How to Get Your Music on Shazam
Get your song on Shazam by delivering the release through an Apple-approved distributor that supports Shazam. Once the release is available, search Shazam for the title and artist, then play the delivered master and test recognition in the app. If either check fails, save the result and ask your distributor to verify delivery for the track ISRC.
Lead visual
Your first release map
Context
Release · Launch
What this guide is helping you understand.
Decision
Get your music on Shazam
The practical choice or setup step to get right.
Next
Action
What to check before you move the release forward.
MixPass50 founding testers wanted.
Test MixPass on a real project and share honest feedback. Receive lifetime Pro after completion is reviewed and approved.
1:24“Bring the vocal up here.”
Three months of Pro once accepted.
Key takeaways
- Keep the UPC and track ISRC with your delivery receipt so support can find the exact recording.
- Test the microphone with a known song before you troubleshoot your own master.
- When two edits share an intro, play a part where the recordings differ and log what Shazam returns.
What do you send to get a song on Shazam?
Use the final audio file and release metadata you send to Apple Music. Check your distributor's current store instructions before submitting. If it lists Apple Music and omits Shazam, verify that it includes Shazam delivery before you pay or send a duplicate release.
Save the distributor receipt, release date, Apple Music artist and release links when available, and both identifiers. The UPC identifies the release and the ISRC identifies the recording. On a two-track single, write down the ISRC for each version beside its filename.
How do you test Shazam recognition on release day?
Release-day check
Verify the listing and the audio match
- 01
Search
Find the listing by title and artist
Use Shazam on the web. Compare the title, version and artist credit. Copy the link to the result if you can open it.
- 02
Control
Try a known song first
Play a recording that Shazam already recognizes from another speaker. Use the same room, phone and volume for your release.
- 03
Play
Play the master you delivered
Start in a clear section. Save the timestamp you tested, the result that came back, and the date.
- 04
Match
Check the destination
Open the result and follow its music link if available. Confirm it points to the recording you expected and note any version mismatch.
The intro is shared by the single and radio edit. A test at 0:09 identifies the single while the radio edit plays. The radio edit cuts a line at 0:48, so the team plays that section next and saves the result beside the radio edit ISRC.
Apple says Shazam can encounter the same piece of audio in different versions and assign a match to the version it considers the best fit. If you still get an unexpected result after playing a distinguishing section, send the timestamps and both track links. They give support a way to repeat the test.
Who can fix a missing or wrong Shazam match?
| What you saw | Next action | |
|---|---|---|
| Release absent | You have no working Apple Music release link and no Shazam listing. | Ask your distributor to confirm Apple delivery and the intended availability date. Save the exact status from its dashboard. |
| Listing found | The right song is searchable, but the app gives no result for the master. The known-song test worked. | Repeat the test in a quiet room, then give the distributor the Shazam link, ISRC and the section you played. |
| Wrong version | The app recognizes another edit or artist after you repeat the test. | Send the expected and returned links, your ISRC, and the timestamp. If the artist page itself is wrong, use Apple Music for Artists support. |
Keep the release and track IDs beside your screenshots. A short note with the expected and returned result gives the distributor more to work with than a report that the song is missing. If you are still waiting for the release to appear anywhere, use the delivered but not live checklist first.
Where do Apple and distributors document Shazam delivery?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an Apple Music for Artists account to deliver to Shazam?+
Apple directs you to an approved distributor for delivery. Apple Music for Artists is where you can see Shazam data after you claim the artist page.
Why is Shazam missing from my distributor's store list?+
Some providers bundle the delivery with Apple Music. RouteNote, for example, says to select Apple Music in its stores list. Ask your own distributor what its Apple Music option includes.
How do I fix a missing or incorrect Shazam artist page?+
Apple Music for Artists directs you to its support team for a missing or incorrect Shazam artist page. Send the expected Apple Music artist link and the Shazam artist link if you have one.
Can I use Shazam Count to check whether the song is live?+
Use the public listing and recognition test to check availability. Apple says Shazam Count and the data in the Shazam app are processed on different schedules.
Get better release strategy in your inbox
Release planning checklists, royalty explainers, and artist strategy notes from Velveteen. No daily noise.
Was this useful? Send a signal or flag a correction.
Keep reading
Topic overview
First release guide
A producer's walkthrough of releasing your first song: distributor, metadata, the 7-day Spotify pitch cutoff, pre-save, and what to actually do in release week.
Related guide
Release timeline
A delivery-state timeline for planning ahead, diagnosing stuck releases, escalating store ingestion, and changing dates without blind redelivery.
Related guide
UPC vs ISRC
UPC vs ISRC, plain: the UPC names the release, the ISRC names each recording, and swapping the two fields is the error that costs you.
Related guide
Delivered but not live
A store-status check for the gap between a distributor's delivered message and a verified catalog page.
Check if your release is actually ready
Run the release through timing, metadata, artwork, rights, splits, pitching, and campaign checks before you submit it to stores.