Have you ever been driving with the radio on, and a song catches your ear, but you can’t remember its name? Or perhaps you’re out at a restaurant, enjoying dinner, when a tune starts playing that you’d love to know more about? Maybe you’re watching a TV show, and a song in the background grabs your attention. Whatever the situation, Shazam is the perfect tool to instantly identify the song and satisfy your curiosity.
Shazam is a fantastic app that helps you identify songs playing around you or in other apps like TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram. With Shazam, you can effortlessly build a list of songs you love but couldn’t identify on the spot. The app is incredibly user-friendly and available on both Android and iOS.
Beyond recognizing songs, Shazam also helps you discover live music events based on artist popularity, personalized recommendations, or specific searches. Other features include following along with time-synced lyrics, exploring what’s trending in your country or city, watching music videos on Apple Music or Spotify, and so much more.
There are several ways to identify songs using the Shazam app:
- Identify Songs Playing Around You:
To recognize songs playing in your surroundings, open the Shazam app and tap the Shazam button. You can also touch and hold the Shazam app icon on your Home Screen and select “Shazam Now.” The app will display the identified song on the track screen. - Identify Songs Using Auto Shazam:
Auto Shazam is particularly useful when you want the app to identify songs automatically, even when you’re using other apps or when your phone is locked. Simply follow the same steps as before and enable Auto Shazam. When activated, all identified songs are automatically saved to “My Music” within the Shazam app. - Identify Songs Playing in Another App:
This feature lets you identify songs playing in other apps on your phone. For example, if you’re scrolling through TikTok and hear a song you like, just open the Shazam app and tap the Shazam button to find its name.
Ways to use Shazam in Class
Shazam is a tool with huge educational potential. While music education is an obvious application, its versatility extends far beyond that. From enhancing cultural studies to enriching language learning, Shazam can be integrated into various subjects to make learning more interactive and engaging.
Here are some suggestions on the ways Shazam can be used in class:
- Music Appreciation:
Use Shazam to identify songs in music lessons, exploring genres, artists, and musical elements. - Cultural Studies:
Discover global music and discuss the culture, language, and traditions behind it. - Language Learning:
Identify songs in the target language, and use lyrics for listening practice and translation exercises. - Interactive Lyrics:
Follow time-synced lyrics in Shazam to analyze poetry, rhyme, and literary devices. - Creative Inspiration:
Identify background music for creative projects like writing, art, or video production. - Historical Context:
Play and identify period music to connect students with historical events or eras. - Cross-Disciplinary Learning:
Combine music with other subjects, such as math or science, to create engaging, holistic lessons. - Virtual Learning Engagement:
Assign students to identify songs related to a theme, fostering discussion and collaboration online.
Related: Using Suno in Music Education: Creative Ways for Teachers to Enhance Learning
Final thoughts
I hope you find these ideas helpful. Whether you are a music teacher or simply looking for creative ways to integrate music into your teaching, Shazam is definitely a good option to consider. Give it a try and share with us your feedback.
