In 2021, three guys in New York founded Nina Protocol, which they positioned as a free, independent music platform, an ethical and DIY-friendly alternative to the corporate streaming services. (One of those three founders is Jack Callahan, of the Stereogum Band To Watch Callahan & Witscher.) In May, Nina Protocol announced plans to shut down, gradually winding down all of its functions before ceasing operations entirely by July 15. Now, SoundCloud has acquired the platform.
Both SoundCloud and Nina Protocol announced the acquisition in a joint social media statement, with Nina Protocol's founders writing that the deal will ensure "the vision, context and community we built together at Nina continues to have a home that is dedicated to pushing independent music and artist sustainability forward." They describe being "inspired" by the German-based SoundCloud as "an example of a community and an ethos that resonates with our core beliefs."
In that statement, Nina Protocol's founders invite artists to post their music on SoundCloud using their migration tool, stressing that it's optional and offering free Artist Pro SoundCloud accounts until the end of the year. They have not yet disclosed the financial terms.
