Amazon Music subscribers across all tiers can now stream podcasts for free. Listeners in Germany, Japan, the US, and the UK can tune in to their favorite shows and discover exclusive content hosted by DJ Khaled, Becky G, Will Smith, Dan Patrick, and more.
“Our customers’ listening habits are constantly evolving, and we know they’re looking to us to provide them with a rich experience rooted in music and entertainment,” Amazon Music Vice President Steve Boom said in a statement. “With this launch, we’re bringing customers even more forms of entertainment to enjoy, while enabling creators to reach new audiences globally, just as we’ve done with music streaming.”
“Podcasts, paired with our recent partnership with Twitch to bring live streaming into the app,” he continued, “makes Amazon Music a premiere destination for creators.”
Millions of episodes of popular podcasts are rolling out each day. Audiophiles and true crime enthusiasts, meanwhile, can look forward to the February launch of Disgraceland, “a podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly,” according to the show’s website. Did Jerry Lee Lewis get away with murdering his fifth wife? How did Sid Vicious and Sam Cooke really die? Tune in next year to find out.
“Partnering with Amazon Music allows me to really give my listeners what they’ve always asked for: more Disgraceland content,” host Jake Brennan, cofounder of Double Elvis Productions, said. “We’re enhancing the future of the show for fans, expanding our output of content by moving to an ‘always on’ weekly schedule, which will translate to more episodes for listeners on a more consistent basis.”
Amazon has also teamed up with some of the biggest names in the business to produce original content, like DJ Khaled’s “The First One” interview podcast; weekly video broadcast “En la Sala” with Becky G; and “That Scene with Dan Patrick”—a collaboration with IMDb to dissect memorable scenes from the biggest films and TV series.
Start listening on your phone during the morning commute, plug in headphones and continue on your work computer, then finish an episode at home by asking Alexa to resume playback.
“We’re thrilled to offer customers a convenient podcast listening experience that fits their lifestyle,” Kintan Brahmbhatt, director of podcasts for Amazon Music, said. “Never before has listening to podcasts on the move, in the car, or at home been so simple. Our customers will be able to utilize the voice functionality they know and love with music, to now enjoy a superior podcast experience and uncover a brand-new selection of favorites.”
