Amazon Cuts Jobs in Music Division as It Adjusts Priorities

Amazon is making job cuts in its music division, including its audio streaming platform and digital storefront for songs.

The number of positions affected has not been revealed, but the cuts began in October and primarily target Amazon Music’s editorial and audio content team, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (Nov. 8).

These job cuts are separate from Amazon’s previous rounds of layoffs that began last year, according to the report.

“Like many businesses, we have been closely monitoring our organizational needs and prioritizing what matters most to customers and the long-term health of our businesses,” an Amazon spokesperson said in the report. “As a result, some roles have been eliminated on the Amazon Music team. We will continue to invest in Amazon Music and spend our resources on the products and services that matter most to customers, creators and artists.”

These reductions in the music division may indicate a shift in focus toward the company’s Prime Video streaming platform, according to the report. In October, CEO Andy Jassy expressed confidence in the potential of Prime Video during Amazon’s third-quarter earnings call, highlighting the company’s increasing conviction that it can be a large and profitable business as it continues to invest in exclusive content. Prime Video already hosts the National Football League’s Thursday Night Football games.

These job cuts come after Amazon’s largest-ever corporate job cuts last year, which affected 27,000 positions across the company, the report said.

It was reported in October that Amazon was shutting down its live audio app, Amp, which allowed users to play music and talk alongside the songs. Amp was launched in March 2022 and capitalized on the surge in popularity of live audio services during the pandemic. However, after considering future investments, Amazon decided to shut down Amp and use the knowledge gained to enhance fan experiences on Amazon Music.

During the company’s October earnings call, Amazon reported that advertising services-related revenues gained 26% year over year and Jassy said ad spending will see an even greater tailwind as eCommerce spending continues.

“We have barely scraped the surface with respect to figuring out how to intelligently integrate advertising into video, into audio and into grocery,” Jassy said at the time.