TV Game Shows No More, Shazam can ‘Name That Tune’

When I was a young boy growing up during the late 70’s, I remember a TV game show, called “Name That Tune.” The basic premise of this prime-time Saturday night show featured the playing of songs with contestants trying to guess their titles with the fewest notes possible. Although I loved music, I could never guess the names of the songs with the same expertise and prowess as these music geniuses.

Today, few things amaze me anymore. But this “name that tune” iPhone application just blows me away.

It’s called Shazam.

Not to be confused with the other 70’s TV show called “Shazam”—you know, that cheesy superhero wearing the red spandex with a white and gold cape. Dubbed the “World’s Mightiest Mortal,” Captain Marvel would travel in an RV and help distressed citizens in this Saturday morning children’s show. Whenever Captain Marvel needed guidance, he would summon an Oracle named Shazam, through a two-way communication box. Albeit a cheesy program, at least the lightning bolt emblem on Captain Marvel’s chest was pretty rad.

Today in Smartphone Land, the Shazam application does not fight crime, nor wear a cape, but is an all-knowing Oracle that can “name that tune” with exceptional results. With the application running, simply hold up your smart phone in the direction of the music being played and Shazam will tell you the name of the tune and tell you the artist and album name. Shazam makes it possible to even purchase the song or album though iTunes, which is pure marketing genius.

On Saturday, my wife Janelle and I were at a Subway restaurant in New Smyrna Beach. I heard a song playing through the overhead speakers. I asked Janelle if she knew anything about this particular song or artist. Although she had never heard the song before, she thought it was catchy. So amidst the noise of this busy sandwich shop, I started the application, pressed the “tag now” button and positioned the phone’s mic towards the ceiling. With three-to-five seconds, the results were in. My song was correctly listed as “According To You” by Orianthi.

Geolocation

As a true social media tool, Shazam will ask you if it can use your current location, using your phone’s GPS, similar to Foursquare. This way you can chronicle where you were when you heard “that” song. Plus, the geolocation tool will allow you to see when your favorite bands will be in your area.

Two Pricing Models


Shazam has two versions, the limited free version and a full-featured subscription. The free version allows tagging of five songs per month, whereas the full version offers unlimited tagging. The premium version is available for a one-time charge of $4.99 through the App Store.

Hear song and don’t know who sings it? Shazam.

Want to buy that song or album? Shazam.

Want to fight crime while wearing a cape and leotard? Sorry; can’t help you there.

Author’s note: This is not a sponsored article or Tweet. I am a proud user of Shazam and wanted to share my experience. To learn more, visit Shazam.com.