Apple has quietly released a new Shazam extension for the Chrome browser. Shazam is a music recognition service owned by Apple.
Apple has owned Shazam since 2017, and Apple users have long enjoyed system-level Shazam integration in Apple operating systems, as Siri users can ask the service to identify a song, all without the need for the Shazam app. The same functionality is built into the iPhone as a Control Center option.
Once the Shazam extension has been installed in Chrome it can be accessed next to the address bar. The Shazam interface opens up and begins listening to whatever is playing. If the extension recognizes the song, it provides an option to play in Apple Music.
The Shazam extension also provides access to a user’s Shazam song history, and it provides lyrics, music videos, and more for Apple Music subscribers.
Apple has not advertised the Shazam extension except on the Shazam website, which has led some to speculate that there might be issues with the extension. Some Shazam extension users are reporting that it does not appear to be working at all. Multiple reviews indicate that the extension cannot recognize any songs, though other users say it is working as expected.