Is Clubhouse “the new podcast”? Well, probably a little bit from Column A (yes), a little bit from Column B (no) and a massive chunk from Column C (maybe).
Complicating this even further by adding in a possible new category here is SoundCloud’s new partnership with Clubhouse – called First On SoundCloud Clubhouse Sessions. So the question now becomes: is Clubhouse also “the new DSP”?
Again, we must pick from Columns A-through-C.
The background to this is the First On SoundCloud accelerator programme which launched in March this year to push emerging acts. “With the new accelerator programme we’ll work directly with the artists over this year to help them drive real, meaningful advances in their careers, while helping them reach new creative milestones and growing their global fanbases,” said Erika Leone, VP of brand marketing at SoundCloud, at the time of the launch.
The new Clubhouse initiative will go out live and be hosted by DJ and producer Jasmine Solano. It will feature a different artist each week – as well as their invited peers, collaborators and fans – where they will discuss issues related to their creativity as well as the music business.
“The drop-in, all-talk experience on Clubhouse, and SoundCloud’s dynamic fan communities, both shape today’s culture,” said Leon Sherman, director of editorial at SoundCloud, in a statement. “We’re bringing these influential worlds together, the wider community and the artists’ day ones, to go deep into the creative process and help build long-term career success.”
Following the live Clubhouse, a recording will be posted on each participating act’s own SoundCloud page, perhaps admitting that this is where they will get the bulk of their listens (rather than on Clubhouse).
These are also, it should be noted, in-depth productions. The Lourdiz show, for example, runs to 58 minutes and covers a huge amount of ground.
They are, of course, good promotional platforms for the artists involved – linked into a wider marketing commitment by SoundCloud – but they are also useful resources for new artists just starting out and tentatively making their music available online.
This all slots into SoundCloud’s own remit to nurture and enable music from the grassroots up – so it is half promotional and half educational.
But what to call it? A DSPodcast?
