SoundCloud used to be a DJ’s dream, with the ability to easily upload, host, and share mixes on a popular platform that also allows for discovery. Then they started taking down mixes which incorporated any copyrighted material – which, as anyone who has ever been to a club before knows, equals roughly “every mix ever made.”

The main issue was a program called “automated content identification”, which SoundCloud began using in 2010 to flag content that copyright holders had previously asked SoundCloud to block. As the platform became more popular, the amount of flagged content grew, until remixes were continuously being pulled, with repeat offenders having their accounts terminated – not an ideal result for a DJ with millions of Soundcloud followers, or a bedroom warrior who slavishly put together something to upload in order to get club work.

This will now be a problem of the past. Soundcloud founder Eric Wahlforss has told Groove magazine the company has come to an agreement with the necessary licensing groups in order to keep remixes hosted on the platform, “problem free.”

This is a wise move for SoundCloud, especially after negotiations with Spotify to purchase SoundCloud recently broke down. While Spotify has constantly been at war with copyright holders over royalty rates, it seems SoundCloud were able to do business with rights holders quickly and satisfactory.

As of now, it’s a victory for both DJs and copyright holders, but it’s yet to be seen if this will remain the case.

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