Celebrating two decades: Shazam milestone marked
In August 2022, the music identification app Shazam marked its 20-year anniversary and a significant milestone - hitting 70 billion all-time Shazams. Launched as a text message service in the UK in August 2002, Shazam has come a long way since its prelaunch public beta phase, where the first-ever Shazamed song was "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye.
Over the years, Shazam has become an integral part of music discovery for millions worldwide. The app has introduced new tools like the concert discovery feature, which spotlights concert information and tickets on sale for shows nearby, by Shazaming a song or searching for it in the Shazam app or website.
One of the most Shazamed songs ever is "Dance Monkey" by Tones And I, with over 41 million Shazams. This track also holds the record for being the fastest to reach 20 million Shazams, taking just 219 days. Another notable record is held by "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran, which reached 10 million Shazams in the shortest time, just 87 days.
Shazam's charts have become a barometer for unexpected pop culture moments. For instance, Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" reached No. 1 on the Shazam Global Top 200 for 10 days after being featured in "Stranger Things".
The most Shazamed artist of all time is Drake, with over 350 million Shazams. His track "One Dance" is his most popular with over 17 million Shazams. In the world of Pop, "Let Her Go" by Passenger tops the list, while in the Singer/Songwriter genre, "Take Me to Church" by Hozier reigns supreme.
Shazam's impact extends beyond just the charts. Artists like CKay, who gained global recognition with "Love Nwantiti [Remix]", credit Shazam for helping them reach a wider audience. Masked Wolf, one of Shazam's 5 Artists to Watch in 2021, ended up having the most Shazamed track globally that year with "Astronaut In The Ocean."
The longest-running global No. 1 song of 2021 was "Love Nwantiti [Remix]" by Nigerian artist CKay, which became the second song to ever surpass one million Shazams in a week. This achievement highlights Shazam's role in promoting diversity in music and helping artists from all over the world gain global recognition.
As of June 2021, Shazam surpassed 1 billion Shazams per month, and as of May 2022, it surpassed 2 billion lifetime installs. Shazam joined the Apple family in September 2018, and the app is now available on various platforms, including the first Apple Watch in April 2015.
In the realm of dance music, "Prayer In C (Robin Schulz Radio Edit)" by Lilly Wood & The Prick and Robin Schulz is the top Dance Shazamed song. In the Hip-Hop/Rap genre, "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton takes the lead. For Alternative music lovers, "Dance Monkey" by Tones And I is the top choice, while "All of Me" by John Legend is the top R&B/Soul Shazamed song.
As Shazam continues to evolve, it remains a powerful tool for music discovery, connecting artists with listeners and shaping the global music landscape.
