SoundCloud has published its first-ever “Music Intelligence Report,” an annual snapshot of the platform’s top artists, breakout tracks and the genre shifts shaping the sound of tomorrow.
Framed as a discovery-driven counterpoint to mainstream charts, the report underscores SoundCloud’s mission to spotlight emerging movements before they go global. According to the platform, 46.5% of all listening on SoundCloud in the past year was dedicated to music released in the last 18 months—nearly double the 26.7% industry average reported by Luminate.
The findings strengthen SoundCloud’s identity as a launchpad for emerging talent and evolving genres. Among the biggest takeaways: Electronic is now the fastest-growing genre in the United States. Based on listening trends, it ranks second in US-based popularity behind hip-hop and takes the top spot in the UK.
c/o SoundCloud
Within electronic music, UK Garage/Bassline is building momentum, with 31% more plays over the past year and a 20% growth clip expected. Artists like Sammy Virji, Scruz and Notion are leading the charge.
Minimal and tech house are also trending upward while trance is seeing a revival on the platform, thanks to artists such as Ben Nicky and Symmetrik.
You can find SoundCloud’s full “Music Intelligence Report” here.