Shazam Drop The 5 Artists You've Got To Watch Out For In 2022

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Chances are you may already be a fan of some of these artists, but if you're looking for up-and-coming talent, Shazam has dropped their list of the top 5 you've got to keep an eye out for this year.

Last year they correctly picked Aussie artist Masked Singer in their top 5, so we think they may be on to something.

Based on Shazam’s uniquely predictive data and algorithms, and hand-selected by Apple Music’s global editorial team, their selection features songs that show early indicators of future growth — early and consistent momentum in Shazam activity, as well as discovery in more than one country.

The playlist they've put together includes emerging artists hailing from 25 countries and representing 17 genres, from mandopop to regional mexicano and hip-hop hybrids.

You can check it out here.

So who are the cool kids?

Ayra Starr — Ayra Starr’s rise this year was largely mounted on her breakout track “Bloody Samaritan,” which had its first Shazam in Lagos. It was released as the lead single of the Nigerian singer-songwriter’s debut album 19 & Dangerous, but took on a life of its own as listeners were drawn in by an alluring violin melody that drops into contagious Afropop magic. An undeniable jam, “Bloody Samaritan” was the most Shazamed song by a local female artist in Nigeria this year—an impressive accomplishment considering it came out only in July.

DannyLux — Fans of trio-turned-duo Eslabon Armado probably need no introduction to DannyLux. The rising Mexican American singer is featured on “Jugaste y Sufrí,” which holds the honour of being this year’s most Shazamed regional mexicano track. Though it was released at the end of 2020, TikTok embraced it, helping to rocket songwriter DannyLux to new levels of acclaim. He’s part of a wave of young artists reinventing corridos for a new generation and only stands to reach more listeners in the coming year.

Lyn Lapid — Singer-songwriter Lyn Lapid is no stranger to viral success—her song “Producer Man” helped jump-start her career in 2020. With “In My Mind,” a mellow but soulful anthem for the quiet kids, she struck gold again. It became her most Shazamed song, charting in six countries, including Brazil, Indonesia, and the US. Though this one strikes a slightly different chord from her breakout, it only further highlights the many tools Lapid has in her arsenal, ready to be deployed as she takes on the new year.

Sad Night Dynamite — Mixing up a hypnotic blend of electronica, hip-hop, and Britpop, duo Sad Night Dynamite has a style that’s hard to define but captures the ear no less. Their eponymous debut mixtape, from February, ping-ponged between genres, but it was their latest single “Demon” that seemed to especially resonate. “Demon,” which features South African musician Moonchild Sanelly, is industrial and ominous, earning a spot on the FIFA 22 soundtrack. It also brought the pair their biggest Shazam success, with their all-time daily Shazams peaking soon after its release.

STAYC — In April, K-pop girl group STAYC released an effervescent ball of bubblegum pop titled “ASAP.” And every day since then, the single has remained on the South Korean Shazam chart. Pulled from the group’s second single album STAYDOM, “ASAP” has powered their rise as they continue to hone their Technicolour melodies and natural pop proficiency.

Apple has also come to the rescue if you hear a song you love and need to figure out who it is before it finishes with their tips and tricks:

  1. Hey Siri:  Use voice activation and ask Siri to Shazam a song for you! “Hey Siri, what's the name of this song?” You can also ask Siri to play your identified songs in Apple Music. “Hey Siri,” then say “Play my Shazam tracks".
  2. Back Tap Shortcut:  A quick double or triple tap on the back of your iPhone can activate Shazam Music Recognition. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, and tap the Shazam shortcut under Shortcuts to activate.
  3. Shazam Widget:  Add Shazam's widget to your Home Screen and you’ll see your recent song history at a glance, or be able to Shazam in an instant
  4. Control Centre:  You can add Shazam’s Music Recognition control to Control Centre to quickly identify music playing around you or music playing in apps on your device—even while using with headphones on - with a simple swipe down from the top right-hand corner on iPhone. Go to Settings > Control Centre. 
  5. Shazam on Apple Watch:  Use your Apple Watch to identify songs playing around you. You can also preview those songs and view your recent Shazams from your watch.

Download LiSTNR & enjoy a new world of audio with all your favourite shows and stations in one place!

21 January 2022




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