Estate planning as a SoundCloud account holder
SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG reviews transfer requests for accounts individually upon receipt of documentation
OverviewWhen someone dies
SoundCloud is a music streaming and creator platform with 300M+ tracks. Unlike Spotify, SoundCloud allows anyone to upload music, making it a significant repository of original creative work. Creator accounts hold uploaded tracks, playlists, followers, reposts, comments, and potentially monetization revenue through SoundCloud for Artists (fan-powered royalties, $25 minimum payout, net 60 payment terms). Creators retain ownership of their uploaded content, but all content is irretrievably deleted upon account termination. SoundCloud does have a bereavement process: verified immediate family members or estate representatives can request to lock, delete, or transfer ownership of a deceased member's account by contacting legal@soundcloud.com. There is no legacy contact feature.
After a SoundCloud account holder dies, SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG may transfer accounts to a designated recipient, but this is handled case by case. The outcome depends on the documentation provided and is entirely at SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG's discretion.
What happens at death
SoundCloud has a bereavement process for deceased community members. Verified immediate family members or those authorized to act on behalf of the deceased's estate can contact legal@soundcloud.com with required documentation. After verification, SoundCloud can lock, delete, or transfer ownership of the account depending on the requester's wishes. The terms of use state: "You may not assign this Agreement...to any third party without the prior written consent of SoundCloud." Upon account termination, "any and all Content residing in your account...will be irretrievably deleted by SoundCloud, except to the extent that we are obliged or permitted to retain such content...in accordance with applicable laws." Account ownership is verified by control of the email address used to create the account.
How to protect your SoundCloud accounts
SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG does not guarantee transfer of accounts after death. Lifetime planning provides options for managing accounts and controlling who has access to them.
5 lifetime planning steps for your SoundCloud accounts:
1
Back up all uploaded tracks locally. SoundCloud is not a backup service. If your account is terminated (by you, by SoundCloud, or by the estate), all uploaded content is permanently deleted. Keep original files in a location accessible to your executor.
2
Share your SoundCloud account credentials with your executor. Self-service content download and account management require login access.
3
If you earn monetization revenue from SoundCloud, document this income stream for your executor. Include details about your monetization program enrollment and expected payment schedule.
4
Make important tracks downloadable. If you want fans or family to preserve your music, enable the download option on each track. This allows anyone to download the audio without needing your account credentials.
5
Document whether you distribute music through SoundCloud alone or also through a distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, etc.). If SoundCloud is your only distribution platform, your music disappears entirely when the account closes.
Family sharing
SoundCloud has no family sharing features. Each account is individual. SoundCloud Artist and Artist Pro subscriptions are tied to individual accounts. There is no mechanism to share a subscription or link accounts.
When someone dies
Handling SoundCloud accounts after a death
Transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis, 7-step process, and 5 required documents.
View details →SoundCloud does not support beneficiary designations. Unlike bank accounts or investment accounts, there is no way to formally name a beneficiary on this type of account.
Frequently asked questions
The privacy policy states personal data is retained for 3 years following the end of the year in which the account was cancelled, then deleted unless legally required. However, uploaded audio content is irretrievably deleted immediately upon account termination. SoundCloud is not able to provide CSV exports of account activity data.
Sources
Data sourced from SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
