Music has a way of engraining itself in our minds, often creating lasting memories. Ever found yourself listening to a song that you can’t recognize? Or perhaps, part of a lyric comes to mind, but you can’t remember the artist or the title of the song. You ask yourself, “what song is this?” And without immediate answers, the melody can sometimes turn into an obsession until you identify it.
Thanks to modern technology, various tools and platforms can help you ascertain a song’s title just by humming, singing, or even playing a part of a melody to your device. This article will discuss some popular song identifiers while also highlighting the ‘ARIA’ (Australian Recording Industry Association) chart’s relevance.
Song Recognition Apps and Websites
You might be familiar with some of these if you’ve previously tried to identify a song. Services like Shazam, Soundhound, Musixmatch, and Google “What’s this song?” are tools that listen to a sample of the project and provide a range of possible songs that match. These tools can help you identify the unknown song within seconds. They are not flawless, and sometimes they may fail to identify less popular songs or if they have unusual elements.
ARIA
The ARIA or Australian Recording Industry Association represents the Australian music industry and compiles weekly top 50 single, album, physical album, digital album, streaming, vinyl album, digital track and dance club song charts. Some digital ID apps can identify songs and link you directly to them on the ARIA charts. Hence, your song recognition journey becomes not only about learning more about the song but also understanding its position within the current music landscape.
Search Engines
Simple search engines can also be helpful if you remember some of the lyrics. Google, Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo can help identify a song when you type, for instance, “Lyrics: [insert lyric snippet]”. Most likely, a list of songs containing those lyrics will appear. Furthermore, if you remember the tune but none of the words, websites like Midomi or Musipedia can still help identify the song by humming or whistling the melody.
Voice Assistants
Voice assistant technology like Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, or Cortana also often comes with song identification capabilities. You can try asking them, “What song is this?” when a song is playing or sing/hum a part of the song. They work similarly to song identification apps but are integrated into your smart device systems.
Online Forums and Communities
When the above methods fail, trying your luck on online forums like Reddit’s ‘Name That Song’ community, WatZatSong, or even social media platforms can be helpful. Humans with a vast knowledge of music and lyrics might solve your puzzle.
In conclusion, identifying a song today can be easier than you think. From song recognition apps to online forums, there is a vast array of avenues you can explore when you’re trying to answer the question, “What song is this?” Just remember, these tools aim to help you not miss out on any great song in the ARIA charts or elsewhere.