Key Points:
• Shazam has surpassed 100 billion song recognitions since its launch in 2002.
• This milestone is equivalent to 12 songs identified per person on Earth, or a person identifying a song every second for 3,168 years to reach 100 billion.
• Shazam’s latest innovation includes Music Recognition on iOS and macOS, allowing users to quickly identify music around them or within apps, and a Shazam widget on Apple Watch, which proactively suggests music recognition when music is detected nearby.
As a tech journalist, I’m thrilled to report that Shazam has officially reached a major milestone, surpassing 100 billion song recognitions since its launch in 2002. To put this remarkable achievement into perspective, it’s equivalent to 12 songs identified per person on Earth. Imagine a person identifying a song every second for 3,168 years to reach this staggering number!
Shazam’s rapid growth is a testament to its ability to keep pace with global music trends and moments. For example, during this summer’s games in Paris, Kavinsky’s "Nightcall" became the most identified song in one minute. This achievement highlights Shazam’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of music discovery and connecting over 300 million monthly active users with the artists they love.
As Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, Oliver Schusser, notes, "This monumental milestone not only reflects how much people enjoy using Shazam, but also their appetite for new music. Music discovery is at the core of everything we do, and we keep innovating to make sure music lovers around the world can tap the Shazam button no matter where they hear music playing!"
Shazam’s journey began in 2002 as an SMS service in the UK, and its introduction in the App Store in 2008 brought its music recognition technology to millions of users. When Shazam joined the Apple family in 2018, it propelled the service into a new era of tech advances and innovations, offering music fans more and faster ways to discover music than ever before.
Recent innovations include Music Recognition on iOS and macOS, which allows users to quickly identify music around them or within apps, and a Shazam widget on Apple Watch, which proactively suggests music recognition when music is detected nearby. Additionally, the integration of Shazam into the Action button on recent iPhone and Apple Watch models enables music recognition with a simple press-and-hold, making it even easier to name that song.
If you’re an iPhone or Apple Watch user, take advantage of Shazam’s latest features to discover new music and connect with your favorite artists. And if you’re an Android user, don’t miss out on the fun – updated Wear OS and Quick Settings tile offer direct access to your history and song identification.
As Shazam continues to push the boundaries of music discovery, we can’t wait to see what’s next. In the meantime, listen to Shazam’s Top 100 Songs of All Time on Apple Music and experience the excitement for yourself!
Don’t forget to check out some new iPhone Tutorials.