Spotify’s journey into the world of live audio has been a rocky one. Three years after acquiring live audio startup Betty Labs, the company has struggled to fully utilize the technology. Betty Labs had initially launched the Locker Room app in 2020, which allowed sports enthusiasts to host watch parties and engage in live discussions about games. However, after rebranding it as Greenroom, Spotify’s attempt to create a Clubhouse clone fell short.
One of the main reasons for Greenroom’s lack of success was the current issues faced by social audio platforms like Clubhouse and Reddit Live Talk. Users complained about the app’s numerous bugs and poor audio quality, which were unexpected from a prominent music streaming provider like Spotify. Additionally, the limitation of only having 1,000 people in a room was seen as a disappointment.
However, not all hope is lost for Spotify’s live audio ambitions. In December 2023, the company launched an experimental feature called “Listening Party.” This feature allows superfans to attend invite-only live listening parties where they can ask questions in a real-time chat room, hear from the artist, and even request to speak. Spotify considers this feature to be their most promising one.
The Listening Party feature has been tested with various artists such as Lizzy McAlpine, MGMT, Bleachers, and Zara Larsson. Recently, Billie Eilish held a Listening Party for her top fans to celebrate the release of her latest album. While the event had a good turnout of 2,500 users, it was not without its flaws. The live chat responses from fans showed their excitement, but the actual live audio feature of Spotify was rarely utilized. Instead, Eilish used her piano to energize her fans about her live performance. The session ended abruptly without a proper goodbye from Eilish.
Similar complaints were made during MGMT’s Listening Party session, with fans expressing disappointment that the artists did not engage in live conversations or answer questions. The lack of an “Onstage” feature, which allows fans to ask artists questions live, made the event feel more like a group listening session rather than a true live user discussion.
Despite these shortcomings, the Listening Party feature shows promise for Spotify’s live audio aspirations. It is still in testing and currently only available in Indonesia and the US. While the discontinuation of Spotify Live was disappointing, it is evident that Spotify is making efforts to optimize its investment in Betty Labs.
In conclusion, Spotify has had its ups and downs in the live audio space. The failure of Greenroom and the limitations of previous live audio attempts have been setbacks. However, the introduction of the Listening Party feature demonstrates Spotify’s commitment to improving and expanding its live audio capabilities. With ongoing testing and potential future growth, Spotify may still have a chance at becoming a live audio powerhouse.