Ranking updated
Apps to find a song by sound
Heard a song and want its name? Three apps answer that. Shazam identifies music playing around you or in apps like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, works with headphones and can recognise songs offline. SoundHound also listens to music, and if the song is stuck in your head you can sing or hum it. Google has Hum to Search: hum the tune and it finds the song without lyrics or the artist name.
How we picked: song recognition apps from a seller shown as a trader in the App Store or published by the service itself, with features from each app’s own description. We do not quote user counts or ratings.
Shazam: the song around you, even offline
Shazam identifies music playing around you or in apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, and recognises songs offline, with headphones or while you are in another app. It keeps a history of everything you found, shows lyrics, videos and concerts nearby, and opens any song in Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music or Deezer. You can start it from a Lock Screen widget or ask Siri what song is playing.
SoundHound: sing or hum it
SoundHound listens for a few seconds and tells you the title, artist, album and lyrics. If a song is stuck in your head, press the button and sing or hum the tune. It keeps your discovery history, plays songs with real-time karaoke-style lyrics through Apple Music, Spotify or a built-in YouTube player, and responds to “Hey SoundHound” hands-free.
Google: Hum to Search
The Google app has Hum to Search: hum the tune and Google finds the song, with no lyrics, artist name or perfect pitch needed. It can also search for a song playing near you. To make a song of your own, see song maker apps. Head to head on the two dedicated apps: Shazam vs SoundHound.
| App | Recognises by | Extras | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| ShazamApp StoreGoogle Play | music playing around you or in other apps, offline too | lyrics, concerts nearby, open in Apple Music, Spotify and others | iOS, Android |
| SoundHoundApp StoreGoogle Play | music playing, or your singing and humming | real-time lyrics, “Hey SoundHound” voice control | iOS, Android |
| GoogleApp StoreGoogle Play | humming the tune, or a song playing nearby | part of Google Search with Lens | iOS, Android |
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a song I only remember the tune of?
Hum or sing it into SoundHound, or use Hum to Search in the Google app; neither needs the lyrics or artist name.
Can I identify a song without internet?
Shazam can recognise songs offline and show the result once you are back online.
Can I find a song playing in TikTok or Instagram?
Yes. Shazam identifies music playing in apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.