Considering paid Mixcloud 'Select' shows

[Thinksmart]

Hi all,

I'm putting up this topic to discuss a new area that I do not think we've touched on to date.

Mixcloud is growing in its use and over time it is being monetised, first with a premium layer that unlocks a better experience and such as tracklist views. However the next stage is paid to specific content uploaders (not necessarily artists/labels/DJs, it is the person who uploads the content whose channel it is).  This is worth discussing and also in my view has some legal implications too. 

It is called Mixcloud Select with more information at mixcloud/select.  Although Mixcloud has a PRS arrangement, I do not think the money paid for Select flows through each show to be allocated to the artists within it, other than for the top tier of their 'content producers', especially for old, obscure music from labels long gone.  

We all support the unmonetised sharing of radio/DJ like shows, but when it is monetised, the question of who should get that money and what it is for arrives.  Radio stations have to pay the right fees, but it feels somewhat fuzzy around Mixcloud content uploaders so far.  We start to see the same issues as streaming services potentially in the future.  The Select page at Mixcloud's site wasn't clear to me and I used to have a (non Soul music) label operating through MCPS-PRS at the time.

I already pay Mixcloud for the premium service at £7.99 a month already and the next layer is support for specific people putting up shows there.  Upon trying to listen, I was told today I couldn't listen to a soul show without supporting the DJ to the tune of £2.99 a month for that one channel.  I'm already paying Mixcloud and had not received any message from the person out to their followers explaining the basis or on such as their Facebook page.  I won't say who it is to help keep the conversation general rather than targeted at them, but others may of had the same experience.  At the very least, you would think the very small minority paying the premium service would have these fees waived or reduced in some way.

On the basis that this person isn't a professional DJ to my knowledge and is playing records from their collection, I was fairly disappointed at the way this was done and for now I have stopped following the person who put it up.  They have other shows up that aren't paid for, but they made this one locked unless you pay to support them.  They presumably made this choice - perhaps to try it or see if they can monetise the effort they put in.  They may of been invited to do so by Mixcloud itself, I don't know. I see now that this person has been doing a 'select' show each month.

There may be a valid model to pay perhaps to support some DJs, but the experience of this as a listener was not encouraging.  It is not as thought the person is a copyright holder or paying royalities on the music they are playing.  If they are charging people to listen, the legal footing is worth more consideration.

There are some DJs I would consider supporting with a token amount that adds up across those who enjoy their shows, if it was done in the right way. But in this case, they aren't at that level and there is plenty of other choice. There are some at Mixcloud whose taste sets a course as we all know here and others who are enthusiastic listeners, I appreciate them all.  But working out if appropriate to pay one instead of the other is going to be interesting in future. 

For a lot of these Mixcloud shows I have a significant proportion of the music already having been collecting for a long time like many here, so I'm often listening just to hear the chat, anecdotes and a few things I don't know.  This may be a sort of future for some DJs and music perhaps, but it needs some more engagement before it becomes more popular.

Somehow it doesn't feel right in the open, giving spirit of Soul music to me.  We know historically most DJs have got involved for the love of the music primarily and have often not covered even their expenses. I'm slightly uncomfortable paying a channel at Mixcloud without knowing that the money is supporting music in the right way.

If anyone here is using Mixcloud Select for paid shows, either as listener or content producer - their views are welcome too.  Also welcome are labels whose music is being played, will their artists see any financial benefit from DJs being 'paid' there?

I guess we're entering a new grey area where Mixcloud, radio and DJ sets are converging which opens up new considerations.  This is especially true in a world of no ability to meet up and all our shared Soul music experiences being online in the medium term.  

Thoughts welcome.

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Thinksmart
easy reading, accuracy and clarity

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

I have essentially stopped listening to Mixcloud shows, since they tried to rinse me for a monthly payment to listen to something I'd been listening to for years. There were only really certain shows that I was interested in anyway. 

If certain people are now asking for a fee to listen to one or more of their shows, then what is their value proposition ? Are they playing music from their record collection, in which case they need to be playing something special and not the 'same old' as most shows are. There are probably very few collectors/DJ's who are popular enough and have the right material for the soul scene that could do this.  The internet has created a space for people to people to play their collections anyway via the lock down all dayers etc. 

If they are creating music and uploading it as an artist then that could be a different case all together. If you like their output then you may wish to support it. 

It seems the way of the world that if something is popular then monetisation becomes the way forward with ever more creative ways of relieving money from punters. 

[Mike]

moved from media as topics more discussion/talk than listening/watching

 

interesting subject, don't pay or use mixcloud enough myself really for a qualified view on themixcloud setup

though 'pay for quality' is something find myself doing more and more nowadays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike]

17 hours ago, Thinksmart said:

Hi all,

I'm putting up this topic to discuss a new area that I do not think we've touched on to date.

Mixcloud is growing in its use and over time it is being monetised, first with a premium layer that unlocks a better experience and such as tracklist views. However the next stage is paid to specific content uploaders (not necessarily artists/labels/DJs, it is the person who uploads the content whose channel it is).  This is worth discussing and also in my view has some legal implications too. 

It is called Mixcloud Select with more information at mixcloud/select.  Although Mixcloud has a PRS arrangement, I do not think the money paid for Select flows through each show to be allocated to the artists within it, other than for the top tier of their 'content producers', especially for old, obscure music from labels long gone.  

We all support the unmonetised sharing of radio/DJ like shows, but when it is monetised, the question of who should get that money and what it is for arrives.  Radio stations have to pay the right fees, but it feels somewhat fuzzy around Mixcloud content uploaders so far.  We start to see the same issues as streaming services potentially in the future.  The Select page at Mixcloud's site wasn't clear to me and I used to have a (non Soul music) label operating through MCPS-PRS at the time.

I already pay Mixcloud for the premium service at £7.99 a month already and the next layer is support for specific people putting up shows there.  Upon trying to listen, I was told today I couldn't listen to a soul show without supporting the DJ to the tune of £2.99 a month for that one channel.  I'm already paying Mixcloud and had not received any message from the person out to their followers explaining the basis or on such as their Facebook page.  I won't say who it is to help keep the conversation general rather than targeted at them, but others may of had the same experience.  At the very least, you would think the very small minority paying the premium service would have these fees waived or reduced in some way.

On the basis that this person isn't a professional DJ to my knowledge and is playing records from their collection, I was fairly disappointed at the way this was done and for now I have stopped following the person who put it up.  They have other shows up that aren't paid for, but they made this one locked unless you pay to support them.  They presumably made this choice - perhaps to try it or see if they can monetise the effort they put in.  They may of been invited to do so by Mixcloud itself, I don't know. I see now that this person has been doing a 'select' show each month.

There may be a valid model to pay perhaps to support some DJs, but the experience of this as a listener was not encouraging.  It is not as thought the person is a copyright holder or paying royalities on the music they are playing.  If they are charging people to listen, the legal footing is worth more consideration.

There are some DJs I would consider supporting with a token amount that adds up across those who enjoy their shows, if it was done in the right way. But in this case, they aren't at that level and there is plenty of other choice. There are some at Mixcloud whose taste sets a course as we all know here and others who are enthusiastic listeners, I appreciate them all.  But working out if appropriate to pay one instead of the other is going to be interesting in future. 

For a lot of these Mixcloud shows I have a significant proportion of the music already having been collecting for a long time like many here, so I'm often listening just to hear the chat, anecdotes and a few things I don't know.  This may be a sort of future for some DJs and music perhaps, but it needs some more engagement before it becomes more popular.

Somehow it doesn't feel right in the open, giving spirit of Soul music to me.  We know historically most DJs have got involved for the love of the music primarily and have often not covered even their expenses. I'm slightly uncomfortable paying a channel at Mixcloud without knowing that the money is supporting music in the right way.

If anyone here is using Mixcloud Select for paid shows, either as listener or content producer - their views are welcome too.  Also welcome are labels whose music is being played, will their artists see any financial benefit from DJs being 'paid' there?

I guess we're entering a new grey area where Mixcloud, radio and DJ sets are converging which opens up new considerations.  This is especially true in a world of no ability to meet up and all our shared Soul music experiences being online in the medium term.  

Thoughts welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

as said interesting topic..  imo 

any views?

anyone out there paying the extra $s?

 

[Mal C]

I post on my Mix cloud channel most weeks, I've never paid them anything, and I steer clear of anybody who I have to pay to listen. There are so many great shows on there for free, why pay?  Also I dont follow or follow back any members with really large follower numbers, I check them out, see what they are into musically and only only follow back if I think what i put up would interest them.

I know Wayne Hemingway recently paid for some promotional a few months back, I dont know how much of a lift that gave him, he does great shows, has great taste in music, but back to my point above, if what you do is good, just take the free offering, let the music speak for its self...

I love Mixcloud, its great platform... I just bought a Rode Mic, so expect some talking over the shows in the future, in a less is more way of course...

Mal

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by Mal C

[Jnixon]

Stopped using mixcloud to put mixes on 8 years ago. 

[Chalky]

Never paid and I’ve never been asked to pay to listen to any mixclouder or blocked from listening, except after three listens in the fortnight 

[Twoshoes]

Speaking purely as a listener I wouldn't pay to listen. I already find it annoying that you now cannot backtrack when listening if someone plays a tune you like which I assume you can still do if you pay.

I'd be disappointed if someone  like Mal whose shows I listen to became unavailable unless I paid as his themed selections are always an interesting mix and much enjoyed. 

   Maybe in time we will have no choice but to pay if not enough people voluntarily cough up, hope it does not come to that