Tech

Shazam Gets a Record Deal. Yes, I Mean Shazam the App.

One of the coolest apps on my phone is Shazam, the magical song identifier-and-tagger.  It’s used by almost 100 million people 500 million times a month to identify songs they hear on the radio, on TV, in clubs and in live situations.

Every time we use Shazam, data is collected–and that data is extremely valuable.   I know of at least one major label that uses Shazam  to identify hotspots for certain artists and songs across the country using just the app’s free features.  But that’s just the tip of the iceberg–and Warner Brothers wants to see more of what’s below the surface.

The label will soon announce a deal with Shazam to create a label just for new artists who are discovered through Shazam. In other words, Shazam is about to become a big part of Warner’s A&R efforts.

Read more at the New York Times.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39881 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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