Amazon today announced new perks for Prime members that could set some subscribers away from other music services like Apple Music and Spotify. According to the company, Prime subscribers will now be offered a full music catalog of 100 million songs, instead of the limited selection of 2 million songs he previously offered, topping the service with most of her podcasts ad-free. make it available. Additionally, the Amazon Music app has been revamped with a new “podcast preview” feature. This includes the ability to let customers listen to short clips as a way to discover new podcasts they love.
The move is a blow to streaming music competitors, especially Spotify, which is entering the podcast market as a way to generate additional revenue. But Spotify’s paying subscriber base is frustrated by the fact that they have to listen to podcast ads even though they pay for the service. Amazon Music’s promise to offer ad-free podcasts in addition to its full music catalog could be a compelling alternative, the retail giant hopes.
Image credit: Amazon
Among our ad-free podcasts are shows from top brands like CNN, NPR, The New York Times, ESPN and more.
Other ad-free shows include “Dr. Death,” “SmartLess,” “Even the Rich,” and new Amazon exclusives including “MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories;” “Suspect: Disappeared in the Snow” “COLD Season 3: The Search for Sheree;” “Killer Psyche Daily” “I Hear Fear” narrated by Academy Award-nominated actress Carey Mulligan. Also, the former NBA player has a weekly bonus episode of his episode of “The Old Man and the Three” hosted by JJ Reddick. Her Amazon-exclusive podcast by actress and entrepreneur Keke Palmer (NOPE), her series “Baby, this is Keke Palmer,” also debuts today.
In announcing the news, Amazon acknowledged that Prime Music’s limited catalog is no longer the big selling point for consumers it once was.
“When Amazon Music first launched for Prime members, it offered an ad-free catalog of 2 million songs, which was completely unique in music streaming at the time,” said Amazon Music vice president. , Steve Boom said in a statement about the launch. “We will continue to innovate for our customers and provide even more entertainment on top of the convenience and value that Prime members already enjoy. , can’t wait to experience the largest selection of top ad-free podcasts at no additional cost to your membership,” he added.
Along with expanding the service and ad-free podcasts, the Amazon Music app gets a new look. Most notably, the launch of the new Podcast Preview feature. This helps customers listen to a short soundbite from a podcast episode and decide if it’s to their liking.
Amazon says Prime members can access their full music catalog using the main Amazon Music app. The app also offers standard features like the ability to shuffle artists, albums, or playlists, stream personalized playlists, and download songs for offline listening. You can’t stream music on demand without upgrading to a tier, but a larger catalog might make sense for casual music listeners who prefer a more laid-back experience.
Amazon Prime Unlimited, the company’s extensive music service to date, isn’t going away. For $8.99/month or $89/year, the service gives users on-demand access to all songs in HD (16-bit/44.1 kHz) and UHD 24-bit/44.1-192 kHz) quality on all devices. . Additionally, this premium tier offers millions of songs in spatial audio format.
The change follows Amazon’s move earlier this year to increase the annual price of its Prime free shipping program from $119 to $139, especially in the current economic climate where consumers are struggling with the cost and cost of goods. Given that, it raises concerns that Prime membership is too expensive. gasoline. Amazon recently added other perks like Grubhub+ memberships, but its large music catalog could be a better selling point if customers can cancel and switch between different music subscriptions. there is.
Additional Report: Ivan Mehta
