How do you find a song you cant remember the name of?

How many times have you sat down to download a song you heard recently—perhaps while eating in a restaurant or while watching a movie—only to realize you have no idea how to find it?

You don’t know the name. You might remember a few lyrics, or maybe none at all. But you can’t get the melody out of your head!

Fortunately, there are several ways you can track down a song even without knowing the title or lyrics.

How to Find a Song Without Knowing the Lyrics

Knowing the lyrics certainly makes finding a song easier, since all you need to do is type a line or phrase into Google or a song lyric website (such as Genius), and in most cases you’ll find a match pretty easily.

But what if you don’t know the lyrics? Is all hope lost?

Thanks to recent developments in technology, you now have more options for finding that elusive song title.

1. Use Google to identify a song.

One of the easiest ways to identify a song comes from your source of answers to all of life’s other important questions: Google.

If you have a smart device, make sure you’ve downloaded the Google app. Open the app, and in the search bar, tap the microphone icon, and say “Search a song.”

Then you can play the song, or even hum, whistle, or sing the melody.

2. Check IMDB for songs from TV shows or movies.

As all dedicated film and TV buffs know, IMDB is a priceless resource when it comes to tracking down those key details about a movie or episode. The database can tell you all the locations where a production was filmed, who guest starred in any given episode, and of course, which songs were featured.

Let’s take, for example, the 2013 film American Hustle. Let’s say I want to know the name of a song that played about halfway through the film.

I’ll first start by entering the name in IMDB’s search bar.

Then, once I’ve clicked on the film’s page, I’ll scroll down to “Soundtracks,” which is right below “Connections” and above “User Reviews.”

After clicking on “Soundtracks,” I’ll be taken to a page with every song that’s featured in the film listed in order of its appearance.

3. Try one of these apps that can identify songs.

In addition to Google, there are several other apps you can use in your mission to hunt down a song.

Shazam

With Shazam, users simply hold their phone up to the source of music while a song is playing. Tap a button and Shazam will listen it to identify the song, and provide key information such as the title, artist, and album.

The app will also provide links to YouTube to where you can listen to or purchase the song in question. Shazam also stores a history of all the songs you’ve identified.

Shazam is available for iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.

SoundHound

Much like Google, SoundHound allows you to hum or sing a melody in case the song you’re looking for isn’t playing right now.

This app is available for Android and iOS.

Siri or Alexa

If you have an iPhone or an Amazon Echo, you can call on trusted Siri or Alexa to identify a song for you. Just say “[Siri / Alexa], what song is this?”

Identify Songs Without the Title

Next time you hear a song you like, or can’t remember the name of the tune from that movie you watched last night, remember that you have several options for finding answers.

Enlist the help of technology, or put your detective skills to the test by checking sites like IMDB or Genius. The good news is that these clever tricks aren’t just limited to songs—you can also find a book from vague descriptions or details about the cover!

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• How to Write Song Lyrics in 5 Simple Steps
• How to Write a Song: 6 Steps for Writing Your Next Hit
• How to Find a Book from Vague Description: Find Titles Based on Plot Details
• How to Find a Good Book: 10 Ways to Find Your Next Read

Kaelyn Barron

As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Is there a way to find out the name of a song?

How do you find a song if you only know the melody?