Amazon Music integrates Twitch's livestreaming functionality on its app

By Emmanuel Legrand

  Amazon-owned live gaming platform Twitch will have its livestreaming functionality integrated into Amazon Music, allowing music streaming subscribers to access livestreams and Twitch's users to stream recorded music from the streaming service. The integration covers both the app's iOS and Android versions.

  “The combination of livestreaming, coupled with the on-demand playback of songs on Amazon Music is groundbreaking,” said Amazon Music director Ryan Redington. “We’re providing artists with more tools to instantly engage with fans, and this new feature couldn’t arrive at a more crucial time in the industry." Redington said that on the first day following the integration, more than 1,000 artists had already connected their Amazon Music accounts to Twitch.

  "Together with Twitch, we’re making it possible for artists across all genres, at all moments of their careers, to harness the social power of livestreaming to create more engagement with their recorded catalogue,” said Redington.

Just windows dressing?

  For Tracy Chan, VP and head of music at Twitch, the partnership with Amazon Music "unlocks an entirely new world of live music experiences and engagement by connecting Twitch live streams and Amazon’s catalogue of recorded music. Especially now, in a time when traditional venues are closed and tours have been cancelled, musicians are looking for new ways to continue creating, connect with fans, and build community. Twitch has become the place to co-create shared live experiences, and it’s now accessible in-app for Amazon Music’s 55 million customers.”

  The USA's Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) reacted to the announcement by reminding that it was still waiting to hear from Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, following his recent testimony at last month’s House Judiciary Committee. Bezos told Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) that he did not know if Twitch – which has been an Amazon property since 2014 – allowed users to stream unlicensed music.

  ARA commented: "Time will tell if this service proves to be valuable to artists and fans or if it’s just window dressing by Amazon seeking to distract Congress and the creative community from the far more fundamental problem – Twitch’s failure to license and pay for music on its millions of streams and channels. A handful of one-off livestreams is no substitute for a sustainable music ecosystem with fair pay and fair treatment for creators every time their work is used."