Shazam for Japanese Music

6 comments

1. Most modern Android phones will find the song if you hold down the “Google”button. Pixel phones with Android 12 or higher do it automatically.

   I think Apple has a similar feature.

2. I’ve never had a problem with Shazam. Works for everything that is popular enough to make a commercial.

3. I use Shazam and SoundHound and am able to find some less mainstream songs/artists. Not sure if they’re the Japanese version since they’re in English (phone setting) but I probably got them off the Japanese App Store.

   If it’s music at the beginning/end of a TV show or in a commercial, you can also search something like OP/ED for the show or “image song” or something for the commercial. It might even be listed during the end credits or off in a tiny corner of the screen somewhere. Japan loves mucking up the screen with citations (and people in tiny boxes reacting, words telling the viewer how to react, etc.).

4. For me Shazam (or Soundhound) always work, even with more underground or obscure songs.

   I mean, it is not 100% obviously, but I don’t see any difference comparing to searching western music.

5. Shazam works pretty dang well for Japan—it successfully picks up some pretty obscure stuff in my experience.

6. I find Shazam very effective when I’m out and about, but commercials in particular it has trouble with

   I wanted to hear that whole Spitz(?) song that they play when showing a bunch of wholesome family photos during some insurance commercial but I have no idea what it is, does anyone know?