SoundCloud has claimed the top spot in Legitary's 2023 music streaming accuracy rankings, outperforming industry leaders Spotify and Apple Music. This assessment is based on Legitary's comprehensive analysis of streaming platforms' data reporting accuracy and transparency.

Legitary, an AI-powered auditing company from Vienna, evaluates platforms using 'Anomaly Scores' - where lower scores indicate more accurate reporting. Their analysis spans billions of streams across multiple digital service providers (DSPs) worldwide.

Key Findings:

• SoundCloud leads in accuracy despite having fewer subscribers than major competitors
• Spotify and Apple Music follow closely in second and third place
• Deezer and Apple Music showed notable improvements
• YouTube's ranking declined
• TikTok consistently ranks lowest due to challenges in tracking viral content spikes

Understanding the Rankings:

Legitary's methodology focuses on measuring significant reporting discrepancies in streaming numbers. The Anomaly Score evaluates:

• Under-reporting of streams
• Over-reporting of streams
• Consistency across different markets
• Historical data alignment

Notable Implications:

1. Smaller platforms can achieve higher accuracy than industry giants
2. Reporting quality varies significantly among DSPs
3. Consistent patterns emerge between top and bottom performers

According to Legitary CEO Nermina Mumic, transparent reporting remains crucial for the music industry's sustainable future. The rankings demonstrate that innovation and quality commitment can challenge established market leaders, while highlighting the ongoing need for improved reporting standards across all platforms.

The findings emphasize the importance of accurate stream counting for fair artist compensation and industry transparency, suggesting a potential shift in how streaming platforms prioritize reporting accuracy alongside user growth and revenue generation.

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