The Rapid Ascent and Dramatic Decline of Clubhouse

In 2020 and 2021, the social media landscape was poised for a major transformation. TikTok emerged as a dominant force, introducing a fresh style of vertical video that captivated users worldwide. Meanwhile, another app, though not as widely recognized, was rapidly gaining traction and making waves in tech circles. This app, called Clubhouse, was betting big on the potential of audio as the next frontier in social interaction. It seemed like the next big thing—until it wasn’t.

In this episode of Version History, we explore the origins of Clubhouse and how it evolved from a simple audio group chat tool into a thriving platform for entertainment and creators. Join David Pierce, along with Casey Newton and Ashley Carman, as they discuss the app’s functionality, its appeal to the tech community, and the pivotal role that timing played in its rise and fall. What impact did the global pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have on its popularity? We may never know how things would have unfolded without those circumstances, but it’s clear that the situation shaped its trajectory.

This marks the second episode of the third season of Version History. Here’s how to catch every episode and all our other exciting content as soon as it’s available:
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For those interested in diving deeper into the story of Clubhouse—and perhaps reminiscing about life during lockdown—here are some resources to get you started:
* The Hot New Thing in Clubby Silicon Valley? An App Called Clubhouse
* Clubhouse’s moment arrives
* On Clubhouse, Women and People of Color Face Abuse
* Elon Musk’s Clubhouse chat with Vlad Tenev
* Mark Zuckerberg on Clubhouse
* Trouble in the Club(house)
* How Clubhouse brought the culture war to Silicon Valley’s venture capital community
* Clubhouse needs creators, but creators need cash
* Can Clubhouse keep the party going?