The existing partnership between Rdio and Shazam took a big leap forward today. Going forward, the music-identification tool will allow Rdio members to stream whole songs from within the Shazam app.
Rdio subscribers will start seeing some changes to the Shazam interface. A new play button with a small Rdio logo will let them stream the complete track. On the other platform, Shazam users will notice two new features in Rdio. The service will automatically create a playlist of all tracks the person has Shazamed, plus it has a new button for choosing other playlists to include those songs found in the partner app. If you’re not an Rdio member, Shazam will prompt you to install it when you preview.
This tighter bond between Rdio and Shazam is a step up in ease for listeners, with no more hopping between separate apps for discovery and streaming. The updated Shazam app hit iOS on Monday, with a rollout expected for Android in the next few days.
It’s worth noting that at the very end of Shazam’s press release announcing the news, the company quietly noted: “Additional streaming services to be added and announced in the coming weeks.” The company already ties its songs in with Spotify, iTunes, and iTunes radio, but those all take the listener away from the Shazam app. Adding in-app streaming would mean a big boost to Shazam’s already high utility, having it serve as a hub. It could cover the gaps in one platform’s catalogue by showing you the services that licensed the song you like.
It’ll be interesting to watch if the new partnership is able to drive subscriptions to Rdio. If the partnership is successful for both parties, we could see a shift toward more listeners tuning in through their discovery tools instead of on the native platforms of streaming services.