By Nathalie Voit
Retail giant Amazon announced the launch of a new mobile app called Amp, which allows users to “DJ their own live radio shows for free” by inviting callers and playing tracks from its fully licensed catalog of music.
The free, limited-access U.S. beta will enable creators to curate their own playlists, host their own shows, and share their own mixes–no subscription, additional hardware, or editing required, Amazon said. Creators will have access to tens of millions of licensed songs from some of the biggest publishing labels, including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group.
“Radio has always been about music and culture,” said vice president of Amp John Ciancutti. “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. Amp makes it possible for you to grab the mic and run the airwaves. We are creating a new version of radio that will have an infinite dial of shows.”
According to Amp’s App Store description, show hosts will be able to access millions of licensed songs from major and indie labels at no extra cost, share their own playlists, listen to songs in real-time with their audience, pre-plan and schedule their shows, take live callers with control over who speaks, and alert their listeners to upcoming programs.
For those not ready to “run the airwaves,” they can tune in to top creators’ shows for free. Listeners can call in to live shows and interact with hosts and other guests in real-time. Participants can also find and follow creators and upcoming shows using the app’s built-in discovery features, Amazon said.
“It’s easy to share your voice and favorite songs with the world on Amp,” the app’s description reads. “Decide on a show title, create a playlist, and you’re just seconds away from streaming your own radio show to live audiences and taking callers.”
The app is currently in testing mode and only available to those with an access code. However, Amp will be fully available to the public once the app officially launches, Amazon said.
