What it does
Shazam is a powerful music identification tool. At its core, the app listens to music playing nearby and quickly tells you the song's name and artist. Beyond this primary function, it serves as a broader music discovery platform, offering access to lyrics, artist pages with top tracks, and global music charts. A significant secondary feature is its integrated concert finder, which helps users find and save live events for artists they've discovered.
Where it shines
The app's strength lies in its speed and simplicity. The core loop of identifying a song is incredibly fast and satisfying, as seen from the initial tap at 00:07 to the result at 00:18. The transition is seamless, with the screen dynamically adopting the album art's color scheme, creating a unique experience for each song. Shazam excels at connecting this discovery to deeper exploration. A user can go from identifying a song to viewing the artist's page (01:06) and then finding detailed information about their upcoming concerts (01:48) in just a few taps.
UX highlights
- Iconic Listening Animation: The pulsing concentric circles provide clear and engaging feedback that the app is working (00:11).
- Contextual Permissions: Shazam waits to ask for permissions until they are needed. For example, microphone access is requested only when the user first tries to identify a song (00:08), and calendar access is requested when they try to save an event (02:07).
- Dynamic Theming: Song detail pages are themed with colors from the album art (e.g., 03:31), making each discovery visually distinct and immersive.
- Multiple Discovery Paths: Besides reactive identification, users can proactively browse music through comprehensive 'Country & City Charts' and 'Radio Spins' (07:31), which can be filtered by genre.
- Integrated Concert Guide: The concert feature is more than a simple list. It provides a full guide with dates, venue maps (02:21), ticket links, and a 'Save' function for future reference.
Monetization & growth
Shazam's monetization strategy is not based on a direct user subscription. The app's core features are free to use. Instead, it appears to rely on a partnership model, primarily with Apple Music. When a user attempts to 'Play Full Song' (00:26), they are presented with an offer to start a free trial of Apple Music. This contextual, affiliate-style approach allows the app to generate revenue without putting its essential features behind a paywall, which is key for maintaining its large user base.
Who it’s for
Shazam is for any music lover, from the casual listener who wants to identify a song they heard in a cafe to the dedicated fan who wants to follow their favorite artists. Its primary use case is for quick, in-the-moment song identification. Its secondary use case appeals to more engaged users who want to build a music library, find lyrics, and track live tour dates.
Notes & opportunities
The connection between identifying a song and finding concerts for that artist is a standout feature. However, the path to discovery could be shortened. Currently, a user must navigate to the artist's page to see concert dates. Surfacing a 'Live Dates' button directly on the song identification screen could increase engagement with this powerful feature. Additionally, the dedicated 'Concerts' tab could offer more proactive suggestions based on a user's Shazam history rather than relying on manual searches.