Identify Song Quickly: 10 Effective Ways to Recognize Unknown Songs
Identifying a song that catches your attention but whose name you can't quite remember can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are numerous methods and tools available to help you quickly determine what song is playing.
1. Google Assistant
Google Assistant is a powerful tool for identifying songs. Here’s how you can use it:
- On Android Devices: Press and hold the home button or say "Hey Google" to activate Google Assistant. Then, ask "What song is this?" while the song is playing. If you don’t have the song handy, you can also hum, whistle, or sing the melody.
- On iPhone: Open the Google app and tap the microphone icon. Ask "What song is this?" or "Hey Google, what song is this?".
- Using the Sound Search Widget: You can also add the "Sound Search" widget to your home screen. Tap and hold your home screen to open "Widgets," scroll down to find "Sound Search," and drag the widget to your home screen. Whenever you want to identify a song, tap the widget, and Google will listen and provide the information.
2. Siri
Siri, Apple's smart assistant, can also help you identify songs:
- Activate Siri: Say "Hey Siri" or press and hold the side button (depending on your iPhone model) to wake up Siri.
- Ask Siri: Ask "What song is this?" or "Who sings this?" while the song is playing. You can also hum or whistle the tune for around 10 seconds to help Siri recognize the song.
- Using Control Center: On iPhone or iPad, you can add the Music Recognition feature to Control Center. Go to Settings > Control Center, then tap the Add button next to Music Recognition. Open Control Center and tap the Shazam button to identify songs playing around you.
3. Alexa
Amazon's Alexa is another smart assistant that can identify songs:
- Wake Up Alexa: Say "Alexa" to wake the assistant.
- Ask Alexa: Ask "Alexa, what song is this?" while the song is playing. Alexa will listen to the music and identify the song for you, providing the title and artist.
4. Shazam
Shazam is a popular app for identifying songs:
- Using the App: Open the Shazam app and hold your device up to the audio source. Shazam will use audio fingerprinting technology to match the recorded sample with its extensive database of songs.
- Integration with Other Services: Shazam can connect to Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, or YouTube Music to let you listen to the whole song after identification.
- Built-in Features: Shazam also offers features like lyrics display, music recommendations, and the ability to save and share identified songs.
5. SoundHound
SoundHound is another app that makes it simple to discover music playing around you:
- Download and Open: Download the SoundHound app from the Google Play Store or the App Store. Open the app and play the song you want to identify near your device.
- Song Recognition: SoundHound will listen and recognize the song, then show you the title and other details. It supports more languages than Shazam and is free to download and use.
6. Deezer's SongCatcher
Deezer's SongCatcher feature allows you to identify songs within the Deezer app:
- Using SongCatcher: Open the Deezer app and activate the SongCatcher feature. This will allow the app to listen to and identify songs playing around you.
7. Now Playing on Google Pixel
If you own a Google Pixel phone, you can use the Now Playing feature to automatically identify songs:
- Enable Now Playing: Open the Settings app, tap on "Sound & vibration," and then toggle on "Now Playing" and "Identify songs playing nearby." Wait for the database to download, and you'll see the titles and artists of songs playing nearby on your lock screen.
8. AHA Music
AHA Music is a versatile music identifier that works through your browser:
- Using the Browser Extension: Install the AHA Music extension from the Chrome web store. Access the extension whenever you want to identify music. Click on a song's details to share it on social media or with other music streaming services.
- Humming and Singing Recognition: AHA Music supports music identification through singing or humming. Simply click the recognition button on the website, and AHA Music will analyze the audio and show you the song's name and artist.
9. Smart Speakers
Smart speakers like Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod can also help you identify songs:
- Using Voice Commands: Use voice commands like "Alexa, what song is this?" or "Hey Google, what song is this?" to identify songs playing around you.
10. Midomi
Midomi is a music recognition service that allows you to identify songs by singing or humming:
- Using Midomi: Go to the Midomi website, click on the microphone icon, and sing or hum the part of the song you remember. Midomi will analyze your input and show you the song's name and artist if it recognizes the tune.
Each of these methods offers a convenient way to identify songs quickly, ensuring you never miss out on adding a new favorite to your playlist.