Think about the times you are at a coffee shop and a song comes on the radio. You really like the song, but you are just not familiar with the album, let alone the artist. Your first instinct may be to catch a fragment of the lyrics but what if you fail to do this, as well?

You might think that you will never heat that song again without a title or even an artist. Well, good news! You can simply use your smartphone to identify music that is unknown to you so that you can familiarize yourself with the track, album, and artist.

There are a lot of applications that have this function. However, you want to make sure that you use the most effective and widely known for its catalog. Ready to know which one to pick? Keep reading.

What’s the Best App to Identify Music?

If you are looking for the best app to identify songs on your smartphone, you only need to remember one name: Shazam. This application touts its ability to name any song within seconds, making it convenient for identifying music on the fly. 

One great thing about this is it records a history of songs you identified, helping you remember the title and artist of your newly discovered track. It also lets you look back on songs you previously searched for. 

Now, when you discover a song, one of the first things you want to know is its lyrics. When you let Shazam listen to a song, it will offer lyrics that are perfectly synchronized as the track plays. You can also integrate this app to Spotify or Apple Music, letting you add songs to a playlist. 

To discover new music, you can simply browse the app for the most Shazamed tracks. This way, you can see what other users are interested in.

How to Use Shazam

Using Shazam is extremely easy. What you need to do is to simply download and install the app, which is available on Android and iOS. If you are an Android user looking for a less resource-heavy option, Shazam Lite is your best choice. The app is also available for wearable devices. 

After you download the app, you need to launch it whenever you hear a track you want to familiarize yourself with. Simply let the application ‘listen’ to the song and you can get results in seconds. 

Top 3 Contenders for Identifying Music Using a Smartphone App

If you are looking for another application that can identify music using your smartphone, there is no need to look far. Here are some of the best contenders for this purpose.

SoundHound

Those who are looking for the basic functions of a music identifier app will definitely like SoundHound. It is known as the Shazam’s greatest rival because of its efficiency and effectiveness. You just need to let it listen to a song and you are good to go.

One strong point of SoundHound is that it gives you a hands-free experience. Say you have your hands full and you want to know what track is playing. You just need to say, “OK Hound… what’s this song,” and the application will work for you without a single touch.

Genius

Another great alternative to Shazam is Genius, an application that recognizes songs playing in the background. It also gives you the option to view the lyrics, as well as the official video. Moreover, it allows you to share your discovery through streaming apps. 

MusicID

Competing with the efficiency of other apps, MusicID is known for giving out fast results. It lets you know the most relevant details about the track including the title, album, and artist. Plus, you get to watch the official video. A great thing about it is that it recommends similar tracks, letting you discover music that you might like.

The Bottom Line

Music is one of the most omnipresent cultural products out there. With these applications, music lovers and casual listeners alike can start discovering more musical content with just a tap of a button. So, make sure to check out Shazam and the other apps for more fun.