How to identify music playing around you

There’s a particularly catchy tune playing at the cafe, but you’ve no idea what it’s called or who the artist is. Sound familiar? Thankfully, you can use your phone to quickly identify songs, look up lyrics, and discover new music, so you won’t miss a beat.

Note: Instructions and settings may vary by manufacturer and model.

The Google app isn’t just for searching the web – it can also help you identify songs. Just tap the microphone in the app, then tap “Search a song.” From here, you can track down a song name and artist by playing, singing, or humming it into your phone.

Certain models of Google Pixel phones, running Android 10 or up, can automatically identify music nearby right from your phone. To enable, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Now Playing, then toggle on “Identify songs playing nearby” to display detected tracks on your device’s lock screen. You can view previously identified songs by tapping “Now Playing history,” and tap the heart button next to a track to favorite it for future reference.

You can also use an app like Shazam to identify tracks playing nearby – even when you’re wearing headphones. Access all of your previously searched songs in the Library tab, and connect the app with select music-streaming apps to play your new discoveries. Love what you hear? Share your favorites with others by tapping the “Share song” button, or explore an artist’s upcoming shows in the Concert tab.

Using Soundhound, you can detect and identify tunes playing nearby by tapping the orange button when a tune is playing around you. Or just hum your latest earworm into the mic instead (singing talent optional). Know the lyrics? Speak or type them to find the exact track you’re looking for. Once you’ve identified a song, you can listen to it using the app’s integrated YouTube player, or easily connect with your Spotify account to generate a playlist of similar tunes.

Thanks to its built-in voice recognition, you can also navigate the app hands free. Just open it to any screen, then say “Hey SoundHound” into the mic, followed by a command such as “What song is this?” or “Play this year’s top artists.”

If a song’s really got your foot tapping, why stop at just identifying it? With Musixmatch, you can automatically generate and translate the lyrics of whatever song is currently playing near you, so you can better understand its meaning in your mother tongue. Sing along to your fave tunes without having to remember the words, or look up a specific line from a song to get more info on the track and artist.