14 DAY TRIAL // Leading mobile music discovery provider Shazam announced today its forecast for the upcoming year in the sound area. According to the company, its predictions are based on the behavior of its 50 million users, and is not similar with polls like BBC’s “Sound of 2010”, and Spin magazine’s “10 Artists to Watch in 2010.” Shazam says that, based on the use of its service for tagging artists and songs, it can show which of them will do well during the upcoming year 2010.
Shazam’s Music & Content Director, Will Mills, stated “User generated data from Shazam has for the last two years picked out some of the most successful acts mooted for stardom by the critics from Duffy to Empire of the Sun. Our 50 million users have spoken and this year have picked out acts like The Drums, Nicki Minaj and Delphic as ones to watch in 2010.”
Shazam’s Sound of 2010 chart has at its top for the time being The Drums, due to the success of their debut EP, Summertime!, and based on the fact that they are to release their first album in January. Soul and rock are also expected to gain ground during the next year, Shazam says. At the same time, BBC says that soul singer Rox is to be successful next year, while US-based Spin magazine says that Free Energy and Final Fantasy are poised for growth.
According to Shazam, users are inclined for diversity in their choices, at least when it comes to their predictions, and Queens-based rapper Nicki Minaj and smooth crooner Chase Coy also seem set to become preferred artists in 2010. “A teenage acoustic troubadour, Chase Coy has been wowing his MySpace followers with a clutch of songs already this year, whilst Nicki Minaj is the latest discovery by Lil’ Wayne’s record label Young Money Entertainment,” the company notes.
Shazam’s Sound of 2010 places on top of the list The Drums, while the following four names are said to be, in this order, Nicki Minaj, Ellie Goulding, Chase Coy and Delphic. “Shazam’s Sound of 2009 Chart predicted the success of Kid Cudi, Lady Gaga and Empire of the Sun while the Shazam 2008 Chart picked out Duffy and The Ting Tings as the top two acts to watch,” the company also notes. Additional details can be found on the company's website.