Apple Music Launches ‘Saylists’ Feature for Users With Speech-Sound Disorders: Report

A total of 173 tracks have been recognised to be challenging for listeners with speech-sound disorders.

By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 26 March 2021 12:46 IST

Apple Music Launches ‘Saylists’ Feature for Users With Speech-Sound Disorders: Report

Dua Lipa's ‘Don't Start Now,’ Lizzo's ‘Good As Hell’ seem to be problematic for SSD children

Highlights

Saylists feature scanned 70 million songs in Apple Music catalogue
Apple Music partnered with Warner Music for the feature
Speech therapists recommend monitoring of outcomes from Saylists

Apple Music has reportedly partnered with Warner Music to introduce a new Saylists feature for users with speech and sound disorders. The new feature uses embedded algorithm to find song lyrics that repeat challenging sounds. Young kids with speech and sound disorder (SSD) are said to have problems with sounds like "Ch, d, f, g, k, l, r, s, t and z." Apple Music's Saylists looks to ease the woes of these listeners. One in 12 children in the UK are reported to experience some form of speech sound disorder (SSD).

BBC reports that Apple has collaborated with Warner Music to introduce the new Saylists feature. The new feature will analyse the song lyrics and recognise phrases that may be challenging for SSD-affected children. The algorithm has analysed the song lyrics of 70 million tracks in the Apple Music catalogue and chose some songs that have challenging sounds repeated most often. A total of 173 song tracks have reportedly been chosen, including Dua Lipa's ‘Don't Start Now,' Lizzo's ‘Good As Hell', and Fatboy Slim's ‘Right Here, Right Now.'

Warner Music UK CEO Tony Harlow told BBC, “Helping people express themselves is at the heart of what we do — and we hope that by creating a therapeutic tool that's as engaging and accessible as Saylists, we can help anyone whose struggling with their speech.”

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Speech-and-language therapist Anna Biavati-Smith, who worked with Warner Music and Rothco on the project, reportedly said, "Saylists provide a fun new way to practise the sounds I teach children, without feeling pressured or getting bored."

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Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists chief executive Kamini Gadhok recommends monitoring of outcomes from the Saylist feature. “We're always pleased to hear about innovative approaches that support speech-and-language therapists in their work. As with all new techniques and tools, we recommend effective evaluation and monitoring of outcomes."

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