Online music platform Musiccloud has launched in Nigeria, allowing users to discover, stream, download and share music from emerging local artists.
Musiccloud aims to connect music lovers with new and alternative Nigerian artists and DJs, and provide a platform for artists to showcase their work.
On registration, artists create a profile to which they can upload their music. Users can opt to stream or download tracks, and they can also share their favourite music via social media buttons.
To find music, users can search on the platform, as well as make use of the “Discover” function – which introduces users to new music through an algorithm developed by Musiccloud.
Further features include Musiccloud Bleep, which helps music lovers stay up to date with their favourite artists by sending SMS notifications whenever their chosen artists upload new content.
According to co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Ability Elijah, there are music services available which cater to Western regional markets, however, there is a gap in the market for a streamlined, easy-to-use service dedicated to emerging and alternative local Nigerian music.
“We face competition from the likes of Soundcloud and Reverbnation, whose platforms are built with Western folks in mind,” says Elijah.
“Musiccloud is built for Nigerians and Africans, and we aim to continuously study the market, as well as keeping everything simple on the platform – from surfing around to streaming and downloading; simple.”
Musiccloud hard-launched in January this year, following months of beta testing. The service has already amassed over 2,000 registered users.
The startup aims to build out based on multiple revenue streams: a range of subscription options for premium content; audio adverts; featured music; and collaborating with record labels to scout new talent.
While Elijah and his team have ambitious plans to scale over Africa – and even to take Nigerian music to other global regions -, for now, the startup is focusing on growing its user base, attracting more artists, and improving its service offering – with a number of new features under development.
