The last time we saw a big move from Shazam, the company had added visual recognition to its feature list. Now, it’s mixing that visual component with its history as an audio tool for an experiment in music distribution.
The subject is an upcoming album by Ray LaMontagne. Working with Sony’s RCA Records, Shazam sent out postcards to LaMontagne’s fans that can be scanned with the company’s mobile app. Doing so signs up the individual to follow LaMontagne on Shazam and gives access to an exclusive song that hasn’t been publicly released. Just following him won’t unlock the song; it’s only going to serious fans.
“I think this will give people an idea on how to use us as an engagement tool,” said Greg Glenday, Shazam’s chief revenue officer.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Shazam is looking for both musicians and other brands to explore ways to take advantage of its service in distribution and promotions.