Soundcloud Secrets - What's Next??

I'm sat in a doctors waiting room, waiting for a blood test to check my cholesterol levels. I have to do this because I'm getting older and a mixture of a growing family and a successful business (both of which I am thankful for) is putting some stress and strain on my heart.

Grandad died of a heart attack very young don't you know...

Anyway, Soundcloud is going through a very similar stage in it's own development. It's not a kid anymore and, as it grows in popularity and functionality some of the symptoms of stress are starting to show.

Let's put aside system bugs (most of which Soundcloud has been free of - no fail whale here) and focus on the social ecology around the site itself. First up: New folk.

Back in the 90's I used to go to a local venue (the arts centre) that was largely ignored by all but the most bohemian interesting folk. I'm pretty certain my arrival (along with a small band of kids from broken homes that I called my friends) was the beginning of the end for that place. We had about a year of mixing with the 'cool people' before other local teens crossed that threshold into what we will call the "pre-legal drinking age" (that age when parents realise that they are either going to deliver their offspring to a safe drinking venue, or they will sneak out and sniff glue in the park). One day the Arts Centre was full of creeps in neatly presses Levellers T's. It was the end.

The same thing is currently happening to Soundcloud. The original group of enthusiasts is being eclipsed by the mob and the famous faces. Don't get me wrong, the transition is a necessity for an online service and one that, handled well by both he incumbents and the site itself can lead to wonderful things (see Twitter and Facebook). Managed badly it can all go the same way as the Arts Centre (Myspace). The current super-users need to adapt to these new faces without losing their own identity. At the same time the site needs to ensure it's values aren't lost in trying to appease the needs of the diverse mass Market.

Another new trend: Spam.

Yep. I get offered wives through Soundcloud. I really do have enough wife. Mines currently twice her normal size and hormone level. There are also people building offsite follow bots and follow pyramids. It happened on twitter, it'll happen here.

Again this need not be a concern. Twitter is a terrible place to sell services and I'm pretty certain that Soundcloud will be even worse. The investment of time and capital to Market services through Soundcloud will prove prohibitive. We'll have a glut of crap through Christmas and then by this time next year the spammers will start to give up leaving accounts with thousands of dormant followers languishing on the cloud.

Another new trend: The Famous.

These will be split into two categories. The real celebs that put stuff on soundcloud as a means of promotion (for both Soundcloud and the celebs at first) and people that find fame on soundcloud. At some point wired will do an article on this group. They will be both loved and loathed by their fellow Soundclouders I suppose.

Anyway I'm off to get stabbed... See you later.



Sent while I was out and about and whatnot