What Counts as a Play on SoundCloud? Learn the Rules

Kristian Gorenc Z

Feb 7, 2025

For artists and music professionals, understanding what counts as a play on SoundCloud is essential to accurately tracking your performance and making data-driven decisions. According to SoundCloud’s guidelines, a play is counted under specific conditions:

• Play Button Clicked: A play is registered the moment someone clicks the play button.
• Logged-In Listeners: If a listener is logged into their SoundCloud account, the play count updates in real-time.
• Logged-Out Listeners: Plays from listeners not logged in are updated within 24 hours.
• No Self-Plays: Plays you generate on your own tracks are not counted, as they’re considered self-plays.

These straightforward rules ensure that SoundCloud metrics reflect genuine listener engagement.

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Why Tracking SoundCloud Plays Matters

For any artist or music professional, tracking plays and other SoundCloud metrics is a critical part of measuring success. Plays are more than just numbers; they represent listener interest and the effectiveness of your promotional efforts. By monitoring this data, you can:

• Identify what type of content resonates most with your audience.
• Understand your growth over time.
• Benchmark your performance against similar artists.

This is where advanced analytics tools, like those offered by Viberate, can make a significant difference.

Viberate’s SoundCloud Analytics: A Comprehensive Solution

At Viberate, we provide a state-of-the-art SoundCloud analytics service that offers unparalleled insights into your performance. With data from over 11 million artists, our platform allows you to analyze key metrics and gain actionable insights. Here’s what you can expect:

All Your SoundCloud Stats in One Place

Monitor all your SoundCloud metrics in a single platform. From channel performance to individual track stats, Viberate simplifies the process of keeping tabs on your success.

Analyze an Artist’s Catalog

Easily browse through an artist’s entire SoundCloud catalog to identify their top-performing songs. Filter uploads by release date and sort them by play count within different timeframes. This feature is particularly useful for planning future releases or curating playlists.

Discover Play Trends

Gain insights into play trends over time. Analyze the total number of plays for an artist’s songs in the past year and hover over highlights to identify top-performing content. This helps you understand what works best for your audience and refine your strategy accordingly.

Fanbase Evolution Tracking

Track the growth of your SoundCloud fanbase to understand how your reach is expanding. This feature helps you gauge the impact of your promotional campaigns and collaborations.

Benchmark Against the Industry Average

Get a comprehensive overview of your SoundCloud follower growth and compare your play counts to other artists with a similar-sized following. This benchmarking tool provides a valuable context for evaluating your performance.

Plan Collaborations and Signings

Viberate’s Artist Chart allows you to discover artists of the same genre with similar-sized followings. Use this data to replicate successful strategies or approach them for potential collaborations and signings. This feature can significantly enhance your network and career opportunities.

Customizable Charts for Talent Discovery

Find trending artists, genres, and songs with customizable filters. You can sort by countries, genres, rank, follower range, and more. These daily-refreshed charts provide a clear picture of the current music landscape and can help you stay ahead of the curve.

How Viberate Makes a Difference

Viberate’s SoundCloud analytics go beyond basic metrics. They provide:

• A Quick Overview of Key Stats: Get all relevant metrics in one place for a complete snapshot of your SoundCloud performance.
• Deep Insights into Plays: Understand play trends and top-performing content with intuitive visualizations.
• Comprehensive Catalog Analysis: Browse, filter, and sort through songs to identify the best-performing content in different timeframes.
• Strategic Benchmarking: Compare your metrics with industry averages to gain valuable insights into your performance.

By leveraging these tools, you can make informed decisions that drive your career forward.

Why Choose Viberate for SoundCloud Analytics

Whether you’re an independent artist, a music label, or a manager, Viberate’s analytics tools are designed to provide everything you need to succeed on SoundCloud. From identifying your top tracks to planning collaborations, our platform is your go-to resource for maximizing your potential.

Ready to take your SoundCloud performance to the next level? Start analyzing your metrics with Viberate today and gain the insights you need to grow your career.