Spotify is planning a major push into live audio, hoping to corner the market on what it thinks could be its next big business.
Bloomberg reports the company aims to hire more than 100 people to work on the effort, and has begun talking to talent about exclusive shows, according to people familiar with the matter. The idea is to capitalize on a new market popularized by Discord and Clubhouse, which let users participate in live audio chats — a 21st century version of call-in radio shows.
Just last month, Spotify announced it was buying Betty Labs, the owner of the Locker Room app, which sports journalists and fans use to discuss major games after they happen. Spotify is already talking to hosts of its in-house podcasts about developing ideas for the new version of the app, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are still being formulated. Spotify expects to pay some talent several hundred thousand dollars to host shows.The Swedish company already operates the largest on-demand music service in the world and is trying to dominate all aspects of online audio. It has spent more than $1 billion buying podcasting companies and adding more than 2 million podcasts to its platform, hoping the shows will bring in new customers and fuel its advertising sales. Spotify has also added audiobooks.
While it’s still not clear how big the business for these live-audio apps will be, Spotify doesn’t want to risk missing out on a potentially major shift in the industry. Clubhouse, which gained an early reputation for hosting conversations about tech and investing, just raised money to fund its social audio app at a valuation of $4 billion.
Spotify’s top podcasting executives, including Courtney Holt, Max Cutler and Bill Simmons, are overseeing the programming for live audio. Cutler founded Parcast, a podcasting studio Spotify acquired in 2019, and he’s now also in charge of audiobooks. Cutler has begun talking about ideas with producers and hosts — both inside and outside the company. In one scenario, hosts of pop-culture podcasts could stage live chats after new episodes of a popular series, the people said.
Another option is for sports podcasters to talk live after a major sporting event. Simmons, host of one of the most popular sports podcasts, used Locker Room after rounds in the Masters golf tournament. Simmons, like Cutler, sold a company he founded to Spotify. Both Cutler and Simmons declined to comment on their plans.
Though Locker Room is devoted to sports, the revamped app will branch out into pop culture and music.
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