The rumors were true. Less than a month after Bloomberg reported that Spotify was mulling a name change for its Clubhouse competitor Greenroom, the company has officially done just that. Starting today, the live audio offering will be known as Spotify Live. Additionally, the company is integrating the live audio inside of its main app, confirming another item in that initial report.
To start, only “select original programming” will be available from Spotify Live in the app alongside music and podcasts. You won’t have to wait to check it out though as a live episode of Off the Record with DJ Akademiks will stream today. On Friday (April 15th), the company is hosting a live DJ set from Swedish House Mafia as part of the group’s album release party and it will only be available as it happens. Several other events are set for April and May, so there will be ample opportunity for you to see how Spotify Live works inside the Spotify app.
Live events will be available on the artist or show page with green labels so you can easily see them. Don’t worry if your favorite shows aren’t originals, the standalone Spotify Greenhouse — now Spotify Live — app lives on. The company says you’ll still need it if you plan to hop in the chat or join a host onstage. It’s not surprising that Spotify would give its originals preference for the new integration given the extent of its investments in programming.
Spotify launched its Clubhouse rival Greenroom last June, a few months after acquiring Betty Labs, the maker of a live audio app called Locker Room. Until now, the company kept its live audio aspirations separate from its core music and podcast streaming. However, it makes a lot of sense to combine the three in one place. If nothing else, it makes things convenient for casual listeners who don’t usually participate in show chats and won’t be a guest. What’s more, it’s far more likely someone who’s curious will give a Spotify Live session a try if they don’t have to download a separate app to check it out.
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