Skip to main content

Amazon Music adds podcasts, will roll out exclusive shows

As previously rumored, starting on Wednesday, September 16, Amazon Music is adding the ability to listen to podcasts in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Japan across all tiers of its service.

It is also creating new, original, and exclusive content with celebrities and artists such as DJ Khaled, Becky G, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith.

Recommended Videos

At the same time, in a move that echoes Spotify’s acquisition of the Joe Rogan Experience, Amazon Music has said it will become the exclusive home of Disgraceland, a popular music industry-based true-crime podcast, starting in February 2021.

All of the content will be available via Amazon Music apps for iOS and Android as well as on all Amazon Echo smart speakers.

Amazon Echo users have been able to listen to podcasts before today’s announcement, however, it required the use of a third-party skill like the Apple Podcasts app.

As expected, Amazon Music won’t simply give its listeners the ability to subscribe to any podcast directly. Instead, in order for a podcast to be available on the Amazon Music platform, it must be submitted to Amazon Music via this page.

Amazon Music says it won’t interfere with a podcast’s existing advertising or embed its own ads, but it does require that the ads adhere to Amazon’s content policies, which can be quite restrictive. Content that is banned within ads includes coupon sites, fertility clinics and research, free non-Kindle eBooks, and online pharmacies, to name a select few.

Because the submission process includes a partnership agreement with various Amazon entities, it gives Amazon a tremendous amount of control over whether or not a podcast remains available to its audience of more than 55 million listeners.

Shows such as Crime Junkie, What A Day, Radiolab, Revisionist History, Planet Money, Ear Hustle, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, and Stuff You Should Know are available now on Amazon Music.

DJ Khaled’s exclusive Amazon Music show, The First One, will arrive on the platform “soon” and will feature interviews with Khaled’s favorite artists about the hits that made them iconic and eventually legendary, according to Amazon’s press release.

“I’m recording my podcast with the greatest musicians of all time, and with some of my best friends who also happen to be the most iconic artists on the planet,” said DJ Khaled. “We’ll talk about fame, fortune, life, and success. These stories are here to motivate you because everybody starts from somewhere, from the ordinary to extraordinary.”

Becky G’s exclusive weekly show, called En la Sala, will focus on the Latinx community, with interviews that cover themes such as Latinx pride, women empowerment, LGBTQ+ rights, relationships, politics, and sports.

Dan Patrick and IMDb are also creating a new Amazon Music-only show featuring exclusive interviews with top Hollywood stars. Called “That Scene with Dan Patrick,” the podcast will dissect memorable scenes from some of the biggest films and television series.

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Audio is creating a co-production with Audible, though no details about the project have been released.

Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
Apple Music adds three new radio stations for Latin, club, and chill fans
An iPhone displaying the Radio tab in Apple Music.

Apple Music has just doubled the number of its live hosted radio stations from three to six, with the addition of Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill. The new stations are available now, from anywhere in the world. They join the existing radio lineup that includes the flagship Apple Music 1, Apple Music Country, and Apple Music Hits. Despite that they live under the Apple Music brand, you don't need an Apple Music subscription to access these stations -- they're available for free in the Apple Music app on both mobile and desktop platforms or on the web.

Apple Música Uno, as the name suggests, is a dedicated station for global Latin music, hosted at launch by Becky G. She'll be joined by fellow Latin stars Rauw Alejandro and Grupo Frontera, who will each host their own shows.

Read more
Apple Music Replay 2024: where to find it and how to see your listening stats
Apple Music Replay 2024

One of the earliest signifiers that the end is nigh (of the year, that is) is when the major music streaming services start releasing their fun and interactive lists of all your listening stats for the year. Spotify has its annual Wrapped (arguably the most popular), Amazon Music has its Delivered, and Apple Music has its Replay 2024, which was released to its subscribers today.

I'm not trying to be cheeky -- I actually love these year-end roundups that offer a personalized and detailed data-driven account of the artists, albums, songs, playlists, genres, and stations that each user has listened to over the course of the year. But it doesn't stop there, as the major streaming player also compiles a year-end list of top-ranked music globally that includes cool stats such as most-played songs, albums, and artists of the year, as well as some fun additions like most Shazam-ed songs (Apple owns the music identification service) and most-read lyrics.

Read more
Audible’s audiobooks are now included with Amazon Music Unlimited
An iPhone with Bose headphones showing the Amazon Music app with a promotional message for Audible audiobooks.

Starting today, Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers in the U.S., UK, and Canada can access Audible's entire catalog of audiobooks from within the Amazon Music app. They can also listen to one audiobook a month as part of their existing subscription.

"The combination of Amazon Music and Audible, two pioneers in audio streaming, brings an unmatched selection of audio entertainment to customers,” said Steve Boom, Amazon's vice president of Audio, Twitch, and Games in a press release. “Amazon Music redefined audio streaming through the magic of Alexa, and with the introduction of high-definition and spatial music. Today, Amazon Music introduces the audiobook category to a brand-new audience by making Audible’s industry-leading catalog of audiobooks available to Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers.”

Read more