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Most of us have had those moments when we’re doing something like watching a movie or listening to the radio in the office and a really cool song comes on. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find out the name of the song or the artist. This is where Shazam comes in. It is an application that can identify the name and artist of music. The question is, can I get it on my computer?
The exciting news is that you can get the Shazam app on your PC if you have macOS. The application is no longer available for Windows users after Shazam pulled their application from the Microsoft App Store. Although, apps installed prior to this would still work with no further updates.
In this article I will explain how to enable Shazam on a PC with macOS and how to use the app to shazam a song.
For Windows and Linux users, I will delve into some of the popular alternatives that can identify music in the moment including SoundHound, Musixmatch, Midomi, and WatZatSong.
Table of Contents
Shazam on PC: How to Enable It
Shazam is currently available for Android users, iPhone users and macOS users but not Windows users. In 2017, Shazam announced it would no longer provide an app for Windows users and removed it from the Microsoft App Store.
It is speculated that most of Shazam’s usage likely comes from mobile phones. Meaning they probably had fewer users than expected on desktop. Many Windows users found that alternatives for their PC were faster at identifying music than Shazam. Nevertheless, it has remained a useful app for macOS users because it runs more efficiently.
So, this section pertains to macOS users on how to enable the app. If you are a Windows user, check out some of the great alternatives that you can use instead under the “Is There an App Like Shazam for PC?” heading.
There are two valid questions here. First, how do I download Shazam on my Mac, and second, how do I enable it? I will delve into these questions here to give an easy-to-read guide on how to go about doing these two things.
Getting Shazam for macOS is simple. Go to the Mac App Store and search for the app in the search bar. Once Shazam pops up, simply download it for free.
Once the app has been downloaded, opening it will enable it. Next, I will talk about the ways that Shazam can be accessed to find those tunes.
How Do I Shazam a Song on My Computer? (Mac)
Individuals often use their iPhone or Android mobile device to Shazam music they want to know. Why would it be useful to have it on my computer? Well, PCs, whether it be a computer or laptop, are used for many functions other than work.
For example, I use mine to watch Netflix or series and often I’ll hear a song that I really like where my phone isn’t necessarily always on hand. Enter Shazam – the app that can search for the name of that song in five seconds.
There are a few ways to Shazam a song using macOS. The first method is the conventional route where users open the app as soon as they hear a song they want to identify.
Once the app has loaded, they can click the icon that uses the built-in microphone to identify it.
Sometimes the music you like only plays for a short while. During a commercial is a good example. The background music is usually short lived and competes with lots of background noise like talking which can interfere with Shazam’s ability to identify the song on time.
In these instances it may be too late to identify the song by using the conventional route. So, there are two, faster ways that Mac users can get Shazam to quickly identify the name of that song you like.
The first method involves using HomePod. Simply ask Siri to Shazam the song that you like. The second involves setting your Mac to automatically detect music playing in the background.
Just as Mac allows users to set up their frequently used apps to launch when their PC is started, Shazam can be enabled to do the same.
To launch Shazam on start-up, users simply go to their app, select the preferences option, select the general tab and tick the box that says “Launch Shazam on startup”.
This is a good option for individuals who hear music they want to identify on a daily or more frequent basis or they use their PC to watch series or movies.
Before going into this, it is useful to note that many macOS users are concerned that Shazam records their conversations when it is left to run for long periods of time.
Their support document confirms this where they say shazam never saves or stores what it hears.
This function is called auto Shazam. It can be enabled by double clicking the Shazam listening icon in the app. To find the auto Shazams that were detected go to My Music. This function can also be turned off by tapping the shazam button so users have full control over this function.
If users were unable to open Shazam fast enough to catch that tune, alternative apps can come in handy. While Shazam searches for music strictly based on listening to the original song, other apps include different methods such as singing and humming.
Is There an App Like Shazam for PC? (Windows)
Shazam is undoubtedly one of the most widely known music identification apps and for many reasons.
It is easy to use; it displays lyrics to the songs you search; it is quite accurate; it keeps track of your Shazam history and does not contain ads like some of the alternative apps.
It might dishearten no wonder Windows users to know that Shazam is not supported on their PC anymore, but there are excellent alternatives.
Initially, Cortana – Microsoft’s digital assistant – was used to identify music-making Shazam as a redundant app. It does not offer this function anymore. There are more alternatives that can track down song IDs.
I will discuss them here, including their advantages and disadvantages and how to go about installing them. Hopefully, this information helps windows users to choose the perfect app to name that song they enjoy.
The first alternative to Shazam is SoundHound, and it is available for macOS users too.
Unlike Shazam, SoundHound allows users to hum or sing songs for identification too, where Shazam only detects the name by listening to the original song. It allows fast recognition just like Shazam does and it goes a step ahead by offering lyrics.
The disadvantages are that the identifier for humming is not one hundred percent accurate, sometimes it gets the song wrong, and it might not be as simple or easy to use as some of the other apps.
For windows users, SoundHound can easily be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Simply search for the app, select it and click the “Get” button. This app is free, although the free version contains ads.
For macOS, SoundHound can be downloaded from the Mac App Store. Mac users can also connect the app to their Apple Music account to allow SoundHound to create playlists. It is also worth noting that this app has a high rating in the various app stores.
Musixmatch is the next alternative to Shazam that can identify music information from the radio, TV and other sources just like Shazam can.
Currently, the app only works with Windows 10 Pro and Home but not for Windows 10 S. Windows users can download it from the Microsoft App Store.
Its disadvantages are that the app contains ads that may frustrate some users and the app cannot access lyrics offline. Again, this app is also available as an alternative for macOS users. Its main feature involves its lyrics functionality.
Musixmatch provides synchronised lyrics, lyrics search and translated lyrics making it an app for a worldwide audience.
A third alternative would be Midomi, which is a web-based music identifier that is powered by SoundHound. Unlike Shazam, users can sing, hum and even whistle a tune that they want to identify so even if I missed the opportunity to listen to the song I can hum it.
Accessing Midomi is as simple as going to the web page, then clicking on the pulsing icon. It will request access to the microphone to listen to the song you want to identify.
Users could add the website as a bookmark. This will allow quick access in that perfect moment to identify the desired tune. It also offers features that allows users to search songs and their lyrics. Since it is web-based, macOS and Linux users can use it too.
Another website that can help users to identify the name of a song is WatZatSong which can be accessed from the website.
It works a little differently to the other apps I have discussed so far since it works by uploading a tune for community responses.
Users often get responses quickly and this might be an excellent method if you heard the song briefly and either couldn’t access another app on time or none of the others can accurately identify it.
The only downside is that users have to be accurate otherwise they may not get a response. This web-based service is great because it is available for macOS and Linux users too.
The Bottom Line
While most of us prefer to stick to what we know, in this case it’s Shazam, there are proven alternatives that have been made available to Windows users too.
SoundHound seems to be the most recommended app compared to Shazam based on its features. Overall, it is safe to say that there are other methods that Windows users can follow to identify those tunes.