SoundCloud Scores Early Release of French Montana’s ‘Grimey’

Photo Credit: SoundCloud

Want to hear French Montana’s newest track? You’ll have to follow the artist on SoundCloud to do so, as the platform has made “Grimey” available to superfans ahead of its scheduled release across all services as part of Wave Gods 2: Cosmos Brothers.

“Grimey” arrived on SoundCloud this past Friday, one week before the wider May 22nd debut of Montana’s and Max B’s Wave Gods 2. All told, that collaborative album will encompass 26 songs, two of which, “Smoking pt. 2” and “Bet it All,” having dropped as singles on all major services.

But only SoundCloud is streaming “Grimey,” which is identified by a “Follower Exclusive” label on Montana’s profile. As some will recognize, the early release didn’t materialize out of the blue; SoundCloud in late March announced the aptly named “Follower Exclusive Releases” feature with DJ Chris Stussy.

The move marked the latest in a long line of DSP efforts to stand out in the ever-competitive streaming arena. Though said efforts haven’t quite ushered in a return to the single-platform exclusives of years past – meaning works available to stream through individual services – things might be trending in that direction.

To be sure, SoundCloud upon unveiling Follower Exclusive Releases emphasized that artists could share new works with their diehard fans “for a limited time or indefinitely.” Meanwhile, Apple Music is now the exclusive streaming home of EDC Las Vegas, and Amazon Music’s hosting exclusive Stagecoach and Primavera Sound Barcelona livestreams.

Then there are Amazon Music originals, plenty of Amazon-exclusive merch, and Spotify’s long-discussed goal of adding a tier geared towards ultra-enthusiastic supporters.

What about the bigger-picture significance of streaming exclusives’ ongoing reemergence?

On one hand, limited-availability music has prompted (and will probably continue fueling) retaliation from rival DSPs. On the other hand, superfan monetization is certainly a key focus and, according to some, may help solve the space’s far-from-ideal royalty realities.

(Has that focus caused oversaturation? WeVerse, Berriz, Even, Stationhead, OpenWav, Tune.fm, Fave, and on-demand DSPs are vying for a limited number of ultra-dedicated supporters. Also, Warner Music’s been quiet for a while about the status of its proprietary superfan app, which was originally expected to launch in 2024.)

And if SoundCloud can demonstrate that there’s room for a model powered by core followers as opposed to just plays, perhaps a streaming-wide win will result. For now, Follower Exclusive Releases participants are continuing to tout the feature as an effective way to reward their most passionate backers.

“SoundCloud has always been about connecting directly with the people who really ride for you,” French Montana added. “For me, giving my fans early access to this record is about bringing them into the experience first and showing love to the community that’s been supporting me from day one.”