Soundclick - WTF??!!

ORIGINAL: dlogan

I went to upload an updated mix to my Soundclick page and got the following message:

Due to constant abuse this feature is no longer available, sorry.

So to upload new mixes, we now have to delete our old version and add a new song? Then re-add all of the song info, picture, lose your stats, etc.

This is probably going to drive me to put up the $$ for a full mixposure account.

That does suck...I tried both the new and old interface and it's the same with both methods...I wonder what kind of abuse prompted that action.

Here's what they posted on their forum:

Like the notice says, that feature is no longer available due to constant abuse by artists to retain chart standings and unfairly gain higher plays for new songs. We have tried several times warning offenders, even adding a warning notification to the band administration main menu, yet the abuse still continues throughout the charts. We are sorry that you are upset by this, but it is a feature that we cannot reinstate at this time.

Oh that really sucks. So again, the fix is always to impact everyone and error on the side of a "worse" problem. I've used the feature only once, for an actual update and was so appreciative it was there. Myspace requires you to remove your song and re-upload it, which means everyone who's linked to it on their page would lose it and have to add it again AND your counter restarts...blah blah blah. So when I noticed Soundclick offered that feature, I was absolutely thrilled.

Now to stop some jerk offs cheating to get higher chart spots - which I don't entirely get - it's going to cost everyone who's song has been added to someone's "radio station", direct links distributed throughout the web, download and play counters, and etc - just like Myspace. Or Facebook. Or any social networking site, as far as I know. I thought that was the advantage to going to a music networking site - the sensibility musicians need.

Maybe I'm alone on this one but I think that's a worse problem than cheating for chart position. Besides the whole chart position thing is silly anyway. It would be better if songs were rated on a scale and that was figured in with number of plays. This is another reason why determining position by number of plays is just voodoo logic.

I just opened a mixposure account...


Yeah, this is bad news. I like to keep my charts rating while maintaining updated mixes. What they did here is pretty ****ed.

I don't really care all that much about standings (although I admit--I check every morning just for kicks.) But just to make it more difficult for us? Weird...and annoying.

Still investigating this via google. It's a hot topic on many online forums. On one forum, somebody emailed Soundclick and got the following form letter in response:

Like the notice says, that feature is no longer available due to constant abuse by artists to retain chart standings and unfairly gain higher plays for new songs. We have tried several times warning offenders, even adding a warning notification to the band administration main menu, yet the abuse still continues throughout the charts. We are sorry that you are upset by this, but it is a feature that we cannot reinstate at this time.


Best Regards,
Ally Byrd
SoundClick Staff

It's pasted word-for-word from the only official comment on soundclick.com that I could find.

I am still not sure how updating a file alters the chart ranking. I don't give a spit about chart rankings, but I do like to update songs. It's how I experiment with different techniques and determine whether they're helping or hurting the way a low-bitrate song plays over the internet.

I am also reading complaints on the soundclick forum by members claiming their posts have been deleted after complaining about this policy. Perhaps we need to start a list of soundclick alternatives (other than -ugh- MySpace).

EDIT:
While perusing the Soundclick charts, I've begun to see the problem they're trying to address with this ham-fisted approach. The #1 song on the Classical chart: "T-Mic Beats". #2 on the Jazz chart: "Smidi Beats". (Guys selling "beatz", who knew there was even a market for that.)

And at #3 on the Rock charts, where he's been for 3 years straight, the amazing Rick Gross. I don't like to put down an artist's hard work, and I'm sure Rick does the best he can like all of us. But he's clearly manipulating the chart rankings for his own ego.

i dont understand how updating can increase ratings.
what people are doing is using software to create views
they should be going after those people. this one guy
has been in the top 3 since ive been on soundclick.

its obvouse he is creating views using software

Who really cares about soundclick chart positions anyway, it means absolutely nothing in real world terms?

When I first discovered Soundclick, it looked like a good place to download some free music. Turns out, that's not the case at all.

I have found some true gems, but they are few and far between. With no filtering, you have to sift through thousands of clunkers to find a handful of good ones.

The charts could serve as a much-needed filter and make it more fun for listeners, except that they are useless in their current form. (If you're a classical music fan, you probably aren't interested in "beatz", but that's the #1 song under Classical!)

dave (bit) - I noticed too that Rick Gross has topped the charts for a long time, but I assumed he was using some software to hit his play page all the time to keep the numbers up. how does updating the song translate to keeping the song at the top spots? I'm confused about how they're related?

For those that have 'paid' accounts at Soundclick and who are unhappy with this sudden change of 'update' policy is to cancel the VIP account, therefor hit them where it hurts most... the hip pocket

For sites such as Myspace? I use that primarily for keeping in touch with family and friends! Ha! I don't use MySpace player.

That said, it's probably best to instead of paying Soundclick get your own site through Go-Daddy... for a deluxe account it's only $6.99 or less (if purchased for one year or more) and get your own player and use that on sites such as MySpace which is not only great for keeping in touch with family and friends but also ideal for building up your fan base especially if you plan to sell your CD at Amazon or CD-Baby it's always great to have your own 'official' website and use that for 'working on the mix to get it final'

Don't narrow your posting down to one site, use the free SoundClick once you have determined the mix is final after using your own site first (before all other sites) to get your mix finalized and THEN post it on your free SoundClick account, your free MySpace account (using your own player and/or link to your own site), your free Mixposure account, your free OurStage account, and your free whatever other sites are available! Like I said there is no need to pay and no need to narrow it down to one site! As an artist with a CD available it's best to get your music out there to as many sites as possible.... marketing being the 'keyword' (example: also build a fan base, give away free MP3, provide guest books for fans to reply) if your fans loves your music than that's what matters most and nothing pleases me more than getting positive feedback from my fans.

I plan to get my own site soon through Go-Daddy (deluxe plan) my own site dedicated to my music so I can do as I want, upload better quality MP3 files, my own player, do a remix, do an update, another update, update again and again

-

MB.... my personal site is hosted by go-daddy. It's very inexpensive. I bought Web Pro 6 and now 7 at Staples for about $40 IIRC to create the web site. It only took a few hours over two or three days and very little effort to create the multipage site. You can also insert MP3's and video right into your site, and all the files are hosted on the GD servers.

Web Pro lets you test the site in a simulated web condition before actually posting it... so you can check your links and such....and see what it all looks like before going live.

I opted for free hosting so you see a banner ad but you can pay a few dollars per month to "loose" the banners.

There is in fact a program out there that claims to increase your MySpace or SoundClick download count. One is called "SoundClick mp3 Plays Increaser" (they obviously don't have a marketing department).

right - I had heard about that and that's what I assumed rick gross was doing. it wouldn't be that difficult software to write, I'd think, just to get it to look like a different IP address each time and it doesn't even take playing the whole song to "count" - just loading the link is all that matters, so flooding it with hundreds of plays shouldn't be that difficult to accomplish.

but unless people are buying your song (or "beatz") from soundclick because you're at the top - the WTHeck does it matter? pride? boasting rights? sheesh.

Hi Janet

Basically what Herb said, it can be inexpensive and easy using the right applications. IMHO I would rather do that than pay SoundClick

If you need custom graphics done then shoot me a pm, I'll be happy to help you with that.

Well thank you! I'll look into it.

Maybe my 20-month-old grandson can help me figure it out--I guess he just found his dad's iPod Touch yesterday, unlocked it and found his favorite movie on it. I couldn't even do that! LOL

Just think of the claim to fame to be able to say you are #1 on soundclick (I've come close in a sub group). Think of the deals from majors pouring in, the celebrity, the groupies (ug, that gives me shudders thinking about a soundclick groupie).

So what if you screw up a good deal for people just wanting to post some music. And Mama, I've got a site, pretty easy to put up but they want a lot more money (it is almost free as is) to add music and such. That is why the free sites are so nice, since I am cheap.

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