Shazamers' Blog

LyricPlay^TM is the fun new feature that lets you see full screen lyrics in time with the music you’re listening to.  LyricPlay is now available for EVERYONE in our FREE and Encore Apps on iPhone, iPod touch and Android-powered devices. And with unlimited tagging you can now Shazam as much as you like to see and learn the lyrics of your favourite songs!

LyricPlay is super-easy to use…

1. Tag a song you like
2. Then start LyricPlay by turning your phone horizontally when you see the LyricPlay icon in the tag result 
3. To stop, tap the lyrics for options to return to the tag result

 We have LyricPlay for over 30,000 of our most popular Shazam’d tracks – with new songs added every week.  Update now or download Shazam from Android Market or iTunes App Store and try it out for yourself.  

 *LyricPlay is available in the US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

LeeMc News

When they started making headlines, some speculated that Odd Future would probably start playing down their antics fairly soon. Not so. The New Zealand travelling festival Big Day Out has kicked Odd Future off the bill after facing criticism from members of the public over OF’s lyrics.

“By allowing Odd Future to play at BDO, you are proving that you have little concern for the lives and welfare of LGBT people, that you are willing to endanger their lives, and seek to encourage stigmatisation against them,” stated a Wellington resident to the New Zealand Herald. “I find this disappointing in an organisation that could do so much to enhance the self esteem of youth, reduce stigma, and discourage violence.”

City councillors stepped in after widespread public flapping about the group’s inclusion on the festival bill and eventually festival organisers removed OF from the lineup. Local fans – disappointed to be missing a performance by the group – were appeased when Big Day Out released a statement, entitled “OMFG DON’T PANIC. We are currently in discussions with Odd Future and will be announcing their own solo show for Auckland in the coming weeks.” For more information on the show, keep an eye on the Big Day Out website.

Out of New Zealand and back in the Northern hemisphere, back in late October Odd Future’s Left Brain allegedly assaulted photographer Amy Harris in the photo pit of a show in New Orleans. Harris has just posted a statement on her website, saying that she has pressed charges and still received no apology from the OF camp:

It’s not all bad though. Aside from the festival furore and the potential law suit, there’s also good news. Odd Future side project The Internet has been in the works for a while now. Put together by the backbone of the group – Syd The Kyd (their DJ) and Matt Martian (producer), it promises to be up there in terms of OF releases. The album ‘Purple Naked Ladies’ is released online on December 20 (there is a physical release with bonus tracks and new art on January 17) through Odd Future Records.

Helia News Odd Future

As Cheryl Cole looks for something new, Rihanna looks as if  she is going back to the old. Could we be seeing a Nicholas (Nick) Minaj? Here is this week’s In The Loop

Lady Gaga fends off Justin Bieber & Adele to win 4 MTV Europe awards (Metro)

Conrad Murray convicted of killing Michael Jackson (Telegraph)

Nicki Minaj To record album as her gay male alter ego (NME)

Taylor Swift reclaims top prize at CMA Awards (Billboard)

Hip Hop Legend Heavy D passed away (TMZ)

Cheryl Cole wants to ditch her ‘Cole’ surname (MTV)

Rihanna caught sending texts to Chris Brown (Now)

Finally Jay Z & Kanye West surprise performance at Victoria’s secret Fashion Show (E Online)

Emmanuel Kobla In The Loop, News

US Shazamers – if you’re a fan of sizzling CIA espionage drama Covert Affairs you’ll know the show’s back after its mid-season hiatus, but this time – episodes are Shazamable!

Airing tonight at 10/9c on USA Network, you can tag Covert Affairs to unlock exclusive ‘Globe Tracker’ content. This week be the first to see exclusive video footage of Berlin, shot on location by Chris Gorham – aka agent Auggie Anderson. Shazaming the show is the only way for fans to get this content on their phone!

And there’s more – ‘shop like a spy’ and buy fan gear and fashion brands seen in the show, as well as download exclusive wallpaper and become a fan on Facebook and Twitter.

Phew! If you haven’t caught the show yet – you should. It’s a ton of action-packed fun as it follows  Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) – a young CIA operative whose exceptional linguistic skills make her invaluable to the Agency.

If you’ve got an iPhone, iPod touch, Android, BlackBerry or Nokia smartphone tune in tonight at 10/9 c and get ready to Shazam!

LeeMc News

For music and booze fans looking to kill a few minutes, Drinkify may well be the solution.

Like all good ideas, the premise is simple. Choose a band or artist you like, hit search, and Drinkify will recommend a perfect cocktail accompaniment for your chosen soundtrack. The real genius is not just the depth of the acts available to search – even obscure Welsh rock bands such as Innercity Pirates provide startlingly accurate results – but also the eerily appropriate drinks recipes. For example, search Snoop Dogg and you’ll get a great variation on ‘Gin ‘N’ Juice’; Justin Bieber returns a teetotal energy drink; the perfect compliment to  Michael Buble is a bottle of Merlot; and Adele sounds good with a vodka, coconut milk and honey – pretty spot on considering the soul singer’s recent throat troubles.

The site was put together at this year’s Music Hackday in Boston and compiles data from The Echo Nest and Last.fm.

Click on the above link and start searching! However, please remember to adhere to the legal drinking age and, of course, drink responsibly.

Jon Davies News Drinkify, Snoop Dogg

Although it’s been six years since their latest recorded offering (Bleed Like Me), Garbage never fully disbanded. Having been stuck on a label “who did not give one flying f**k about us” according to frontwoman Shirley Manson, the band managed to break free and have been back in the studio making a new album.

Butch Vig – the mastermind behind the band – says that the new album came as a result of getting together as a band with no expectations upon them. “We got together with no agenda other than to just jam a little bit, f**k around and see what we came up with and it was inspiring. With nobody putting any pressure on us, the songwriting started to happen really quickly.”

After spending weeks back in the studio, years-worth of pent-up music came out in some bizarre ways, according to a statement released by the band. “Bleary cell phone memos became real songs, conversations turned into lyrics, and new computer gizmos inspired wicked tangents.

“Ghosts came in, had their say. Everyone brought ideas, and everyone fought their corner. At the end of the day it all gets shoved through the four-way brain filter that is Garbage and it ends up sounding like nobody else. Red feathers and black tar.”

If their past form is anything to go by, the new album sounds like it might blow everyone away. Visit the band’s Facebook page to keep updated on the progress of the album…

Helia News Garbage

Hi BlackBerry Shazamers - download Shazam Encore – our premium App worth $4.99 for FREE from BlackBerry App World!  We’ve brought the promo date forward so enjoy the early treat! No Limits. Unlimited tagging with Encore means you can Shazam as often as you like to buy music, get lyrics, watch videos and more…

Simply open App World on your phone or go to the website and search for Shazam Encore. No registration, no coupons, no hassle – just download Encore for free straight away!

Don’t forget to share the BlackBerry love and tell you friends about this awesome promo – which ends December 31^st. BlackBerry are showing their appreciation by giving all BlackBerry Subscribers a choice pick of premium apps (worth a total value of more than US$100) free of charge – find out more here*!    

* Please note the availability of this offer depends on the type of device, operating system version, access to BlackBerry App World and local conditions and/or restrictions.

LeeMc News

This week we launch a new feature, ‘In The Loop’. We trawl the internet for the hottest news stories so you don’t have to. From the latest Twitter feud, to the hottest release news, we cut swathes through the web’s lies, hype and gossip and give you what you need to know in an instant.   

Kelly Rowland Appearance. The UK X Factor judge is seen living it up in Beyoncé’s new video for ‘Party’. (The Metro)

Amy Winehouse tells Doctors “I don’t want to die”  just hours before her death. (Metro)

 Professor Green set for his first number 1 with ‘Read All About It’.(Official Charts Company)

 REM play down suggestions of a Michael Stipe solo album. (NME)

Chris Martin admits drink & drugs had been a problem for Coldplay.(Evening Standard) 

Nas fronts cover Of November’s issue Of XXL. (XXL Mag)

Jay-Z removes UK Version ‘Otis’ from Youtube (Allhiphop)

Dubstep superstar, Skrillex, teams up with reaming members of The Doors to cover Miles Davis. (fact)

Emmanuel Kobla In The Loop, News

A heads up for all BlackBerry Shazamers! In early November you’ll be able to download Shazam Encore – our premium App worth $4.99 for FREE from BlackBerry App World.

No Limits. Unlimited tagging with Encore means you can Shazam as often as you like to buy music, get lyrics, watch videos and more…

And it’s all thanks to BlackBerry! To show their appreciation for your loyalty and support during last week’s service interruption – BlackBerry Subscribers will get a choice pick of premium apps free of charge – find out more here*! Nice one BlackBerry! 

We’ll keep you posted here on our Blog and on Facebook and Twitter when Shazam Encore is free to download from BlackBerry App World. 

* Please note that the availability of this offer will depend on the type of device, operating system version, access to BlackBerry App World and local conditions and/or restrictions.

LeeMc News

Throughout this year, music fans been teased with snippets of news about the Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration album. Affectionately dubbed the ‘Loutallica’ project, the release date for album ‘Lulu’ is now creeping closer, and a trailer for the album has been released.

Metallica are one of metal’s enduring successes. Originally formed in the suburbs of Los Angeles in the early 1980s, the band were heavily influenced by British band Motörhead, and sought to replicate the soul of the band. Metallica soon dominated the metal scene, with lyrical content that went fully political, feeding into fans’ desire for music that had brain as well as brawn. Metallica have sold millions of records, and the band have survived road accidents, faulty pyrotechnics, members with substance abuse problems, legal run-ins with their label, legal action against file sharing websites, and various members leaving at different times. They are one of the true monsters of metal.

By contrast, Lou Reed was one of the founders of punk rock. As the singer/songwriter of the 1960s band The Velvet Underground, Reed left the band in 1970 and moved into a rich and varied solo career. He toyed with his image and sound, moving from exploring the darker side of humanity (singing about angels, lost souls and heroin) to a fully-fledged glam rock persona (helped along by Andy Warhol, who helped Reed dye his hair blonde and stick on that black nail varnish he became known for). He’s flitted between music genres like people change socks, from punk rock to pop opera.

So what then, to make of Loutallica? Metal purists have been unsure since the project was announced, but now – finally – there’s only a matter of days to wait until ‘Lulu’ hits the stores. The album is based on the work of Frank Wedekind, a German playwright who wrote about a dancer called Lulu, a mistreated girl who lives a tough life. Expect plenty of the dark side (violence, abuse, murder, etc) when ‘Lulu’ is released on October 31 (UK/rest of world) and November 1 (US).

Helia News Lou Reed, Metallica