earworms

AppWizard
December 1, 2025
A member of the PC Gamer team discusses the significance of video game soundtracks, sharing personal experiences and highlighting the impact of catchy tunes on gaming. They mention specific examples, such as the Final Fantasy Victory Fanfare, Tekken 7's Infinite Azure, and Heartbeat, Heartbreak from Persona 4. The team member invites readers to reflect on their favorite video game songs and how these melodies influence their gaming experiences.
AppWizard
May 7, 2025
Shazam was launched in the UK in 2002 as a service where users could call a number to identify songs for a fee. Acquired by Apple in 2018, it remains available for Android users and integrates with various music platforms while being free to use. Shazam struggles with identifying earworms. SoundHound, Shazam's main competitor, has around 100 million users and can identify songs quickly, providing detailed information and lyrics. It allows users to hum or sing songs for identification, though this feature is not always accurate. SoundHound's free version includes ads, while SoundHound Infinity offers an ad-free experience for .99. Musixmatch is another alternative that identifies songs and focuses on lyrics, allowing users to create "lyrics cards" and offering a translation feature. It requires the actual song for identification. The Google app also provides quick song identification, including for hummed or sung versions, but gives candid feedback on user performance.
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