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brand SoundCloud
tagline Hear the world's sounds. Upload, share, discover.
category Content & Media
website https://www.soundcloud.com

Information Architecture — SoundCloud

Overview

SoundCloud is an audio platform for independent musicians, podcasters, and listeners. Its IA is built around the waveform player — a distinctive visual representation of audio that enables timed comments, making listening social. The platform uniquely supports emerging artists through direct upload, fan-powered royalties, and discovery tools. SoundCloud blends social networking (reposts, likes, following) with streaming and distribution.

Site Map

soundcloud.com
├── Home (Stream / Feed)
├── Discover
│   ├── Trending
│   ├── Charts (Top 50, New & Hot)
│   ├── Genres
│   │   ├── Hip-hop & Rap
│   │   ├── Electronic
│   │   ├── Pop
│   │   ├── R&B & Soul
│   │   ├── Rock
│   │   ├── Podcasts
│   │   └── ... (20+ genres)
│   └── Playlists (curated)
├── Search
│   ├── Tracks
│   ├── People
│   ├── Albums
│   ├── Playlists
│   └── Stations
├── Upload
│   ├── Upload tracks
│   ├── Track details
│   └── Distribution (SoundCloud for Artists)
├── Track Page
│   ├── Waveform player
│   ├── Timed comments
│   ├── Track info (description, genre, tags)
│   ├── Related tracks
│   ├── Reposts & likes count
│   ├── Buy / download link
│   └── Artist profile link
├── Artist Profile
│   ├── Bio & avatar
│   ├── Tracks
│   ├── Albums / Playlists
│   ├── Reposts
│   ├── Followers / Following
│   ├── Spotlight (pinned tracks)
│   └── Stats (for creator)
├── Library (Auth)
│   ├── Likes
│   ├── Playlists
│   ├── Albums
│   ├── Following
│   ├── Stations
│   └── Listening history
├── SoundCloud Go+ (Premium)
│   ├── Ad-free listening
│   ├── Offline access
│   └── Full catalog access
├── For Artists
│   ├── SoundCloud for Artists (dashboard)
│   ├── Monetization (fan-powered royalties)
│   ├── Distribution (to Spotify, Apple, etc.)
│   ├── Promote
│   └── Analytics
├── Help Center
│   ├── Listening
│   ├── Uploading
│   ├── Account
│   ├── Subscriptions
│   └── Contact
├── Legal
│   ├── Terms
│   ├── Privacy
│   ├── Copyright
│   └── Community guidelines
└── Auth
    ├── Log in
    └── Create account

Navigation Model

Level Type Details
Global Top bar Logo, Home (Stream), Search bar, Upload, Library, Profile, Go+ CTA
Discover Horizontal tabs Charts, Trending, Genres, Playlists
Track page Inline actions Play, Like, Repost, Share, Add to playlist, More (report, embed)
Persistent player Bottom bar Waveform mini-player, play/pause, skip, queue, volume
Footer Compact Legal, Help, Developers, For Artists
App Bottom tabs Home, Search, Library, Profile + floating mini-player

Key pattern: The persistent bottom player follows the user everywhere. Waveform visualization and timed comments are SoundCloud's signature — audio is always visual.

Content Model

| Entity | Key Attributes | Relationships | |--------|-----------| | Track | title, artist, waveform, duration, genre, tags, description, plays, likes, reposts, comments (timed), buy link, downloadable flag, license | | Playlist | name, creator, tracks, public/private, likes, reposts | | Album | title, artist, tracks, release date, genre | | Artist Profile | display name, avatar, header, bio, location, followers, following, tracks, reposts, links | | Comment | user, text, timestamp (timed to waveform position), track | | Repost | user, track/playlist, timestamp (appears in follower feeds) | | Station | seed track/artist, auto-generated playlist |

User Flows

Listen & discover

  1. Open Home → scroll Stream (new tracks from followed artists)
  2. Or visit Discover → browse charts/genres/playlists
  3. Play track → waveform player loads → see timed comments scroll by
  4. Like, repost, or add to playlist
  5. Artist radio/station auto-plays related tracks

Upload a track

  1. Click Upload → drag & drop audio file(s)
  2. Edit metadata (title, genre, tags, description, artwork)
  3. Set privacy (public, private, scheduled)
  4. Set permissions (download, embed, comments)
  5. Publish → track appears on profile and in followers' streams

Monetization & distribution

  1. Enable SoundCloud for Artists → verify artist profile
  2. Opt into fan-powered royalties → earn from Go+ subscriber plays
  3. Distribute to external platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) via SoundCloud
  4. View analytics (plays, listeners, geography, sources)
  5. Receive payouts

Social interaction

  1. Browse a track → click on waveform at a specific timestamp
  2. Type a timed comment → appears at that point for future listeners
  3. Repost track → appears in your followers' streams
  4. Follow artist → their new uploads appear in your Home stream

URL / Route Structure

/                           → Home (Stream)
/discover/                  → Discover
/charts/{genre}/            → Genre chart
/search?q={query}           → Search results
/upload/                    → Upload (auth)
/{username}/                → Artist profile
/{username}/{track-slug}    → Track page
/{username}/sets/{slug}     → Playlist / Album
/{username}/likes           → User's liked tracks
/{username}/reposts         → User's reposts
/you/library/               → My Library (auth)
/you/likes/                 → My Likes (auth)
/go/                        → SoundCloud Go+ info
/for-artists/               → Artist tools
/help/                      → Help center

Search & Filter

Feature Behavior
Global search Autocomplete, search tracks / people / playlists / albums
Genre filter Browse by genre on Discover and Charts
Charts Top 50, New & Hot — filtered by genre and country
Sort Relevance, date, plays, likes
Track filter Duration, license type (Creative Commons), to listen
Station seed Start radio from any track or artist

Responsive Behavior

Breakpoint Adaptation
Desktop (≥1024px) Full waveform, timed comments visible, sidebar recommendations, full profile
Tablet (768–1023px) Waveform responsive, condensed layout, floating player
Mobile (<768px) Simplified waveform, swipeable track cards, bottom mini-player, comment drawer
App (iOS/Android) Bottom tabs, offline downloads (Go+), push for new releases, mini-player
Embed Compact waveform player widget, customizable colors

Access Control

Role Access
Visitor Listen to public tracks (ad-supported), browse, search
Free User Upload (limited hours), like, repost, comment, playlists, follow
SoundCloud Go Ad-free listening, offline downloads
SoundCloud Go+ Full catalog, lossless audio, ad-free, offline
Creator (Free) Upload (limited), basic stats
Creator (Next Pro) Unlimited uploads, advanced stats, distribution, monetization, Spotlight, scheduled releases
Artist (Verified) Verified badge, fan-powered royalties, priority support
Internal Content moderation, copyright enforcement, royalty management