23-03-2022 by MNP
The new Amazon Amp app has launched in beta in the United States. It will allow users to create their own radio shows for free and interact with their community.
After launching the Luna cloud gaming platform, Amazon continues to diversify its offering and launches into live audio. A revolution? Not really, the US giant Amazon is only joining the ranks of Twitter, Facebook, Spotify or even Clubhouse, which it was slightly inspired by. The beginning? It allows users to create their own radio shows by making available a catalog of tens of millions of songs licensed from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and a long list of independent music companies, such as Beggars Group, Believe, CD Baby and PIAS. Creators can also engage with your community in real time without a subscription.
Amazon's Amp app offers new opportunities for creators
Gone are the days when pirate radios flourished here and there. On Tuesday, March 8, with the launch of the Amp app, Amazon strips down the radio by giving it a facelift. While its competitors (such as Clubhouse) only focus on voice conversations, the Amp app goes one step further and aims to offer a new way to create a live radio show and discover music.
"Radio has always been music and culture. But imagine you are inventing this medium for the first time today. You would combine what people love about radio: spontaneous discussions, discovery of new music, diverse personalities and extensive programming , with all that today's technology makes possible. This is precisely what we wanted to do with Amp," said Amp Director John Ciancutti.
In addition to giving creators the ability to plan and schedule their shows, aspiring hosts will be able to take live calls and access a catalog of tens of millions of songs licensed from major independent labels to spice up their shows.
Amp also partners with music's biggest stars. Many programs will be available on the platform. Scheduled will be Nicki Minaj (who will soon return to the "Queen Radio" show), but also Pusha T, Tinashe, Travis Barker and Big Boi to name a few. Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant, as well as an integrated discovery tool, are in the works and will aim to help listeners find content creators and listen to radio shows based on their interests.
"By bringing these amazing personalities into beta, creators can experience Amp in a way that generates the feedback needed to build the app together, ahead of its public launch later this year."
At launch, there will be no monetization features for live listening session creators, they will be added in the final release. The beta is currently only available for download in the United States and only on iOS devices. Subscribers will need to create an Amazon account to access the app and will only be able to access it with an access code.
A version of Amp on Android should arrive shortly, but details on when the app will be available have not been communicated at this time. Although the competition is stiff, Amazon's Amp app has managed to stand out and may be on its way to becoming a new social network.
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