SoundCloud has teamed up with Twitch to help musicians financially affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Artists, even famous ones, have been livestreaming performances to reach audiences stuck in their homes due to the pandemic. For those who are losing paid appearances in the coming weeks and months, it’s also a way to earn some income. Under this partnership, all SoundCloud Pro, SoundCloud Premier and Repost by SoundCloud creators will get their Twitch Affiliate status fast-tracked. By gaining Affiliate status, they’ll be able to earn revenue from the performances they stream on Twitch.
The music platform said in its announcement:
“It’s an unsettling time for everyone right now, and we know COVID-19 has been especially hard on musicians who were scheduled to play live shows over the next few months. Many creators are turning to live video streaming platforms to connect with their fans.”
Those who don’t have a Twitch account yet will obviously have to sign up for one first. Creators will then have to fill out a fast-track application, and then Twitch will send them an affiliate invitation within days. Once they gain affiliate status, fans can subscribe to their channels — on Twitch, that means fans are paying actual money to support their favorite creators — and they can also run ads, as well as link to their merchandise stores. Interested SoundCloud creators can already start applying for Affiliate status, though they’ll first have to be validated by a human Twitch personnel to get it.