Find a Song You Don't Know the Name Of

Here is how to find a song online even if you only know a few words. Prepare to find and enjoy your favorite song with some sleuthing effort on your behalf.

Steps

Web search

  1. Think about the song. Is there a word or phrase that's repeated often? Most likely you will find this hint in the chorus, but it's not the case with all songs. Whatever you can remember from this song, write this down for searching with.
    • Maybe you can't remember a lot but you associate the song with something, such as a color and a season. Write down anything that you do remember.
  2. Open up your web browser.
  3. Pick your favorite search engine such as Yahoo or Google.
  4. Type in whatever you've remembered of the lyrics in the search box. If you're absolutely sure of the lines, you can place the phrase or words inside quotes followed by the word lyrics.
    • If you're not sure of the words or a well-ordered lyric from the song, don't despair. Be creative. Using the example above, you might remember the color yellow and rain and a taxi. Key in "yellow, rain, taxi song" and see what comes back. One of the returns may just end up being your song.
  5. Click search and notice the displayed list provided. The search engine may suggest various words that it thinks you might be searching for. At this stage, you may or may not see your song but the suggested search terms might help you to narrow it down.
  6. Browse down the list of returns provided by the search engine. Click them open in order of what seems most likely to be the song you're interested in. Check for the lyrics for your song. Often some words are found but not others, this may be because your search engine is searching for parts or your phrase. In some cases, such as with Google, a YouTube video might appear as a top return, allowing you to click and listen instantly.
    • If you can only find lyrics returning and no audio files, try singing the lyrics to see whether or not it seems to be the right song.
  7. Click to play a short sample of the song if the website has a button where you can do that.
  8. Listen to an instrumental if the site has a midi keyboard version of the song to see if it has the right tune.

Using a lyrics site

  1. Go to a lyric site. A helpful lyrics site most likely has a search box. In the box, type in a line of your song and listen to all results that pull up.
    • This is most useful when you have the specific lyrics.
    • Try www.leoslyrics.com or www.lyricsplanet.com to search for the lyrics of a song.

Chart search

  1. Check the charts. If the song is played frequently, then it is most likely a popular choice of music listeners all around. Go online and see if you can find it under the top songs charts. A good resource: mostpopularsongs.net

Checking your usual radio stations

  1. Scan the station. If you hear the song on the radio, listen closely before and after it plays. Most stations tell you what song was played so you know conveniently enough, what the song's title is in case you wish to download it.# Hit the button. In some cars, the push of a button will tell you the title and artist of a song when it plays on the radio.

Using an app

  1. Download an app that can tell you what you're listening to. This is great when you're out shopping, at a party or anywhere else that music is playing. For example, SoundHound or Shazam.
  2. Use the app to record some of the song. The app must installed on your smartphone and you'll need to be near the song so that the app can "listen" in with you and then identify the song for you. Once recorded, let the app do the detective work for you. With luck, you'll get a correct match and a link to download your own copy from iTunes or other music sites.

Humming or singing the song yourself

If you only know the tune and how to hum it, consider this solution.

  1. Get your humming or singing self ready. Do a practice run.
  2. Go to Midomi.com. It's at: http://www.midomi.com/.
  3. Find the search bar at the top that says: Click and Sing or Hum. Click on this. It will ask if it's okay to access your camera and audio. Click yes if you agree.
  4. Hum or sing clearly into the microphone on your digital device or computer. The site will record you. It asks that you sing for at least 10 seconds, to give it a good chance to find what you're looking for.
  5. Press the red button to stop recording. Midomi will now search for you. With luck, it'll find your song––it presents a list of songs for you check. They may play from the site but if not, search for the song title online and find a video or audio recording. Is it your lost song?
    • Try again if it doesn't work. Sing or hum clearly, or ask a friend or sibling to help if you think you're messing it up.

Tips

  • Shorten your search to a fewer number of words that you're sure are in the song and also gives a chance of you not getting the lyrics wrong.
  • Consider that you may have the lyrics wrong if you're not getting returns. Keep thinking some more about what parts of the song are most identifiable to help you to track down the song.
  • Hum the song to a friend if you want some help with it; he or she may recognize the song.

Warnings

  • Be careful because fewer words will broaden the search and have a much larger list of results.
  • Some songs will produce several artists' versions of the same recording. It may take some more digging to find the one that you want.
  • Understand that even with intense searching, sometimes you won't find the song. This may be due to the fact that you've misheard the lyrics, you're accidentally combining two songs or you aren't remembering sufficient details to help you search. Keep trying, as it'll come eventually.

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