SoundCloud has announced a partnership with elasticStage, a move set to revolutionize how independent artists produce and sell vinyl records. This collaboration addresses the long-standing financial and logistical barriers that have prevented many artists from offering their music in this coveted physical format.
Through this new initiative, Artist Pro artists globally can now sell vinyl with no upfront costs, no minimum order requirements, and maintain full control over their music. The process is streamlined: artists select tracks from SoundCloud, add credits, upload artwork, and submit for review. elasticStage then handles the production and shipping of each record as orders come in, ensuring artists are paid for every sale without worrying about leftover stock.
This partnership aims to empower artists, providing new opportunities for connection and monetization, and enabling them to build sustainable careers. The launch features vinyl from artists including AM.RADIO, Blonde Maze, Diorvsyou, Kelcey Ayer and Raina Simone.
“Vinyl sales have surged over 300% since 2016, yet most independent artists have been excluded from this growth due to high manufacturing costs and logistical limitations,” said Eliah Seton, SoundCloud CEO. “At SoundCloud, we’re committed to helping artists thrive by providing new opportunities for connection and monetization. This partnership is another step toward ensuring that every artist—no matter where they are in their career—has the tools to build a sustainable career.”
“We created elasticStage’s on-demand vinyl technology to make physical music as accessible as streaming for artists and music fans everywhere,” added Steve Rhodes, elasticStage CEO and Co-Founder. “Records have been bringing fans closer to their favourite artists for decades, but today’s modern music creators are now shut out of the vinyl market by high costs and outdated practices – our mission is to break down these barriers so musicians can sell vinyl with zero cost or risk. SoundCloud’s artist-centric platform is a perfect fit for us, and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with them to help independent artists connect with fans and build long-lasting music careers.”