How does music recognition work?

Music recognition apps analyze a short sound clip and compare it with a huge database of songs to identify what you are hearing. In just a few seconds you can find out which song is playing, who the artist is and which album it is on. In this article we cover Shazam and the best alternatives for recognizing music.

Shazam is the best-known and most widely used music recognition app, now owned by Apple.

Installing and using Shazam

Download Shazam for free from the App Store or Google Play Store. Open the app and tap the big Shazam button when you hear a song. Point your phone toward the sound source and wait a few seconds. The app shows the title, artist, album cover and links to streaming services.

Auto Shazam

Turn on Auto Shazam to listen continuously in the background. The app automatically identifies every song you hear and saves them in your history. This is perfect for nights out or listening to the radio without having to open the app every time.

Shazam in Control Center on iPhone

Add Shazam to your iPhone Control Center for quick access. Go to Settings, then Control Center, and add Music Recognition. Now you can Shazam straight from Control Center without opening the app.

Offline recognition

Shazam can recognize songs offline. If you have no internet connection, the app saves the sound clip and identifies it as soon as you are back online. That way you never miss a song, even without a signal.

Shazam history and integrations

All the songs you have identified are saved in your Shazam library. Sync with Apple Music to automatically add songs you Shazamed to a playlist. There are also integrations with Spotify and other services.

Google Assistant music recognition

Google offers powerful music recognition built right into Android and through the Google app.

What's this song feature

Say Ok Google, what's this song, or Hey Google, what's this song. Google Assistant listens and identifies the song. This also works if you hum or sing the song, which is unique to Google.

Sound Search widget

Add the Sound Search widget to your Android home screen for quick access. One tap on the widget starts music recognition right away without opening the Google app first.

Now Playing on Pixel

Google Pixel phones have Now Playing, a feature that automatically identifies songs playing around you. The song title appears on your lock screen without you having to do anything. This works completely offline and is privacy friendly.

Siri music recognition

Apple has integrated Shazam technology into Siri.

Asking Siri

Say Hey Siri, what song is this, and Siri listens to the music. After identification you can play the song right away on Apple Music or add it to your library. The recognition is just as accurate as the Shazam app itself.

Music Recognition in Control Center

As mentioned earlier, you can add Music Recognition to Control Center. This uses the same Shazam technology but without opening the Shazam app. Identified songs are saved in your Shazam history in the Music app.

SoundHound: the alternative

SoundHound is Shazam's biggest competitor, with a few unique features.

Using SoundHound

Download SoundHound for free from the app stores. The interface is similar to Shazam: tap the button and hold your phone near the music. SoundHound is often slightly faster at identifying songs than Shazam.

Singing and humming

SoundHound's most powerful feature is recognizing sung or hummed melodies. Can't remember the lyrics but the melody is stuck in your head? Hum it for SoundHound and the app tries to identify the song. The results aren't always perfect but are often surprisingly accurate.

LiveLyrics

SoundHound shows real-time lyrics that scroll along with the music. This is handy for singing along or learning the lyrics of a new song.

Recognizing music in other apps

Many apps have built-in music recognition.

Spotify

Spotify has a built-in Shazam-like feature. Go to Search and tap the microphone icon. The app listens and identifies the song, after which you can play it right away or save it to your library.

YouTube Music

YouTube Music can also identify songs. Tap the search field and use the microphone to have a song recognized. You are taken straight to the song within the app.

Instagram and Snapchat

Both social media apps have Shazam integrations. In Instagram you can use Shazam through the camera to identify music. Snapchat has a similar feature: press and hold the camera screen.

Tips for better music recognition

Improve your recognition results with these practical tips.

Sound quality

The better the sound the app picks up, the more accurate the recognition. Hold your phone close to the speaker or sound source. Avoid talking or making noise while it is listening.

Wait for the right moment

Start recognition during the verse or chorus, not during the intro or an instrumental part. The app needs vocals or a recognizable melody for the best results.

Try multiple apps

If one app doesn't recognize the song, try another. Each service has a slightly different database and algorithm. A song that Shazam misses might be recognized by SoundHound.

Privacy and data use

It is good to know how these apps handle your data.

What is stored

Most apps store your listening history to improve recommendations. You can usually clear this history in the app settings. Read the privacy policy if you are concerned about data collection.

Microphone permission

These apps need access to your microphone. They claim to listen only when you activate recognition, except with features such as Auto Shazam. Check your privacy settings if you feel uncomfortable.

Troubleshooting common problems

Sometimes music recognition doesn't work as expected.

Song is not recognized

Some songs simply aren't in the database, especially obscure or very new releases. Live versions or remixes are sometimes not recognized. Try again with a different part of the song.

Wrong identification

With covers or songs that sound very similar, the app may show the wrong song. Check whether the identified version matches what you hear by playing the clip.

Too much background noise

In noisy environments the app has trouble recognizing music. Try moving closer to the sound source or wait for a quieter moment.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shazam free?

Yes, Shazam is completely free to download and use. There are no ads in the app and all features are available without payment. Apple bought Shazam in 2018 and has made it free since then.

Can I identify a song by humming?

Yes, Google Assistant and SoundHound can recognize hummed or sung melodies. Say to Google: What's this song, and hum the melody. SoundHound has a dedicated feature for recognizing sung fragments.

Does Shazam work offline?

Shazam can identify songs offline by saving the sound clip. As soon as you have an internet connection again, the song is identified. Google Pixel phones with Now Playing can recognize songs completely offline.

Which music recognition app is the best?

Shazam and SoundHound are both excellent for regular music recognition, with comparable accuracy. Google Assistant is the best for recognizing hummed melodies. For iPhone users, the Shazam integration in Siri and Control Center is the most convenient.

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