of whom have been using it for years, but they are increasingly vocal about the need for improvements to maintain its competitive edge.

  • Overall Rating: High, with a significant skew towards 5-star reviews.
  • Key Strengths: Diverse music library, especially for independent artists and unique content.
  • Key Weaknesses: Excessive advertising, app instability (crashes and freezes), limitations on free accounts, some unavailable songs even with paid subscriptions, and playlist/library management issues.
  • Overall Sentiment: Mostly positive, but with growing frustration regarding ads and technical issues.
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Total Reviews: 500
    • Score Distribution: 1-star (10.8%), 2-star (3.8%), 3-star (5.8%), 4-star (11%), 5-star (68.6%)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but assumed to be recent based on the version number (8.5.0) and mentions of recent updates.
  • Analysis Methods: Manual review and thematic analysis of the provided reviews, focusing on identifying recurring keywords, sentiments, and user concerns. No automated sentiment analysis tools were used.

Key User Pain Points

  • Excessive Advertising: The most frequently mentioned complaint is the high frequency of ads, often occurring after every 1-3 songs. Users find this intrusive and disruptive to their listening experience.
  • App Instability: Many users report experiencing crashes, freezes, and bugs that disrupt music playback and overall app functionality.
  • "Go+" Paywall: Users are frustrated that many songs are only available with a "Go+" subscription, making the free version limited and the paid subscription feel mandatory to access a full range of content.
  • Playlist and Library Management Issues: Users report problems with playlist limits, difficulty organizing liked songs, and the inability to easily add multiple songs to playlists.
  • Login and Account Issues: Some users report difficulty creating accounts or logging in.
  • Downloading Issues: Some users report issues with downloading music for offline playback, including songs becoming corrupted.
  • UI/UX Issues: Some users find aspects of the user interface unintuitive, especially the new update, which makes adding songs to playlists more confusing.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Ad-Free Experience for Free Users (or Reduced Ads): Many users request a less intrusive ad experience, either by reducing the frequency of ads or offering an ad-free option without requiring a subscription.
  • Improved Playlist Management: Users desire features like folders, multi-select, easier organization of liked songs, and the ability to move songs in bulk from "Likes" to playlists.
  • Repeat Option: Some users request the return of the repeat option for songs.
  • Equalizer: An equalizer to customize the sound output is a requested feature.
  • Offline Playback Improvements: Better offline playback and downloading functionality.
  • Crossfade: Transition effects between songs are desired by some users.
  • Apple TV App: A dedicated Apple TV app is requested.
  • Sort by Artist: The ability to sort music libraries by artist.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Extensive Music Library: Users consistently praise SoundCloud for its vast library, particularly its selection of independent artists, remixes, and tracks not available on other platforms.
  • Unique Content: Many users appreciate the availability of exclusive tracks and content that can't be found elsewhere.
  • Community Aspect: The ability to connect with artists and other fans is a valued feature.
  • Free Option: Users appreciate the availability of a free option, even with its limitations.
  • Good Audio Quality: Many users find the audio quality to be excellent.
  • Discovery of New Music: Users find SoundCloud to be a great platform for discovering new music and artists.
  • Nostalgia and Loyalty: Many long-time users express a strong sense of loyalty and nostalgia for the platform.
  • Cheaper Subscription Option: Some users find the SoundCloud Go subscription to be more affordable than competitors like Spotify and Apple Music.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Reduce Ad Frequency and Intrusiveness: Implement a less disruptive advertising model. Consider reducing the number of ads per hour or offering shorter, less intrusive ad formats.
  • Address App Instability Issues: Prioritize bug fixes and performance improvements to resolve crashes, freezes, and other technical issues. Invest in thorough testing before releasing updates.
  • Improve Playlist and Library Management: Add features like folders, multi-select, and easier organization of liked songs. Re-evaluate the recent update to playlist management that users find confusing.

Medium Priority:

  • Re-evaluate "Go+" Paywall: Consider offering more content on the free tier or adjusting the pricing structure of "Go+" to make it more appealing to a wider range of users.
  • Implement Requested Features: Prioritize development of features like a repeat option, equalizer, and crossfade.
  • Improve Login and Account Recovery: Streamline the account creation and login process to reduce user frustration.

Low Priority:

  • Develop an Apple TV App: Consider developing a dedicated Apple TV app based on user demand.
  • Address UI/UX Issues: Conduct user testing to identify and address usability issues within the app interface.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Ad Filtering: A service that uses AI to filter out irrelevant or offensive ads on music streaming platforms.
  • Playlist Management Tool: A standalone app or plugin that offers advanced playlist management features for SoundCloud, such as automated organization, duplicate removal, and collaborative playlist creation.
  • Independent Artist Promotion Platform: A platform dedicated to promoting independent artists on SoundCloud, offering tools for marketing, analytics, and fan engagement.
  • Subscription Bundling Service: A service that bundles multiple music streaming subscriptions (including SoundCloud Go+) at a discounted price.

Trends and Observations

  • Ad Frustration is Increasing: The most common complaint centers around the increasing frequency and intrusiveness of ads.
  • Loyal User Base: Despite the issues, many users have been using SoundCloud for years and express a strong sense of loyalty.
  • Value of Unique Content: The availability of tracks and remixes not found elsewhere is a major draw for many users.
  • Mixed Feelings on Subscriptions: While some users find the subscription options valuable, others feel they are too expensive or restrictive.
  • Feature Parity Expectations: Users increasingly expect feature parity with other major streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.
  • Language Preferences: While the app supports multiple languages, there is no specific trend observed regarding language preferences in the provided reviews.

Conclusion

SoundCloud retains a strong position in the music streaming market due to its unique content and community. However, the app is facing growing challenges related to excessive advertising, technical issues, and limitations on free accounts. To maintain its competitive edge, SoundCloud needs to prioritize addressing these pain points and investing in improvements to the user experience. By focusing on reducing ad frequency, improving app stability, and enhancing playlist management, SoundCloud can strengthen its position as a leading platform for music discovery and independent artists.

Overall Recommendation: Prioritize addressing user pain points related to advertising and app stability to improve the overall user experience and retain loyal users.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soundcloud-discover-new-music/id336353151?uo=2