Amazon is tuning into the radio business — or, a 2022 version of radio.
The company revealed a new app called Amp on Tuesday that allows users to DJ their own live radio shows complete with a catalog of millions of licensed songs and the ability to engage with callers.
The limited-access beta is available on iOS and is free to use.
John Ciancutti, vice president of Amp, said in a blog post that Amazon is creating a new version of radio that will have an infinite dial of shows.
“Radio has always been about music and culture,” Ciancutti said. “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.”
The Amp website runs new users through some best practices for getting started, including how to set up a profile, start listening, call in, start a show, grow a community and more.
The app has built-in discovery and notifications, so listeners can find and follow creators and upcoming shows, Amazon says. Hosts can take callers and have control over who speaks and when. Hosts can also pre-plan and schedule shows, and listen to songs in real time with their audiences.
Amazon is no stranger to audio content. Amazon Music and the Amazon-owned Audible audiobook company expanded into podcasts in 2020. The company also acquired the Wondery podcast production studio.
Spotify previously launched an audio experience that combined music and talk content.
Amazon has already signed up music personalities such as Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, and Travis Barker, as well as popular personalities and radio hosts to promote the launch of Amp.
“A person with their own unique music taste doesn’t have to land a job at a radio station to reach an audience,” Ciancutti said. “They just need to launch a show from their phone on Amp and reach anyone.”
In Amazon’s blog post, Ciancutti discusses more in a Q&A about how Amp will “reimagine radio.”
