Regrettably, Amp, Amazon’s bold entry into the live radio app arena, is about to shut down, according to a Bloomberg report. The announcement of this shutdown was made via an internal memo from Steve Boom, Amazon Music’s Vice President.
Initially positioned to rival the popular Clubhouse, Amp allowed users to take on the role of DJs, offering commentary alongside music tracks. However, the attempt fell short in attracting users to Amazon, as per documents obtained by Techcrunch in July revealing a meager user count in the single-digit thousands.
Despite the impending shutdown, the Amp app remains available for download and continues to host live radio broadcasts at the time of this report. The official expiration date of the service has not yet been determined.
Amp’s discontinuation follows a trend in the audio services sector, where platforms have had to pivot or shut down as user interest dwindled post-COVID. Clubhouse has plans to reinvent itself as a group messaging app, while Spotify previously closed its live audio feature, a fact highlighted by Boom in his memo to Bloomberg.
Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, has been overseeing a review of the company’s expenses amid the challenging slow sales and an uncertain economy. The Amp division had experienced layoffs in 2022 and struggled to meet internal performance benchmarks, Insider reported.
Despite Amp’s closure, the room for live broadcasts within the music-streaming industry still holds potential. Amazon Music has introduced a range of shows and live-streamed performances on its sister platform, Twitch. Additionally, Apple Music maintains its official Radio network, while Stationhead, a startup credited with the idea that inspired Amazon Amp back in 2017 is still thriving.
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