Stay Ahead: DSP & UGC Platform Updates July 2025

From deeper fan tools to smarter marketing strategies, July’s updates show how music discovery is evolving and how independent record labels can stay ahead. Whether it’s Super Listener insights on Spotify, new community spaces on YouTube, or closer fan relationships through vinyl drops and SMS on SoundCloud, this month’s DSP & UGC news is all about boosting authentic connections, increasing visibility, and creating lasting momentum for your artists.

Spotify: Focus on Super Listeners, Not Just Streams

Spotify’s latest guide show how labels and artists can go beyond chasing casual plays. Instead, they’re highlighting Super Listeners—the small segment of fans who drive over 18% of an artist’s monthly streams, generate half of ticket sales, and are 9x more likely to share your music.

These listeners aren’t passive. They intentionally stream from artist profiles, saved libraries, and release pages. They stay engaged, support your drops, show up at your shows, buy your merchandise.

Spotify offers a range of tools from audience analytics to Marquee, Showcase, and Countdown Pages designed to identify and nurture Super Listeners at every stage of the fan journey.

What to do:

• Use the Segments tab in Spotify for Artists to identify Super Listeners
• Re-engage fans with Marquee and Showcase campaigns
• Drive loyalty by activating Countdown Pages, adding tour dates, and keeping your profile updated
• Analyze Release Engagement to track Super Listener behavior post-launch

🔗 Here is Spotify’s Super Listener Guide

Apple Music updates its Motion Artwork guidelines

Apple has updated its Motion Artwork Guidelines and refreshed its official vendor list, making it easier for artist teams, record labels, and music distributors to deliver animated visuals that meet compliance and design standards. With the upcoming iOS 26 release, animated album covers will appear on iPhone lock screens, offering a high-impact new placement for visual storytelling.

What’s New

• Updated Motion Artwork 2025 guidelines now live
• Motion visuals will appear on lock screens in iOS 26
• New approved vendor list includes trusted partners like Rotor Videos and Immersity AI

What to Do Next

• Submit motion artwork for all high-priority releases moving forward
• Use Apple’s curated vendor list to streamline production and meet technical standards
• Plan ahead and ensure motion assets are delivered in time for the iOS 26 rollout

🔗 Apple Motion Artwork Guidelines

🔗 Here are Apple's Approved Vendors

YouTube: Communities + Concerts on Artist Channels

YouTube is doubling down on tools that help artists connect directly with fans and monetize live shows—across both mobile and desktop.

The new Communities feature is now rolling out to all creators with access to Posts, including Official Artist Channels. Artists can enable this fan-only space to share updates, ask questions, and cultivate deeper engagement directly on their profile. Moderation tools and mobile-only posting help keep things manageable, and early results show strong fan uptake.

Learn how to enable Communities:

🔗 Here is YouTube Community Feature Help Guide

YouTube is also expanding the Concerts tab for eligible artist channels. Upcoming shows now appear directly beneath videos on in a dedicated tab on mobile.. Concert listings are synced from Bandsintown, making it easier to sell tickets where your audience already is.

Set up and manage your concert listings:

🔗 YouTube Concert Integration with Bandsintown

What to do:

• Turn on Communities to post updates and drive conversations with superfans
• Share behind-the-scenes content or polls in your Community to boost visibility
• Ensure your Bandsintown profile is accurate to display available concert tickets on YouTube
• Leverage concert features to drive direct-to-fan sales from video views

SoundCloud: Launch Vinyl + Text Fans Directly

SoundCloud x ElasticStage

Still wondering if SoundCloud matters? According to Chartmetric’s 2025 research, over 80% of the fastest-growing artists on SoundCloud operate outside mainstream genres, making it a critical early-stage platform for discovery especially in electronic music.

They have just launched a new vinyl-on-demand service for Artist Pro users, powered by elasticStage. Artists can now sell vinyl globally with no upfront costs or inventory, turning streams into physical sales.

What to do:

• Join SoundCloud’s Artist Pro tier to access vinyl-on-demand tools
• Join the waitlist to get notified when you’re approved to launch your first vinyl release
• Once approved, select your tracks, upload artwork, add credits, and submit for review
• SoundCloud and elasticStage will handle manufacturing, shipping, and fulfillment as orders come in
• Promote your vinyl via SoundCloud, email, and socials to drive fan purchases
• Use analytics to choose fan-favorite or evergreen tracks worth pressing

🔗 Join the Artist Pro Vinyl Waitlist

SoundCloud x Subtext

SoundCloud has also partnered with Subtext to bring back SMS fan messaging. Artist Pro users now get a dedicated artist number and can send up to 10,000 texts/month—with open rates over 98%.

What to do:

• Upgrade to SoundCloud Artist Pro to access Subtext SMS tools
• Apply your discount ($41.25/month) and activate your Subtext line
• Promote your SMS signup via smart links, landing pages, and social posts
• Use your line to send exclusive content (tour dates, presales, sneak peeks)
• Keep messages short, personal, and opt-in only
• Monitor performance—track open and click-through rates inside Subtext

🔗 Read More on SoundCloud’s Subtext Integration

TikTok: Songwriters Step Into the Spotlight

TikTok has launched Songwriter Features (in beta) which is a new initiative to credit and elevate songwriters on the platform. For the first time, songwriters can now showcase the tracks they’ve written, share their stories, and appear side-by-side with their songs on TikTok profiles.

Backed by research from MIDiA and an internal songwriter survey, the update reflects growing demand for better visibility and recognition of behind-the-scenes talent.

New Features

• Songwriter Account Label: Get verified as a songwriter directly on your profile
• Music Tab: Highlight tracks you’ve written or co-written
• #BehindTheSong campaigns to tell stories behind the hits
• Add to Music App and “New” tags for boosting discovery and engagement

What to do:

• If you’re a songwriter, join the waitlist (EU / US / ROW) to request access to the beta program (via publisher)
• Use the #BehindTheSong tag when posting storytelling content
• Encourage your publisher to apply for the Songwriter Features rollout
• Promote credited songs via TikTok to boost visibility and catalog value

🔗 Read more about the TikTok Songwriter Features Announcement

Instagram: Now Discoverable via Google Search

Instagram content is now showing up in Google Search—bringing posts, Reels, and profiles into public visibility beyond the app. This shift brings Instagram closer to platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest, where social search already drives music discovery.

For independent artists and labels, this opens up a new SEO channel to reach fans beyond those that are following you.

What to do:

• Use clear, descriptive captions: include genre, mood, or audience (e.g. “new EP for hip-hop fans”)
• Add alt text to images and videos using keywords like song title, vibe, or lyrical themes
• Use text overlays on Reels and posts with artist name, song title, or theme
• Refresh your bio so it clearly states who you are, what you make, and where to listen
• Use tools like Google Trends, TikTok Creative Center, and AlsoAsked to understand what fans are actually searching for

This applies to business and creator accounts. Opt-out options are available in your Instagram settings.

Stay Ahead, Stay Informed

A lot is changing—fast. But one theme runs through July's ’s updates: deeper fan connections, smarter data, and greater control over how your music is discovered and credited.

Whether you’re running a label, distributing tracks, or managing artists, these small shifts add up.

We’re here to help you spot them early, so you can stay one step ahead.