Right now you can't: SoundCloud's help centre says it has temporarily paused new verification applications while it updates the process. When it reopens, SoundCloud's own guide says you'll need to be a well-known artist, DJ, label, curator or podcaster who owns the account, with a photo, a bio and at least one track.
SoundCloud's blue checkmark is meant to help listeners find the real version of well-known artists. The catch is timing. Its help centre says new applications are paused and pending ones can't be processed for now. That doesn't make this a dead end; it makes it the time to get ready.
The current status
In SoundCloud's words, it's working on updates to the verification process, so it has temporarily paused accepting new applications, and pending applications are unable to be processed at this time. If you applied and heard nothing, that's why. There's no faster route around it.
What SoundCloud looks for
SoundCloud's own guide to verification lists four requirements:
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Well known | The account represents a well-known artist, collective, DJ, label, curator or podcaster |
| Owned by the person | Fan accounts and impersonators aren't eligible |
| Clean | No misleading information and nothing that breaks SoundCloud's terms of use |
| Complete | A profile photo, a bio and at least one track uploaded |
The guide is clear that the review goes beyond SoundCloud itself. Reviewers look at whether your external links confirm who you are, and whether the profile is complete and active rather than a dormant page. Your off-platform footprint counts: press coverage, playlist placements on Spotify or Apple Music, a consistent social presence and Wikipedia entries all build the picture.
How the request works when it's open
- Log in to SoundCloud on a desktop.
- Open Settings and click Request Verification.
- Enter your artist, band or DJ name.
- Add links to your social accounts, YouTube channel or website.
Why the pause matters more than it seems
A paused process is a reset point. SoundCloud says it's updating how verification works, so the criteria could shift when it returns. That's another reason to focus on the fundamentals, which are unlikely to change: proving the account is yours, proving you're well known, and keeping the profile active. Those three hold up under almost any verification system, on SoundCloud or anywhere else. Keep a simple document with your best press links, playlist placements and official profiles, so the day requests reopen you can apply in minutes rather than scrambling while everyone else does the same. Check your profile photo and bio while you're at it; SoundCloud's own list makes both a basic requirement, along with at least one uploaded track.
It also means you should be wary of anything that claims to be a SoundCloud verification service. With applications paused and pending ones unable to be processed, nobody outside SoundCloud can move your request forward.
How to be ready for the reopening
- Finish the profile: photo, bio and a solid set of tracks, not one lonely upload.
- Link every official account you have from your SoundCloud profile, and link back to SoundCloud from them.
- Collect press coverage and playlist placements; keep a list of links so you can paste them in quickly.
- Keep posting so the profile is clearly active when reviews restart.
My verdict
Nobody can verify you on SoundCloud right now, so ignore anyone who says otherwise. Use the pause: the things SoundCloud reviews are the same things that grow a following anyway. While you wait, it's worth building your presence across platforms, starting with my Spotify marketing strategy and how to upload music to YouTube Music.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you get verified on SoundCloud right now?
No. SoundCloud's help centre says it has temporarily paused new verification applications, and pending applications can't be processed at the moment.
What do you need to get verified on SoundCloud?
SoundCloud's guide lists four things: be a well-known artist, collective, DJ, label, curator or podcaster; own the account; have no misleading information; and have a photo, a bio and at least one track.
Do playlists on Spotify help SoundCloud verification?
SoundCloud's guide says off-platform footprint matters, including playlist placements on Spotify or Apple Music, press coverage and Wikipedia entries.
Does SoundCloud Artist Pro get you verified?
No route through any plan is described in SoundCloud's verification guidance; the blue checkmark depends on being well known, owning the account and having a complete profile.
Where is the SoundCloud verification request?
When applications are open, it's in Settings on desktop, under Request Verification.
