Shazam is indispensable for music lovers. With this software, you can find out in seconds what song is playing nearby — whether you’re in a quiet café listening to some background music, playing a Woo Casino slot with a catchy tune, or at a loud concert.
Progress doesn’t stand still, and Shazam has competitors. Let’s explore how other popular services are better or worse than the most well-known melody recognition app.
Soundhound
This tool can identify a song by sound within a couple of seconds. In the app, you can select music genres and view a list of the most popular tracks, artists, and albums.
One of Soundhound’s main advantages is voice control. Say, “Hey, Hound,” and ask the voice assistant to identify the song playing nearby or find any track by your favorite artist. With smart algorithms, Soundhound recognizes sounds and can identify a melody even if you hum it yourself.
For those who love to sing, the app includes a karaoke mode. If you forget the lyrics, the program will find the song’s text so you can sing along in real-time. To make searching easier, the app lets you save tagged tracks as bookmarks.
One downside of Soundhound is the large amount of advertising. If you use the free version of the app, ads will pop up regularly.
The melody recognition technology isn’t perfect and is constantly improving, so it may occasionally give incorrect results.
Genius
Genius features a huge catalog of tracks in various languages worldwide: the collection includes about 2 million songs, and it’s regularly updated.
The unique aspect of this app is that the lyrics of each song come with explanations of the lines. This helps listeners understand the artist’s intended message or the references in the track. Explanations can be provided by regular listeners or the artist themselves.
You can like or dislike any explanation of the lyrics and leave comments. The app’s robust algorithms can identify a song by melody within 3–5 seconds.
MusixMatch
Initially developed as a music player, this app has become an excellent Shazam alternative. Its unique feature is the ability to sync lyrics with the track in real-time. This means you can host a cool karaoke session at home without sync issues. Later, the app added a function for identifying songs by sound.
MusixMatch’s strengths include great design and the ability to organize songs. The intuitive interface, smooth animations, and vibrant colors make the app visually appealing. Additionally, users can create folders and sort tracks by albums, genres, and artists — everything is customizable.
However, the algorithm sometimes inaccurately identifies songs. If the track includes vocals, MusixMatch performs well, but it struggles with instrumental and classical music. Also, in sync mode, the last line of a song may disappear, though it will still be visible when reading the text normally.
MusicID
This app can quickly identify the title and artist of a song. The screen displays the music’s cover art and the artist’s photo. You can also find out the song’s release date, genre, and the cost of purchasing the album or track.
Based on your preferences, MusicID recommends similar musicians and groups that are gaining popularity. This is a great way to become a fan of cool artists before they hit the mainstream.
The app’s downside is occasional glitches. MusicID might stop working due to software errors, but this happens rarely.
Beatfind
This tool can visualize and identify music playing near you. Just press the lightning button — the algorithm will find the song by melody, show you information about it, and synchronize a strobe light with the song’s rhythm.
With Beatfind, you can find the song or music you’re looking for by tapping the rhythm or singing a snippet of the track. The app also lets you share your favorite melodies with friends via social networks and messengers.
The app allows you to identify music, listen to a snippet, and learn about the artist’s biography, as well as their tracks and albums.
Siri (iPhone) and Google Assistant (Android)
Built-in voice assistants can also identify tracks. You can use this feature if your operating system is at least iOS 18 or Android 8.0.
How to enable Siri on iPhone:
- From the home screen, go to “Settings.”
- Navigate to the “Siri & Search” section.
- Enable Siri activation via the side button.
- Tap the “Enable Siri” button.
- Say, “Siri, what song is playing?” and wait for it to identify the track.
How to find a song using Google Assistant:
- On your smartphone’s home screen, press and hold an empty area without icons.
- Select “Widgets.”
- Add the “Google Search” widget to your screen.
- Tap the microphone icon and ask, “What’s this song?”
The main advantage over other services and apps is that users don’t need to download or set up anything — it’s already on the device. Moreover, it’s completely free, with no ads or pro versions.