Amazon Cranks Up Its Music Service With Podcasts

The podcasts are included in Amazon's streaming service in the US, Britain, Germany, and Japan.

By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 17 September 2020 11:04 IST

Amazon Cranks Up Its Music Service With Podcasts

Amazon Music subscribers can listen to the service at its website, through smartphone apps, or on Echo

Highlights

Amazon Music added hit podcasts such as RadioLab
37 percent of US adults had listened to a podcast within previous month
Shares in Spotify slid some three percent in trading on the NYSE

Amazon on Wednesday added podcasts to its streaming music service, tapping into a trend and taking on rivals including Spotify and Apple.

Amazon Music added hit podcasts such as RadioLab and promised a line-up of original shows from radio host DJ Khaled, actor Will Smith and others.

The podcasts are included in Amazon's streaming service in the US, Britain, Germany and Japan.

Amazon Music Crosses 55 Million Subscribers Globally

"Our customers' listening habits are constantly evolving, and we know they're looking to us to provide them with a rich experience rooted in music and entertainment," said Amazon Music vice president Steve Boom.

Amazon Music subscribers can listen to the service at its website, through smartphone apps, or on Echo smart speakers sold by the Seattle-based company.

A survey on podcast consumption this year showed that 37 percent of US adults had listened to a podcast within the previous month, a figure which has more than tripled over the past decade, market tracker Statista reported in June.

Spotify Now Available on Amazon Echo Devices in India: All You Need to Know

Weekly consumption of podcasts has also jumped, with some of the world's top publishers seeing millions or streams and downloads monthly, Statista concluded.

A follow up survey in the US found that 10 percent of younger listeners, ages 18 to 34, said they believe people should pay for podcasts and they should be ad-free, according to Statista.

"We're thrilled to offer customers a convenient podcast listening experience that fits their lifestyle," said Amazon Music podcasts director Kintan Brahmbhatt.

Productions coming to Amazon Music include a new multi-media podcast from musician Rebbeca Gomez, known as "Becky G," exploring issues and trends, with each episode devoted to nonprofit organization.

"In quarantine, with so much time to consider the world around us, it felt like the perfect opportunity to open a new line of communication and pay it forward," Gomez said.

Shares in Spotify, which features podcasts at its streaming music service, slid some three percent in trading on the New York Stock Exchange in the wake of the Amazon Music news.

Is Android One holding back Nokia smartphones in India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.