Spotify Quietly Shuts Down Greenroom Creator Fund

Spotify has reached a decision to shut down its live audio app creator fund. The company in an email on Monday informed applicants of the creator fund of its decision. Greenroom (now called Spotify Live) was launched last June as an app that introduced Spotify entry into the love audio space. A supposed competitor of Clubhouse, where users stream live conversations with celebrities, influencers, and other creators. 

As at when the Greenroom app launched, 2 major things were outlined that the app would allow Spotify users/creators to do. Firstly was to host or join live audio rooms once they log in. Secondly, users/creators have the ability to convert those conversations into podcasts. Spotify further announced a Creator Fund that will help fuel the new app with more content in the future. The fund was meant to attract creators through weekly payouts based on performance.

The email applicants of the creator fund received from Spotify discussed that the program would no longer continue. “We plan to shift toward other initiatives for live creators,” the company writes. The company however didn’t offer an explanation for the new decision. 

According to reports making rounds, there is so much doubt that the creator fund ever officially launched. The reports further discuss if anyone was ever paid through. As spotted by Podnews, in June 2021, the Spotify webpage called for registration and participation but also said payments were for later in the summer. Earlier this month, the same page was promising payments would begin in 2022, suggesting payouts hadn’t rolled out yet, according to the Wayback Machine. The company is yet to respond to questions on the number of funds already disbursed to creators through the platform.

Though chances that the creator fund would be resurfacing are very slim, nevertheless Spotify is focused on making the live audio app more easily accessible to listeners while taking investing seriously. Recently the company announced the name change from Greenroom to Spotify Live while also rolling out a  Livestream feature into the Spotify app (in addition to having a standalone app). Spotify Live has got a slate of exclusive programming, these include shows with celebrities like Hasan Minhaj, Swedish House Mafia, and DJ Akademiks.