# SoundCloud Tracks Scraper (`parseforge/soundcloud-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes SoundCloud tracks from any search query and returns each track as a flat row with title, artist, play count, likes, duration, and URL.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/soundcloud-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Marketing, For creators
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $19.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### SoundCloud Tracks Scraper

**Scrape SoundCloud tracks by any search query, artist, or keyword, up to a million per run.** Every track comes with its title, artist, play count, likes, duration, and direct URL. No API key needed. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

SoundCloud's API requires client registration and rate limits that slow down large-scale music research. This actor reads the public search feeds directly, letting you collect tracks by genre, mood, or artist name in one flat schema. It returns every match with its full metadata, ready for trend analysis, playlist curation, or catalog building.

| Who uses it | What they scrape SoundCloud for |
|---|---|
| Music curators | Build a playlist of trending tracks in a specific genre or mood. |
| Record labels | Discover emerging artists by scraping tracks tagged with a niche style. |
| Market researchers | Analyze play counts and likes to identify which sounds are gaining traction. |
| DJs and producers | Find new remixes or samples by searching for a specific track name. |

### What it does

This Actor collects SoundCloud tracks from a search query and returns each one as a flat row with its title, artist, play count, likes, duration, and URL.

- 🔍 **Keyword search:** enter any artist name, track title, genre, or mood and collect matching tracks.
- 📊 **Engagement metrics:** each track includes its play count, like count, and duration for popularity analysis.
- 📁 **Structured output:** get a clean dataset with a fixed schema, ready for spreadsheets or databases.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with SoundCloud data

**🎧 Curate a genre playlist.**

A music curator searches for 'lofi hip hop' and collects the top 500 tracks by play count to build a weekly playlist.

**📈 Track emerging artists.**

A record label searches for 'hyperpop' weekly and monitors which new artists are gaining plays and likes.

**🎵 Find remixes and samples.**

A producer searches for a popular song title and scrapes all remixes to analyze trends in tempo and style.

**📊 Analyze music trends.**

A market researcher collects thousands of tracks across multiple genres and compares average play counts to forecast the next big sound.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key** | Scrapes public SoundCloud search pages directly with no registration. |
| **Scalable runs** | Collect from one track to one million tracks in a single execution. |
| **Fixed schema** | Every track returns the same fields, so your dataset is always consistent. |

### How it compares

This actor focuses on high-volume track search with a simple keyword input, while the alternatives below offer different SoundCloud data types or broader audio transcription features.

| Feature | ParseForge | Soundcloud Tracks Search Scraper | Soundcloud People Search Scraper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track search by keyword | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| User profile scraping | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Up to 1M tracks per run | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Play count and likes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| No API key required | Yes | Yes | Yes |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from a single search query and set a maximum number of tracks to collect per run. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "lofi hip hop",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "lofi hip hop",
  "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.021 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $2.10 |
| 1,000 results | $21.00 |
| 10,000 results | $210.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [SoundCloud Tracks Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/soundcloud-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to SoundCloud through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/soundcloud-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Your search query may be too specific or contain a typo. Try a broader term, check the spelling, or test the query directly on SoundCloud's website to confirm it returns tracks.

**Why did the actor stop before reaching my max items?**

SoundCloud search results are paginated and have a finite number of pages. The actor stops when it has collected all available tracks for your query, even if that number is below your maximum.

**Why are some tracks missing play counts?**

Some tracks may have their play counts hidden or set to zero by the uploader. The actor returns whatever data is publicly visible on the search page.

**Why is the actor running slowly?**

Large requests with high max items take longer because the actor paginates through many search result pages. Reduce your max items or use a more specific search query to speed up the run.

**Why did my run fail with an error?**

SoundCloud may temporarily block aggressive scraping. Try reducing your max items, adding a delay between runs, or using Apify proxies if you are running at high volumes.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I scrape tracks by a specific artist? | Yes. Enter the artist name as your search query and the actor will return all tracks that match, including collaborations and remixes. |
| How many tracks can I collect in one run? | You can set the maximum tracks from 1 up to 1,000,000. The actor will stop when it reaches your limit or when no more results are available. |
| Does this actor require a SoundCloud API key? | No. It reads the public SoundCloud search pages directly, so you do not need to register an application or manage OAuth tokens. |
| What data fields does each track include? | Each track row includes the title, artist name, play count, like count, duration, and the direct SoundCloud URL. |
| Can I filter by genre or mood? | Yes. SoundCloud search supports genre and mood keywords. Enter a term like 'jazz', 'ambient', or 'upbeat' as your search query. |
| Can I export the results to a spreadsheet? | Yes. You can export your dataset to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML directly from the Apify platform. |
| Is it legal to scrape SoundCloud? | This actor collects publicly available data from SoundCloud search pages. You should review SoundCloud's terms of service and ensure your use case complies with them. |
| Can I schedule this actor to run automatically? | Yes. Apify supports scheduled runs. You can set this actor to run daily or weekly to track changes in search results over time. |
| What happens if my search query returns no results? | The actor will complete with an empty dataset. Try a broader or different search term, and check that your query is spelled correctly. |
| Can I scrape private tracks? | No. This actor only collects tracks that appear in public SoundCloud search results. Private tracks are not accessible. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SoundCloud Ltd. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Search query for SoundCloud tracks (e.g. 'lofi hip hop', 'jazz', 'artist name')

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many tracks to collect per run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "lofi hip hop",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQuery": "lofi hip hop",
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/soundcloud-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQuery": "lofi hip hop",
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/soundcloud-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQuery": "lofi hip hop",
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/soundcloud-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/soundcloud-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Z1CYlPaUfX2FQPsBI/builds/wRbWKOhjD70OMdNZH/openapi.json