Spotify Closes Its Audio Application – What Happened?

Spotify, the popular music streaming platform, is undergoing a significant transformation with the introduction of Spotify Live.

This new feature aims to revolutionize the way users engage with live programming, providing them with the opportunity to tune into live content directly from their favorite creators’ podcast or artist pages.

The move comes as Spotify streamlines its offerings, discontinuing its previous social audio app, Spotify Greenroom, and integrating live audio functionalities into its main application.

What is Spotify Live?

Originally, Spotify Greenroom was a Spotify social audio application that allowed the user to host or participate in an audio community called a chat. The room could only host 1,000 people. The app was available for Android and iOS.

Why is Spotify killing its music app?

Spotify announced that in the coming days, its offer will have a new feature. This is Spotify Live, a new option in which users will be able to tune in to live programming through the creator’s podcast or artist page.

This functionality will be available as a standalone app and as a live streaming feature, along with your favorite music and podcasts in the Spotify app. In other words, it will be within the home menu of the music streaming platform itself.

Spotify is Closing Its Live Audio App

Listeners could access live streams, talk to artists through chats and join the presenter live. Well, as reported by Music Ally, it took two years for Spotify to decide to shut down this platform. Well, up to a point.

“After a period of experimentation and learning about how Spotify users interact with live audio, we have made the decision to close the Spotify Live app,”

said a company spokesperson to the media. He adds:

“We believe there is a future for live interactions between fans and creators in the Spotify ecosystem; however, based on what we’ve learned, it no longer makes sense as a standalone application”.

On the other hand, users who want to participate in the chat or join the host on stage can head to the Spotify Live app to do so. In this context, Spotify Greenroom (Spotify’s social audio app launched in 2021) is rebranded to Spotify Live.

“This change reflects our belief in the future of live audio creators and the life experiences delivered to Spotify’s 406 million listeners worldwide,”

the company said via a press release.

More to Know…

In this new phase, live audio on the Spotify app will be available for select original programming, starting with a new slate of exclusive, one-of-a-kind live audio events (in addition to the many live shows already featured).

The company launched Spotify Live after rebranding Greenroom in April 2022. Until then, this other worked as a standalone application that allowed one to join live conversations about sports, music, or culture and did not require an account in the music streaming service.

Spotify Live, on the other hand, was not only available as a standalone application but also within the start menu of the music streaming platform’s application. Then, this new app kept the Greenroom functions and added new exclusive content.

Spotify now decided to cancel this application,

“after a period of experimentation and learning about how Spotify users interact with live audio,”

as confirmed to Music Ally initially.

“We believe there is a future for live interactions between fans and creators in the Spotify ecosystem; however, based on our experience, it no longer makes sense as a standalone app,”

Spotify has qualified to TechCrunch.

However, the company has also said that it has seen “promising results” in the case of listening parties. I.e., listening sessions with creators, and that it will continue “exploring to facilitate live interactions between artists and fans”.