SoundCloud has introduced a refreshed home screen that allows users to see more music from the service’s most popular independent creators. The refreshed home screen features song collections sorted by genre and curated playlists popular in the platform’s community. The new home screen is a welcome update that should help differentiate the struggling service against rival offerings from Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon.
Featured playlists on the app’s new home screen include Hip Hop Supreme, DJ-mixed tracks in In The Mix, 2017 Most Liked tracks, and 2018 Artists to Watch. The Upload, like Spotify’s Discover, is a daily list of tracks personalized for you by analyzing what you’ve listened to and liked.
Other smart lists that are automatically generated include More Of What You Like and Artists You Should Know. SoundCloud has a catalog of over 170 million tracks. “The new SoundCloud home is a more curated, personalized way to discover amazing creators first — years ahead of the mainstream charts,” SoundCloud’s new CEO Kerry Trainor told TechCrunch.
In July, SoundCloud laid off 40 percent of its staff though its CEO at the time maintained the company was “here to stay.” A month later, Soundcloud announced it had secured $169.5 million in investment funding, allowing it to continue operating. Today’s changes appear to be a step in the right direction.