As music moves to streaming, we see more companies making deals with record labels. The most recent example is a deal between Warner Music and Mixcloud. If you’re unfamiliar with Mixcloud, it operates like SoundCloud but focuses on mixes, radio shows, and podcasts. This might change now that the service has access to Warner’s entire catalog. Mixcloud is also in negotiations with both Sony and Universal which would mean they would have access to the big three record labels if talks are successful.
While all of these signs point to Mixcloud’s eventual move into streaming, the company’s co-founder, Nico Perez, denies the company having plans to compete with the current streaming companies like Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud. The company is planning on offering a more specific type of service that would include things like exclusive access to different radio shows, podcasts, and programs of the same likeness.
It will be interesting to see new competition enter the streaming industry and how it will fare against the more established company. If it can truly differentiate itself while offering something enticing in its own right, then we might see Mixcloud have some success.