How to find the name of a song using your cell phone.
You know that song that plays on the radio, in the store, or in a video, and you have no idea what it's called? With your cell phone, you can find out in seconds. Recognition apps listen to a few seconds of the sound and show you the title, artist, and album.
Some even go further and recognize when you hum or whistle the melody. See the options and how to use each one.
How does music recognition work?
The app records a short snippet of sound and creates a kind of "digital fingerprint" of the audio, which is compared to a database of millions of songs. That's why the recognition is so fast, even with background noise.
The most recommended apps
Shazam
The most famous of all: tap the button and in seconds the song title appears, with lyrics and links to listen. It can be set to automatically recognize everything that plays.
- Very fast recognition
- Synchronized lyrics
- Free
The Google app recognizes music playing and also when you hum: tap the microphone and choose "Search for a song".
- Recognize it by the humming
- It already comes standard on many Android devices.
- Free
SoundHound
A pioneer in voice-based recognition: you can sing or whistle the melody and the app will try to find the song.
- Recognizes by singing or whistling.
- Lyrics in real time
- Free version with ads
Musixmatch
Focused on lyrics: it recognizes the music and displays the synchronized lyrics, including translations.
- Synchronized lyrics
- Lyrics translations
- Paid extra features
Shortcuts that are already on your phone
On iPhones, Shazam recognition can be placed in the Control Center to identify a song with a tap. On many Android devices, Google Assistant recognizes songs by asking "what song is this?".
How to find a song in a video
If the music is playing in a video on your phone, open the recognition app and play the video at high volume, either from another device or through the speaker. Shazam also has a mode that recognizes what's playing in other apps on your phone, without needing another device.
In social media videos, it's worth looking at the description or the audio title, which often indicates the music used.
When the music is not recognized
Live versions, very different remixes, and songs by lesser-known artists may not be in the database. In that case, try typing a snippet of the lyrics into the search engine, in quotation marks. Online communities dedicated to identifying songs are also very helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to identify a song by humming it?
Yes. The Google app and SoundHound recognize songs by humming or whistling.
Does it work with background noise?
Most of the time, yes. Move your phone closer to the sound source to improve the result.
Are these apps free?
Yes. Shazam and Google are free; SoundHound and Musixmatch have free versions.
With one of these apps on your phone, no song will be unnamed. Just one tap is all it takes to discover and save it to your playlist.
