Apart from Chris Tarrant, there's nothing more annoying than a
radio DJ who doesn't tell you the names of the tracks they're playing.
But thanks to Chris Barton, chief executive of new mobile music service
Shazam, music lovers will never again suffer the humiliation of having
to sing to the staff at HMV in the hope that they'll recognise the
song.
From this summer, Shazam will allow people to identify background music
that's playing in a bar, cinema or nightclub through a mobile phone.
Users dial a four-digit number that triggers Shazam's technology to
listen to the background noise for 15 seconds. The system then converts
that sample into a numeric code using a system developed by Shazam
co-founder Dr Avery Wang and Professor Julius Smith of Stanford
University, who is on the company's advisory board. It searches through
700,000 song profiles (set to grow to 1.6 million by launch), then the
user is texted back with the song's details.
Barton smirks when asked whether finding the name of a song really is
the serious problem that he describes. But he is adamant that Shazam
addresses a genuine opportunity in the market. "If you speak to any
radio station, it will tell you it gets calls every day asking what
songs were playing," he says.
"Nightclub DJs will tell you that they are always being asked about
their music too.
"It's more than just knowing about the song," he explains. "Users want
to be able to interact with the song, they want to buy it and send it to
a friend. They want to add it to a personal favourites list or download
the lyrics. It's anything you can do with music. We create that
immediacy."
As well as through sales of CDs and ringtones, Barton says that revenue
will come from a share of the 50p it will cost consumers to use the
service - a welcome proposition for mobile operators that now need to
recoup their massive investments in third-generation mobile phone
licences.
Having signed up three of the four mobile networks, Barton compares the
potential for the
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service with directory enquiries, which he says generates $2 billion (£1.37bn) for telecoms companies in the US each year.
"If you can dial 192, you can use Shazam," he says. "Shazam will help
mobile operators differentiate their services and generate revenue.
Unlike internet services, we're making revenues on the service. We have
the business model of a mobile company, but the platform of a search
engine."
The viral nature of the service could generate even more revenue, as
users will be able to send song details to friends for a fee, using an
interactive voice service. "The friend then receives a free SMS message
from Shazam and a dial-in code to listen to the music and your voice
message," says Barton.
Barton came up with the idea for Shazam in October 1999, after
brainstorming for about 18 months while studying at London Business
School. He originally developed a PC-based system that allowed users to
track music being played on radio stations, but developed the Shazam
concept after looking at potential competitive services for his original
idea. Since then, it has secured $8.5 million (£5.83m) in
funding from investors including Lynx New Media Ventures, the private
equity fund chaired by former BBC director general Lord Birt.
Private investment from the likes of Sir Colin Southgate, former
executive chairman of EMI, and John Preston, former chairman of BMG UK,
might also convince the music industry to embrace the service. Barton
admits Shazam is in talks with the 'big five' labels, which will build
on its existing partnership with the Association of Independent Music
(AIM) and its affiliated 600 independent music labels.
Barton, who is targeting UK radio stations and music retailers for
marketing deals, believes that 3G mobile services could also unlock
massive potential for rich music content in the future. "I want us to
get there," says Barton.
"I'm quite excited about 3G. It will permit a visual response which
lifts the music experience." •
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