Amazon has opened up the beta program for their new “create your own radio show” service called Amp.
Best described as if social audio platforms like Clubhouse, Spotfiy Greenroom, or Twitter Spaces allowed you to play music, Amp is currently only available on iOS devices. In a blog post introducing the platform, Amp Vice President John Ciancutti describes it as, “Radio has always been about music and culture. 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.”
The free-to-use app allows creators to create and schedule shows that include the airplay of the licensed music at no charge, take callers, and built-in discovery and notifications. Future additions include Alexa integrations, social sharing, and “innovative new search and discovery features that will connect listeners with the creators delivering the content they are looking for on the dial”.
Amp will also feature shows from celebrities including Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, Tinashe, Lindsey Stirling, Travis Barker, Lil Yachty, and Big Boi as well as radio personalities such as former Westwood One host Zach Sang, former KROQ midday host Kat Corbett, public radio host Guy Raz, and Christian James Hand.