Spotify is shutting down its live audio app, Spotify Live, a format that has been struggling to survive the pandemic.
As Spotify announced Music Ally, the company is shutting down Spotify Live. This independent live audio app, formerly known as Spotify Greenroom, came into existence after being acquired by Betty Labs in 2021 for $62 million. Shortly after the deal was finalized, Spotify renamed the startup’s Locker Room app Spotify Greenroom and opened up the experience on offer to include topics other than sports. Then, almost a year ago, the streaming giant decided to rebrand the platform once again and integrate some of its features into the main Spotify app.
Spotify is shutting down its live audio app, Spotify Live
“After a period of experimentation and learning about how Spotify users interact with live audio, we have made the decision to discontinue support for the Spotify Live app,” said a Music Ally spokesperson. “We believe there is a future for live communication between fans and creators in the Spotify ecosystem; however, according to our findings, it no longer makes sense to do this in a dedicated application. We have promising results in his artist-focused ‘group audition’ scenarios, which we will continue to explore and try to facilitate live interaction between artists and their fans.”
The format that is fighting for survival after the pandemic
The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that Spotify Live is shutting down. Spotify first announced the launch of live audio in 2021, at the height of the pandemic, when the practice was very popular – thanks in part to the resounding success of Clubhouse. CEO Daniel Ek predicted that the format would become ubiquitous. “Like Stories for video, where every major platform integrates them and uses them as a way for their users to connect with each other, I also see live audio in the same way,” he said. “I expect them to be on all platforms.”
However, the company canceled a large number of live audio series late last year, a clear sign of its willingness to temper its ambitions. It should also be noted that Spotify is not the only company to distance itself from this format. Last May, Facebook parent company Meta announced the end of support for several of its audio products, including Soundbites, a short audio sharing tool it launched in 2021.