SoundCloud Acquires Nina Protocol as Indie Platform Shuts Down

Nina Artists and Archive Move to SoundCloud

As Nina Protocol winds down operations, the platform's artists and editorial content are moving to SoundCloud under a newly announced acquisition deal. Founded by Mike Pollard, Nina earned a loyal following among underground musicians by letting artists sell tracks directly to fans while keeping control over pricing and ownership. Its editorial team also built a reputation for covering niche scenes.

Nina artists can choose to move their catalogs, followers and other content to SoundCloud through what the company called a streamlined migration process. SoundCloud is also taking on Nina's editorial archive and genre map, according to a blog post published by the company.

Latest Move in SoundCloud's Independent Artist Push

The acquisition reflects SoundCloud's ongoing effort to win over independent musicians. Over the past 12 months, the company has introduced fan-powered monetization features, expanded its distribution services and added merchandising tools, all aimed at helping artists sustain their careers outside the traditional label system.

The deal also follows a familiar pattern in the music industry: smaller platforms built around artist empowerment struggling to survive independently and eventually getting absorbed by major players. Bandcamp was acquired by Epic Games in 2022 before being sold to Songtradr a year later following Epic's restructuring of the platform.

Founders Sought Home That Honored Platform's Values

Pollard said his team wanted to find a home for Nina's artists and editorial legacy that would honor what the platform had built. "Nina has always been about empowering independent artists and documenting the communities that drive music forward. SoundCloud built that foundation: without SoundCloud, there wouldn't be Nina," he said in a statement. "As we considered the future of the platform, we wanted to ensure our artists and editorial work found a home that shared and actively practiced those values. SoundCloud was the natural choice."

SoundCloud has not disclosed financial terms of the deal. The acquisition was announced July 22, 2026.