SoundCloud has unveiled a new feature called “Suggested Tracks.” It's an algorithm that “uses your listening activity to automatically find new tracks and artists – ones that you’ve likely never heard before, but are similar to the things you already know and love.” In addition, the service has added a new “Discover” tab, which will list all of your suggested music.
Until now, SoundCloud has used “related tracks” to determine what songs automatically play after the one you were just listening to. The algorithm for related tracks was based on “a network of relations and interactions on SoundCloud,” and the recommendations could “be both directly or indirectly related to tracks in this network.” With Suggested Tracks, SoundCloud looks to end that situation, wherein seemingly random tracks would play next.
For instance, when Kanye West posted “Real Friends” to his SoundCloud in January, a song called “Lowkey” by the relatively unknown rapper Rory Fresco played afterward for millions of users. Fresco ended up parlaying the opportunity into a deal with Epic Records.
Suggested Tracks follows the launch of the paid subscription service SoundCloud Go earlier this year.
Read our streaming music feature “Up Next: How Playlists Are Curating the Future of Music.”