The rise of Clubhouse made it appear as if it could be the app of the future. The exclusive invite-only application blew up along with the viral moments that were produced out of the chat rooms. Meek Mill and Akademiks became trending topics for over 24 hours after a heated confrontation on the app.
FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images
It was only a matter of time until more and more tech companies started implementing similar features. Twitter launched a test-version of this feature but even LinkedIn and Facebook are testing the waters with the audio chat rooms.
According to The Verge, Spotify has now acquired Betty Labs, the company that’s responsible for Locker Room — a live sports audio app. Though the streaming service hasn’t disclosed how much they paid, the decision to bring this feature to their platform is meant to bring artists closer to their audience. This can be for discussions, performances, or even album premieres.
The feature won’t solely be available to Spotify-approved curators but anyone who would like to host a chat. It makes this feature now makes Spotify in direct competition to Clubhouse but also apps like Twitter Spaces and Discord. There’s also a possibility that curators may also be able to monetize on these audio rooms.
How do you feel about Spotify’s new audio rooms? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.