Amazon Launches New Audio App Amp To Reimagine Radio

Source: Amazon

Amazon launched a new audio app called Amp. The app allows creators to host their own radio shows with tens of millions of licensed songs from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Environment, Warner Music Group, and others. Amp has built-in discovery and notification features that help listeners find shows they are interested in. Creators can also let listeners take part in the action by taking calls.

Amazon plans to add more features to Amp in the future, such as Alexa integration and social sharing. Musicians, radio hosts, and writers such as Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, Big Boi, Zach Sang, and Guy Raz will host their own shows as part of Amazon's beta launch.

“Radio has always been about music and culture. But imagine if you were inventing the medium for the first time today. You’d combine what people love about radio—spontaneous talk, new music discovery, diverse personalities, and broad programming—with all that's made possible by today’s technology. You’d make it so anybody with a phone, a voice, and a love for music could make their own show. And that’s exactly what we’re doing,” John Ciancutti, vice president of Amp, said in a blog post.

Amazon wants to reimagine radio with Amp by making it easy for creators to become DJs and reach audiences around the world. Unlike Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, Facebook’s Live Rooms, Spotify’s Greenroom, and LinkedIn Audio Events, Amp is more focused on being a space for radio rather than social audio. Although creators and listeners can interact and engage with each other, these interactions are more likely to be focused and centered around segments.