Amazon Launches Amp, A Clubhouse Lookalike That Turns Host Into A DJ

Recall in October 2021, when we brought reports of Amazon being the latest addition of tech companies ultimately taking a leap into the live audio space. Ever since Amazon has been making plans to reinvent the radio experience with an app like a clubhouse. Today, Amazon announces that the wait is over with launches its Clubhouse competitor, a new app called Amp. The new app by Amazon is more all about listening to music rather than chatting.

Amazon explains that once a user signs up, you have the ability to host your own live show and also with the ultimate ability to stream “tens of millions of licensed songs.” The songs are said to be from the big three record labels and “a long list” of Indies. The focus of the new app by Amazon is to give every user the ability to program a playlist, interact with listeners, chat with call-in guests and be a radio DJ.

Amazon has revealed that whatever side a user is, be it a host or a listener, users wouldn’t have the need to subscribe to any particular service to tune in. As long as a user has signed up on Amp and agreed to the user’s policies, such users can listen to full-length songs as long as possible at absolutely no cost.

Although the reception for the new Amazon app is still unknown and the growth for it may be a little too early for discussion, however, the fact that Amazon is gradually positioning this as more of a radio-style service than a live chat service remain obvious. Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces have done similar things and remain major players in the live audio space, Facebook isn’t left out today as it continues to take its share of the market. Although all these live audio services have one thing or the other unique to their niche none of them has the music licensing agreements as Amazon has proven. As a result, these live audio services focus more on conversations between hosts and their guests. Amazon has joined the live audio space and is absolutely serving something different by giving every user a shot at being something like a college radio DJ.

In a bid to encourage more people to tune into Amp, Amazon has decided to do the new school way by bringing some celebrities on board to host and kick things off. Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, Tinashe, Travis Barker, Lil Yachty, and Big Boi are all celebrities that have been lined up to stream via Amp. The company hasn’t disclosed what the stream would be all about, but fingers are crossed for further details. For now that Amp is in its early stages, there won’t be monetization incentives for (non-celebrity) hosts at launch, Amp spokesperson Rebecca Silverstein has revealed that Amazon has a plan to add features that incentivize creators in the very near future. What that means is that Amazon is not only joining the live audio space but also joining the list of social platforms that rewards creators for the hard work they put in.

The multinational technology company has also revealed that there has been some work done in the area of moderation ahead of launch. Usually, apps don’t always discuss this part publicize or even, necessarily, think through, however, Amazon is very big on this. A “comprehensive community guidelines” and “a 24/7 moderation team” with the ability to review reports and take action on the violations of its policies have been put in place.

While he loves audio service launches today, it’s starting off with a fairly limited beta. For now, the live audio service is only available on iOS and only in the US. For now, the multinational technology company is yet to comment if an Android or web version is in the works. Rumours say as a result of the complexities around music rights across regions it’s most likely it will take a while for Amp to scale globally. However in other to gain access there will be a waitlist.

At the end of the day, the new Amazon app -Amp takes a lot of look from Clubhouse, but the addition of free music has relatively drawn more compelling attention — and it’s something expensively easy to say that competitors won’t likely be able to recreate such app just like that.