Private Music Sharing with Password Protection and Listening Analytics
To share music privately and see who listened, put the tracks in a DropCue playlist, set a password of at least 6 characters, and send each person their own tracked link. Recipients stream in the browser with no account, and DropCue logs who opened it, which tracks each person played and whether they downloaded anything. Password protection and link expiry start on Artist ($8/mo annual); the named listening report and timestamped comments are on Pro (from $15/mo annual).
By Marc Aaron Jacobs · Updated October 11, 2026 · Every DropCue feature below checked against the product
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What the recipient sees
After the password, your recipient lands on a playlist page like these two live examples in The Marquee design: a looping video banner, your name, and tracks that play in the browser. These two are left open so you can try them without a password. Open one on your phone, the way a music supervisor would.
Last Light · Trailer pitch
For: One production company, for one trailer
A playlist made for a single client, with their name on the page. The looping banner sets the tone of the trailer before the first cue plays.
Golden Hour · Ad campaign picks
For: One agency, for one ad campaign
Campaign picks in a warm, bright look. The client opens a page made for them, not a folder of files.
What DropCue does for private music sharing, and which plan has it
Private music sharing means unreleased or confidential audio reaches only the people you choose, and you can see what each of them did with it. A link nobody can guess is not enough: anyone it is forwarded to can play it. The pieces that make it private are a password, a separate link for each person, control over downloads, an end date, and a way to switch it off.
| Feature | What it does | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Password protection | Put a password on any share link. It must be at least 6 characters, and nothing plays until the recipient enters it. The password belongs to the share, so everyone you send that share to uses the same one. DropCue can include it in the email it sends for you, or you can send it separately. | Artist, Pro, Studio |
| A tracked link for each person | Add a recipient by name and DropCue copies their personal link: the share URL with their name on the end. One playlist, one share, as many personal links as you need, and each person's activity is logged under their name. | Every plan (the per-person report is Pro) |
| Who listened, track by track | A named activity log for each recipient: opened the playlist, played track 3, downloaded track 3, with the time of each, so repeat listens show up too. A By Recipient table totals views, streams and downloads per person, and the playlist shows listener countries on a map. | Pro, Studio |
| Listen time and completion | The playlist report shows a completion rate and an average listen time, so you can see whether the playlist as a whole holds attention. These are playlist averages, not per person. | Pro, Studio |
| Downloads on or off | Turn downloads off and recipients can only stream in the browser. Set it for the whole share, then override it for one person, for example downloads on for the music editor and off for everyone else. | Every plan |
| Link expiry | Make a link stop opening after the number of days you choose. Give one recipient a different expiry date without touching anyone else's link. | Artist, Pro, Studio |
| Revoke access | Switch a link off and nobody can open it, while your plays and comments stay saved. Switch it back on later without resending. Remove one recipient to close only their personal link, or delete the share entirely. | Every plan |
| Listen notifications | A notification in your DropCue bell when a recipient streams or downloads, grouped per listener so a ten track session is one alert, not ten. DropCue does not email you on every play. | Every plan |
| Timestamped comments | Recipients click the waveform at 1:42 and leave a note pinned to that second. You read every note in the playlist's Stats, and you can hide comments on any share. | Pro, Studio |
| Totals only | Artist shows total views, streams and downloads with 30 day trends, but not who did what. Upgrade to Pro to see each person. | Artist |
For the full listening report, from completion rates to the activity log, see music playlist analytics. For notes pinned to a second of the waveform, see timestamped music feedback.
How to share music with a password and see who listened
About ten minutes the first time. Steps 1 to 5 work on Artist; step 6 needs Pro.
- Upload the tracks. Drag your WAV, AIFF or MP3 files, or a whole folder, into your DropCue library.
- Put them in a playlist. Add the tracks in the order you want them heard. Pick a design for the page, such as The Marquee if you want a looping video banner at the top.
- Create a share link and set the password. Open Share on the playlist, type a password of at least 6 characters, choose whether downloads are allowed, and optionally set the number of days before the link expires.
- Add each recipient by name. Type a name and DropCue copies that person's personal tracked link. Repeat for everyone on the list, or let DropCue email each person their link and the password.
- Send it. Paste each personal link into your own email, or send from DropCue. Recipients open it in any browser on any device, with no account and no app.
- See who listened. Open the playlist's Stats. The By Recipient table and the activity log show who opened it, which tracks each person played, what they downloaded and when (Pro).
- Follow up, then close it. Follow up first with the people who played the most tracks, downloaded, or came back on another day. When the window ends, switch the link off, remove a recipient, or let the expiry date close it for you.
Password-protected music sharing compared: DropCue vs Songbox, DISCO, Samply, Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, SoundCloud and Box
Three of these are built for music and show what gets played: Songbox, Samply and DropCue. DISCO names recipients in its playlist stats. The file tools can lock a link but cannot tell you who listened.
| Tool | Password on the link | Link expiry | Downloads off | See who listened | Price for these |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DropCue | Yes, Artist and up (6+ characters) | Yes, Artist and up; per recipient too | Yes, every plan; per recipient too | Named log per recipient: tracks played, downloads and when; playlist completion rate, listen time and countries (Pro) | Artist $8/mo annual for password; Pro from $15/mo annual for who listened |
| Songbox | Yes, PIN or password-protected links (Basic) | Yes, set when access starts and ends | Yes, downloads can stay disabled | Yes: when the link is opened, what gets played and how long they listen. Also email lock, country limits and play limits | Basic $6.30/mo annual (50 tracks, 10 playlists); Pro $21/mo annual |
| DISCO | Yes, on Artist and Pro (not Plus) | Yes, expiring URLs on Artist and Pro (not Plus) | Not listed on the pricing page | Playlist stats name recipients when shared by email or assigned to a contact; listen duration not documented | Artist $10.80/mo annual ($12 monthly) incl. password and stats; Plus and Pro priced per user |
| Samply | Yes, Indie plan | Not documented | Yes, "download prevention" on Indie | Listener Insights: each play with the portion played and city; names only for signed-in listeners | Indie $5/mo; time-coded comments free |
| Dropbox | Yes, Professional, Essentials and business plans | Yes, same plans | Yes, same plans | No listening stats; people who open a shared link show only as an anonymous Guest | Paid Professional or business plan |
| Google Drive | No password option on shared links | Only on eligible work or school accounts | Yes, viewers can be blocked from downloading | No; anyone-with-the-link visitors are not named | Free with a Google account |
| WeTransfer | Yes, every plan including free | Free and Starter up to 3 days; Ultimate unlimited | No; a transfer exists to be downloaded | Download tracking shows who downloaded and when; no playback stats | Free; Ultimate $25/mo |
| SoundCloud private links | No; anyone with the secret link can listen | No; reset the secret link to cut off old copies | Yes, downloads stay off unless enabled per track | No per-listener identity documented for private links | Free |
| Box | Yes, paid accounts (8+ characters) | Yes | Yes, "Can view only" links | Access stats on Starter and up; anyone-with-the-link visitors show as an IP or location, not a name | Paid Box plan |
Checked on each vendor's own site on October 11, 2026. Sources: DropCue, Songbox, DISCO, Samply, Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, SoundCloud private links, Box. Prices change, so check the vendor before you buy.
Honest read. If lock-down controls matter most (email lock, country limits, a cap on plays), Songbox has more of them. If you want passwords and listener insights for the least money, Samply's Indie plan is $5 a month. DropCue fits when you pitch to named people: a personal tracked link per recipient with their own download and expiry settings, timestamped comments, and the pitching, portfolio and catalog tools around it, with Pro from $15 a month annual. Comparing DISCO directly? See DropCue vs DISCO.
What DropCue does not do
- No audio watermarking, so a leaked download cannot be traced back to one recipient.
- One password per share, not one per recipient. Use separate shares if two groups need different passwords.
- No play-count caps or country restrictions on a link.
- No email on every play. Listens arrive as in-app notifications and in the playlist's Stats.
Private music sharing FAQ
What is the best way to share music privately and see who listened?
Use a music sharing platform that combines a password with a personal tracked link for each recipient, not a file host. In DropCue you set a password of at least 6 characters on the share, add each person by name to get their own link, and the playlist Stats show who opened it, which tracks each person played and what they downloaded. Password protection starts on Artist ($8/mo annual); the named listening report is on Pro (from $15/mo annual). Songbox and Samply also pair passwords with listening analytics; Dropbox, Google Drive and WeTransfer do not show who listened.
Can I password protect a playlist?
Yes. In DropCue, open Share on any playlist or album, type a password of at least 6 characters and save. Nothing plays until the recipient enters it. The password is set per share, so you can send one playlist with a password to a label and the same playlist without one to a trusted collaborator. Password protection is on Artist, Pro and Studio.
How do I track who listened to my music link?
Give each person their own link. In DropCue you add a recipient by name and it copies a personal link for them; when they open it, every view, play and download is logged under their name. On Pro, the playlist's Stats show a By Recipient table and an activity log such as "Sarah played Track 3, 2 hours ago". One generic link sent to ten people only tells you that someone listened.
Can I see how long someone listened to each track?
Not per person. DropCue shows the completion rate and average listen time for the whole playlist, and the activity log shows which tracks each named recipient played and downloaded and when, so a second listen on another day is visible. It is on Pro and Studio.
Do recipients need an account to listen?
No. Recipients open the link in any browser on desktop or phone, enter the password if you set one, and press play. There is nothing to install and no sign-up.
Can I stop people downloading my music?
Yes. Turn downloads off on the share and recipients can only stream in the browser; you can still allow downloads for one named recipient. This works on every DropCue plan. No streaming page can stop someone recording their speakers, and DropCue does not watermark audio, so keep truly sensitive masters to people you trust.
What happens when a link expires or I switch it off?
The link stops opening for everyone it applies to. Your plays, downloads and comments stay saved, and you can switch the link back on or extend it without sending a new URL. Removing a single recipient closes only their personal link.
Which DropCue plan do I need?
Artist ($8/mo annual, $10 monthly) includes password protection, link expiry, download controls and total plays. Pro (from $15/mo annual, $19 monthly) adds who listened track by track, listen time, timestamped comments and a portfolio. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial with no credit card. Verified music supervisors use DropCue free.
How does DropCue compare with Songbox for private sharing?
Both put a password on the link and show what gets played. Songbox has more lock-down options (email lock, country limits and play limits) and its Basic plan starts at $6.30/mo annual for 50 tracks. DropCue adds a personal tracked link per recipient, per-recipient download and expiry overrides, timestamped comments, and pitching tools for composers and sync teams, with Pro from $15/mo annual. Checked on songbox.com in October 2026.
Related: Music playlist analytics · Send music without a login · Sharing unreleased music with labels · Pricing