Eric Wahlforss on stage at the Dublin Web Summit with Matt Black, co-founder of Ninja Tune. Illustration by Think Visual
Following his appearance on stage at the Dublin Web Summit, we caught up with SoundCloud founder and CTO Eric Wahlforss, who told us how his platform can benefit musicians willing to embrace the technology.
Just seeing how Wahlforss delighted in being on stage with Matt Black, one half of UK EDM duo Coldcut and co-founder of independent record label Ninja Tune, demonstrates his passion for music.
SoundCloud is the world’s largest audio-sharing platform, reaching more than 250m users per month and seeing about 12 hours of audio uploaded every minute. While these audio files include spoken word, comedy, and even snippets from the White House, music is by far the dominant force on the network.
However, Wahlforss is quick to point out that SoundCloud is not a broadcast medium. Rather, it is a platform that enables deep interactivity between creators and listeners. “Your biggest fans are actually co-creators,” he says, explaining how users post and re-share content, but can also add their own remixes and collaborations.
A variety of artists have made great use of SoundCloud – from the progressive house of Deadmau5 to the rock stylings Of Montreal to rapper Big Sean – and Wahlforss says it’s those that embrace the platform and all it offers that benefit the most.
Illustration by Think Visual
