Music app Shazam is set to undergo a major transformation in order to change how people interact with the app.
The transformation is just one section of a larger strategy to make Shazam the beginning of the journey, not the end.
The new look will see quicker access to lyrics with direct access its music video and other related videos, as well as fast access to a variety of shows, more engaging biographies and unique recommendations.
“The redesign we’re unveiling today is part of a fundamental evolution in our consumer experience,” Rich Riley, CEO at Shazam, said.
“With these changes, Shazam is evolving to become a destination experience and content platform for artists, shows and brands.
“People will always be able to use Shazam in the way they know and love – to identify almost any song amazingly fast and purchase or share that song. Shazam’s new content-rich design, coupled with the recently launched News Feed and the effortlessness of Auto Shazam, give users powerful reasons to spend a lot more time with Shazam and to use it every day..”
A number of changes to the app such as the News Feed and Auto Shazam has seen more people grabbing their phones.
According to the release:
· Since the launch of Auto Shazam in December, people have spent 2.6 million hours – or over 100k days – effortlessly identifying music and television around them. In fact, nearly 40% of Auto Shazam matches have been for TV.
· The Shazam News Feed has been used to promote major televised events such as the Country Music Awards, Grammys and Super Bowl, helping drive viewership. When a user holds their hand up in the air to Shazam, they're showing real intent — real interest in that content. So with the News Feed, Shazam is able to reach back out to users based on past connections they’ve created with artists, bands, and brands. The News Feed has also been used to stream exclusive content; this month, Shazam hosted both the world premiere for the new Chromeo video and premiered a new track by Wiz Khalifa.
Shazam also announced the partnership with Warner Music Group, including a joint-venture label for unsigned acts as well as an enhanced marketing collaboration across WMG’s roster of artists.
The new Shazam experience is available in the Free and Encore versions for iPhone. It comes with Auto Shazam, which enables users to automatically identify the media around them, and the News Feed, which presents users with content from their favourite artists, shows, and friends’ Shazam discoveries. This new experience will also launch on Android devices in the coming weeks.
