SoundCloud announces overhaul of royalties model to 'fan-powered' system

Streaming company says it will start directing money from subscribers to the artists they actually listen to

SoundCloud announced on Tuesday it would become the first major streaming service to start directing subscribers' fees only to the artists they listen to, a move welcomed by musicians campaigning for fairer pay.

Current practice for streaming services including Spotify, Deezer and Apple is to pool royalty payments and dish them out based on which artists have the most global plays.