The sound and music identification app Shazam changed all that.
Like Google, Shazams name has crept into popular consciousness as both a verb and a noun.
In fact, a song or sound identified by the app is known as a Shazam."
Image Credit:Chris Barton
That isnt all it has in common with Google since Shazam is an innovative, sound search engine.
Keep reading to find out more about Shazam’s origins.
However, the service was already up and running for years.
When the prototype of Shazam debuted in 2002, no one had smartphones.
Users would call a hotline and then hold their phone up to the speaker.
The app would identify the song details to the user.
After all, cell phones were pretty basic.
Shazam co-founder Chris Barton toldpodcaster Danielle Newnhamvia Medium.
In 1999, Barton got the idea of creating a music identification service.
He was an MBA student at the time and regularly bounced business ideas off classmate and friend Inghelbrecht.
Here are two photos of the founders of Shazam shot 20 years apart.
At the time, several other companies were working on developing a music identification service limited to radio play.
This wouldnt be useful if you heard a song you want to identify in a club or shopping.
The technology was developed by Shazam co-founder Avery Wang who took the lead in creating the algorithm.
In 2002, Shazams database contained one million songs, as reported bythe Guardian.
It usually took about 15 seconds to identify whether the song was in the database and to identify it.
Even remixes, cover versions, and background noise are not problems for Shazam.
Starting 2000: Shazam Entertainment, LTD is formed.
Wang developed new music and sound identification technology.
April 19, 2002: “Jeepster” by T-Rex was the first song Shazamed.
September 2002: Cleanin Out My Closet by Eminem was the first song to reach 1,000 Shazams.
July 2008: The Shazam app debuted in the brand-new Apple App Store.
The first song identified using the iPhone app was How Am I Different by Aimee Mann.
October 2008: Shazam became available to Android users.
February 2012: TiK ToK by Ke$ha was the first song to reach one million Shazams.
April 2015: People can now Shazam using their Apple Watch.
May 25, 2017: The game show “Beat Shazam” premiered on Fox.
September 2018: Apple acquires Shazam, reportedly paying $400 million.
June 2021: Monthly Shazams reach 1 billion.
May 2022: Shazam exceeds 2 billion lifetime installs and 70 billion Shazams.
Not only can it help you discover music, but it helps you build your library and playlist.
The Future for Shazam
Shazam changed how people interact with and discover music.
Will it continue to do so under the helm of Apple?
