SoundCloud has begun rolling out its first-ever profile verification process, bestowing coveted blue check marks on the profiles of verified creators.
The new feature is intended to “help well-known artists stand out and maintain their authenticity, and to help listeners identify these artists more easily,” according to a company blog post, with eight of the platform’s top creators — including Billie Eilish, Wiz Khalifa and Trippie Redd — among the first to receive the designation.
All other creators can request verification through a new “request verification” button within their account settings on SoundCloud, with priority going to Pro Unlimited subscribers, but must meet certain requirements to earn a check. The profile must represent a well-known and/or highly searched-for artist, collective, DJ, label, curator or podcaster; and must have a bio, profile photo and at least one uploaded track. Fan accounts and impersonators will be denied verification, as will any profiles which contain misleading information or violate SoundCloud’s terms of use.
In the post, SoundCloud also pointed out that verification checks differ from orange Pro star badges, which live on the profiles of Pro subscribers, noting that in the past, “the Pro badge was misused or misinterpreted as verification.”
SoundCloud is late to the party in terms of adding the feature: Spotify, Shazam, Apple Music, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and more platforms also have profile verification.
