As an artist and a member of the Soundcloud community, I have witnessed the platform's transformation from a haven for creators to a commercialized space dominated by ads and pay-to-win tactics. Many artists like myself report that the platform is now riddled with bots, making it difficult to gain genuine traction or accurately measure our reach. Moreover, we are constantly urged to pay for algorithmic recommendations of our tracks to listeners - an unfair practice on what is supposed to be a free streaming service.

Soundcloud was once dedicated solely to artists; it was free and devoid of intrusive advertisements. However, this has changed over time as more emphasis has been placed on monetization strategies such as "pay for Next Pro" which promises your tracks will be recommended. This shift towards commercialization not only undermines the spirit of artistic creation but also creates an uneven playing field where success is determined by financial capacity rather than talent.

Furthermore, there are serious concerns about botting communities manipulating plays, followers and likes counts. This fraudulent activity distorts statistics and misrepresents popularity levels - ultimately devaluing genuine achievements while rewarding cheaters who create fake stats.

We urge Soundcloud management to take immediate action in restoring its original ethos: A free platform dedicated solely for artists without ads or pay-to-win features. We call upon them to implement robust measures against bots and fraudulent activities so that true talent can shine through unimpeded by artificial barriers or deceptive practices.

Join us in urging Soundcloud management to make these necessary changes - sign this petition today!