SoundCloud audio previews
BeatStore 4.x can stream a public SoundCloud track as the beat preview. Upload and Dropbox remain fully supported.
SoundCloud previews use OAuth Client Credentials:
- Resolve track permalinks over HTTPS with an authenticated request
- Fetch stream URLs from SoundCloud’s streams endpoints
- Cache the access token and resolved preview per beat (cleared when you save)
The old public client_id query-string URLs and third-party resolve proxies are gone. If SoundCloud previews stopped after upgrading, add API credentials as below and re-save affected beats.
Requirements
- A SoundCloud API application (SoundCloud for Developers). SoundCloud currently gates apps (Artist Pro may be required: check their latest developer policy).
- Your app’s Client ID and Client Secret.
Configure credentials
- BeatStore → Integrations.
- Open the SoundCloud card.
- Paste Client ID and Client Secret.
- Save. Saving tests the connection.
A success notice means BeatStore can request stream URLs. Leave the secret blank on later saves to keep the stored value.
Credentials are stored as a WordPress option (beatstore_soundcloud). 4.x does not read wp-config.php constants. The Integrations screen is explicit: nothing belongs in wp-config.
If credentials are missing, SoundCloud-sourced beats will not get a playable preview URL. Upload and Dropbox previews are unaffected.
Per-beat setup
- Edit a Download / Product.
- Set Audio preview to SoundCloud.
- Paste the public track permalink (for example
https://soundcloud.com/yourname/track-name). - Update.
BeatStore resolves the permalink server-side, prefers a progressive HTTP MP3 when available, caches the result for a few hours, and clears that cache when you save the beat.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| Preview won’t play | Integrations connected, then clear page/object cache |
| Still silent after credentials | Track must be public and streamable off-platform; private / blocked / geo-restricted tracks won’t work |
| Artwork missing | Featured image is your WordPress thumbnail |
| Works after save, fails later | Rare CDN expiry: re-save the beat to refresh the cached stream URL |
See also Troubleshooting.
Notes
- Prefer progressive HTTP MP3 when SoundCloud provides it so the player can play without HLS.
- Attribution rules still apply: see SoundCloud’s Terms and Attribution Guidelines.
- Related: Add New Music / Beats · Dropbox audio previews · Protect uploaded previews (Media Library only)