Beat Shazam

Good game show concept but the pacing is too slow. It's fun at times but you spend most of your time feeling like you're waiting around. Also felt like my many different styles of preferred music were poorly represented in favor of pop, hip hop, r&b, etc.

Lastly, buckle in for some of the most painfully awkward contestant interviews. (Took an extra star off for having to watch 1/4 of the show on mute)

"Beat Shazam" is a game show in which three teams of two try to identify popular songs the fastest. (In the first episode, the teams consisted of a father-son team, a sisters team, and a brothers team.) They compete for cash prizes that start at $1,000. Early rounds are multiple choice.

As they go through the rounds, teams are eliminated and the cash prizes increase. In the final round, the winning team competes against the song identification application Shazam. The amount of money at stake is significant. And if the team can identify six consecutive songs faster than Shazam, they win the maximum prize of $1 million.

The songs cover all genres. Sometimes they are grouped by artist. Don't expect to hear "Chattanooga Choo Choo", because most songs are from the 1970s on.

This is a fast moving show. Host Jamie Foxx (aided by DJ October Gonzalez) is there to keep things energetic and interesting. Other than when he resorts to race-based humor, he does a good job.

In the first episode, guest Terrence Howard chose the titles for one round. This was the best part of the show, because he obviously loves music and his passion elevated the proceedings. I missed this feature in the second episode. Future guests should have similarly diverse tastes.

Although I could not identify many of the songs and (unlike "Jeopardy", for example) I was not taught much, the quick pace and the unabashed joy for music made the show very enjoyable.

"It's not just a game show. It's a celebration of music, memory, and adrenaline."

Beat Shazam is one of the most exhilarating game shows on TV. Hosted with infectious energy by Jamie Foxx (and occasionally co-hosted by his daughter, Corinne), the show thrives on the raw power of music and the thrill of instant recall. It's a perfect blend of high-stakes competition, family fun, and pure love for all things music.

Why It Works

At its core, Beat Shazam is simple-but genius. Three teams go head-to-head trying to identify songs faster than their opponents. And in the final round? They try to beat Shazam itself-the app known for identifying songs in seconds.

The format creates instant tension. You're shouting answers at the screen. You're cheering for strangers. You're reliving moments in your own life through the songs.

It's interactive, nostalgic, and universally appealing.

Jamie Foxx: The Ultimate Host

Let's be real-Jamie Foxx is the secret sauce. His energy, humor, and charisma elevate every episode. He's not phoning it in-he's jamming with contestants, cracking jokes, and hyping every single moment. His love for music is obvious, and it makes the whole experience feel bigger than the screen.

The Music: A Living Time Capsule

The biggest strength of Beat Shazam is its song selection. From classic rock and golden-era hip-hop to pop bangers and deep-cut R&B, the library covers decades of genres and emotions.

But-here's the honest critique-it's time to expand the library even further.

Give us more international hits, more indie gems, more genre fusion, more 2020s tracks, and even some underground legends. Keep pushing the boundaries. The music world is endless-let the show reflect that.

If they do that? This already-awesome show becomes a masterpiece.

Final Verdict

Beat Shazam is the rare show that bridges generations. It reminds us how powerful music is-not just as entertainment, but as a shared memory, a cultural landmark, a way to connect.

It's thrilling. It's joyful. It's competitive.

And with just a little more diversity in its song choices, it'll be unstoppable.

10 out of 10.

The beat goes on-and it's damn good.

It's so terrible that teams can kick butt and get almost all the songs right but a team can get one answer right in the fast track and keep moving on. It's hard to route for horrible teams. We want to route for the teams that's are amazing. Redo the point system. Guess what the team who answer the most accurately SHOULD earn the right to take on Shazam.

Jamie Foxx is a hilarious host and they play a good variety of songs. If you watch it while it airs you have the opportunity to play along.