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Strategy

Amazon to Launch ‘Project Mic’

The app will give users the ability to make and distribute a live radio show, complete with music.

Another tech giant is jumping on the social audio bandwagon.

Amazon is building a Clubhouse competitor codenamed “Project Mic” that will give users the ability to make and distribute a live radio show, complete with music, according to The Verge.

Listeners would be able to use the app, as well as Audible, Amazon Music, Twitch and Alexa-equipped devices, to hear radio shows. The idea, according to The Verge, is to reinvent radio, particularly during drivetime. “A mockup image viewed by The Verge depicts a screen listing shows that are currently live; trending topics, like #NBA or #hot100; and featured creators. Users will also be able to search for content by topic, name or music,” writes The Verge.

podcast microphone

Amazon’s music catalog will be available for creators to pull from, and though the app is music-focused, programming will also center on pop culture, comedy and sports. To begin, Amazon plans to recruit celebrities and other influencers to bring content and raise awareness of the app.

Amazon is also toying with sharing live music, according to a report from Axios. “The idea is that users could access live concerts or performances through their Amazon Music accounts. The company is in touch with major record labels about live audio events with artists,” Axios writes.

Since the advent of Clubhouse, live audio has been a growing trend in social. Promo companies should take note because of the opportunities live audio offers to cultivate thought leadership and humanize your brand. It’s also worth keeping an eye on how people’s media consumption habits are changing and what that might mean for your company’s content marketing strategies.

Besides Clubhouse, which facilitates group conversation through a series of voice chat rooms where users can drop in and listen, there’s Twitter Spaces, which allows anyone with a Twitter account and more than 600 followers to host a conversation. In addition, Facebook is launching Live Audio Rooms, which will let Groups on the app host live chat rooms. And Spotify Greenroom is a live, audio-only app for artists and other creators to connect with fans via discussion rooms.