How do I get my Android phone to tell me what song is playing?
Being able to identify songs playing around you can be incredibly useful if you hear a catchy tune but don’t know the name of the song or artist. With song identification apps and features on your Android phone, you can easily find out what that song is so you can add it to your playlists, purchase it, or just learn more about the artist.
Whether you’re in a coffee shop, riding in an Uber, watching a TV commercial, or listening to the radio, songs are constantly playing around us. But if you don’t recognize the song, it can be frustrating not knowing the name or artist. Song identification technology for Android solves this problem by listening to a short sample of the song and matching it against a database of music to provide you with the song title, artist name, lyrics, and other useful info.
Having the ability to immediately identify songs on your Android device means you’ll never have to wonder “what’s that song?” again. You can satisfy your curiosity on the spot and easily discover new music you’ll love. With robust song identification capabilities built into Android phones and third-party apps, you can name that tune with just a tap of a button.
Enable Song Identification in Google Assistant
One of the easiest ways to get your Android phone to identify songs is by enabling the built-in song recognition feature in the Google Assistant. Here’s how to set it up:
Open the Google app and tap on the More icon in the top right corner. Then go to Settings > Voice > ‘Song recognition’ and make sure it is toggled on. This will allow the Google Assistant to listen to music playing around you and identify the song title and artist.
Once enabled, you can simply say “Hey Google, what song is this?” and the Assistant will begin listening to try and detect the song. Make sure to allow permissions for the Google app to access your microphone when prompted. The song name and artist should appear on your screen after a few seconds if Google is able to recognize it.
According to Google’s official blog (1), this feature works like the popular Shazam app by listening to music through your phone’s microphone and matching it against a database of songs. It can identify songs playing on the radio, TV, or in public places. Just make sure to enable song recognition in your Google Assistant settings first.
(1) https://blog.google/products/search/hum-to-search/
Use the SoundHound App
SoundHound is a popular song identification app available for both Android and iOS. Here’s how to use it to identify songs playing on your Android phone:
First, download and install the SoundHound app from the Google Play Store. The app is free with optional in-app purchases.
After installing, open the app and enable microphone access when prompted. This allows SoundHound to listen to music playing around you.
Then, just hold your Android phone near the music source you want to identify. Make sure you’re relatively close with a clear sound. Tap the floating orange dot to initiate a search.
SoundHound will listen to the music and quickly provide song details like the track name, artist, and album. According to testing by Reddit users, SoundHound can accurately identify songs from a distance better than competitors like Shazam.
Use the Shazam App
The Shazam app is one of the most popular options for identifying music and songs playing around you. Here’s how to use it:
First, download the Shazam app from the Google Play Store onto your Android device. The app is free to download with optional in-app purchases.
Once downloaded, open the Shazam app. You’ll see a large button that says “Tap to Shazam.” All you need to do is tap this button and Shazam will begin listening through your device’s microphone.
Let the song play for about 10 seconds and Shazam will quickly analyze the music. After a few seconds it will display the song title, artist name, album name, and other info. You’ll also see options to play a snippet, view the song video, read lyrics, and more. For more details and options, tap the song result.
Shazam is fast, accurate, and easy to use for identifying songs, with a clean and simple interface. It doesn’t use too much battery or memory. However some users report it lacks certain advanced features available in apps like SoundHound ([1]).
Try Musixmatch App
Musixmatch is a popular lyrics app that can also identify songs playing around you. It integrates directly with Spotify, syncing lyrics in real-time as you listen. When a song is playing, just tap the “Identify Lyrics” icon on the bottom menu bar and Musixmatch will begin listening and matching the tune.1
Once identified, Musixmatch instantly delivers the song title, artist name, album cover art, and full lyrics. You can view all the song and artist details right in the app. Musixmatch prides itself on a comprehensive lyrics catalog, with support for pulling lyrics and metadata for tracks from Spotify and your personal music library.2
With its tight integration and real-time syncing, Musixmatch provides a seamless song identification experience. It’s a great option for Spotify users looking to take their music listening to the next level.
Use Google Search Widget
One of the easiest ways to identify a song on your Android phone is by using the Google Search widget. Here’s how:
1. Add the Google Search widget to your home screen. You can do this by long pressing on the home screen and selecting Widgets. Then find the Google Search widget and add it.
2. Tap on the microphone icon in the search widget and hold your phone near the music that is playing.
The Google Search app will listen to the song and provide you with search results identifying the song title and artist. This uses the same song recognition technology as Google Assistant to analyze the melody and match it against Google’s database of songs (1).
The search widget provides a quick and easy way to identify music without needing to open up a separate app. It’s accessible right from your home screen. Just tap and hold the mic to get instant song recognition.
Compare Top Apps
When picking the best song identifier app for Android, there are a handful of top options with different pros, cons, and features:
Shazam is one of the most popular and accurate apps. It has a large song database and can identify songs playing nearby very quickly. However, some users find the ads annoying and the free version limits the number of monthly song identifications. The paid version removes ads and ups the monthly limit, but costs $5/month (1).
Musixmatch is another good free option for Android. It synchronizes lyrics with the songs and incorporates a floating widget for easy access. However, some users report it has a smaller song database and can occasionally misidentify songs (1).
SoundHound is known for its fast and accurate song recognition. It works even when songs are playing in noisy environments or have live variations. SoundHound also incorporates extra features like searching for lyrics and discovering related artists. The main limitations are occasional ads and a 50 song/month limit for free users (2).
Overall, while apps like SoundHound and Shazam offer great accuracy, speed, and features, Musixmatch stands out as a top free option with no monthly limit. However, power users may prefer unlocking premium features in Shazam or SoundHound for expanded capabilities.
(1) https://filmora.wondershare.com/audio-editor/best-song-finder-apps-android.html
(2) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beat.light&hl=en_US&gl=US
Troubleshooting Tips
If you are having issues getting your Android phone to identify songs, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Make sure the song identification app has access to your microphone. Go to your phone’s settings and privacy options to confirm the app has permission to use the microphone. If not, enable microphone access in the app permissions.
Get as close as you can to the music source. Position the phone near the speakers or live performance for best results. Ambient noises can interfere with the app’s ability to clearly pick up the song.
If the app is still not identifying the song, try humming or singing part of the chorus into the phone microphone. This provides the app a sample of the melody to match against its song database. Just make sure you have a strong data or WiFi connection when humming/singing to enable the app to upload and analyze the recording.
According to Google’s Community Support, clearing the app cache and data can also help reset any issues. After deleting the cache/data, restart the phone and reopen the song identification app.
Extra Features
Beyond just identifying the name and artist of songs, the best song identification apps also allow you to explore extra features like viewing lyrics, artist info, playlists, and adding songs to your favorite music streaming services.
With the Shazam app, users can view lyrics synced to the music to sing along, dig deeper into artist bios and discographies, and listen to related playlist mixes tailored around the identified track. Shazam also enables seamlessly adding the discovered song to a Spotify playlist with just a tap. The service has deep connections with not just Spotify but also Apple Music, YouTube Music, Pandora, and others (“Shazam: Music Discovery 12+” – App Store, 2023)
Similarly, Soundhound provides access to lyrics, artist backgrounds, and music videos for identified songs right in the app interface. You can also easily add songs to personalized Spotify playlists and share tracks on social media. Soundhound uses a proprietary technology called SoundPrint to analyze songs by their raw audio fingerprints rather than just metadata, helping it identify live performances, hummed melodies, and obscure tracks other apps may miss (“SoundHound – Music Discovery on the App Store”, 2023).
With rich discovery features that go beyond basic song recognition, apps like Shazam and Soundhound empower users to fully explore and connect with the music around them.
Conclusion
When you want to identify a song playing on your Android phone, there are several effective options to try. The most convenient built-in way is to use Google Assistant, which can listen to the song and tell you the title and artist. Just say “Hey Google, what song is this?” and it will work its magic. Enabling this feature is straightforward by updating your Google Assistant settings.
If you want a dedicated song identification app with extra features, Shazam and SoundHound are top recommendations. Shazam is perhaps the most popular option, with over 1 billion total installs. It can identify songs in just a few seconds with a tap of a button. SoundHound offers a similar instant song recognition experience. Both apps have large song databases and additional music discovery features beyond just song ID.
The key benefit of identifying songs on your Android phone is satisfying your curiosity when you hear an unfamiliar tune. Whether you use Google Assistant or a specialized app, you’ll have an effortless way to quickly lookup song titles and artist names. This can lead you to explore new music and expand your musical horizons.