Are you looking for alternatives to Shazam for PC? With so many ways to listen to and capture music, it is important to set the record straight by letting you know there are indeed alternatives to Shazam.
While Shazam has helped thousands of users, not everyone loves the recognition tool. If Shazam isn’t cutting it for you, we’ve compiled a list of music recognition services.
If you’re searching for new ways to capture music, we’ve listed nine music recognition tools you should consider for your music needs. We’ll examine each tool and its benefits, functionality and everything you need to know to make an informed choice when it comes to how you capture music.
Why Look for Shazam Alternatives?
While Shazam is a great tool for identifying songs on the go, it’s primarily designed for mobile devices, which can leave you wanting more on your PC. If you’re using a desktop, you likely need something more robust — tools that can integrate seamlessly with your software, handle multiple audio sources and offer advanced features for music discovery.
A desktop-native experience provides better accuracy and gives you more control over how you explore and manage your music. Whether compatibility, functionality or a smoother workflow, finding the right PC-friendly alternative can make all the difference.
1. Cortana
Cortana is Microsoft’s digital assistant and was introduced to us through Windows 10. If your device uses Windows 10 or 11, you can utilize Cortana to identify songs. To do this, simply open Cortana and if you have the voice feature enabled, say “Hey Cortana.” After this say, “What is this song?” Cortana will get to work listening to music using your device’s microphone and then let you know what she finds.
Another neat feature of Cortana music recognition is that it can recognize songs playing directly on your PC similarly. In this instance, make sure you aren’t using headphones and that your device’s microphone will pick up the audio being played.
Interestingly, Cortana used to have a dedicated music recognition button, but Windows removed it a few years ago. However, asking Cortana to recognize a song through voice commands still works.
2. Alexa Music Commands
We think you’ll benefit from this option if you’re a techie audience member. While Alexa can perform more than 3,000 commands, most people ask her to help with a simple request to play music. You can use Alexa on your PC by downloading the free Alexa app from the Microsoft Store and signing in to your Amazon account.
Alexa’s music commands are straightforward. Say the “Alexa, play some music” command to get music playing in your home.
However, for this article, we are focused on what Alexa can do to help you identify music! If you recall song lyrics but can’t seem to remember the song title, you can say, “Alexa, play that song that goes, ‘I used to rule the world, seas would rise when I gave the word,” and she would know to play “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay.
3. SoundHound
Perhaps one of the closest tools to Shazam, SoundHound provides users with a full-featured music identification interface with a big orange button that reads “Ok Hound.”
When users hit this button, SoundHound will begin tagging whatever they are listening to. One of SoundHound’s neat features is that it allows users to sing and hum into their device’s microphone, and SoundHound will recognize that catchy song that has been stuck in their heads for days.
4. Audiggle
Like Shazam and SoundHound, Audiggle will listen to whatever is playing on your PC. With this recognition tool, you can capture audio from not only music but also a variety of other sources:
- Soundtracks
- Online video
- Internet Radio
With Audiggle, you can capture just about any major audio source. While Audiggle works best by capturing high-quality audio, it can recognize background music that might not be very loud or easy to identify with human ears.
5. ACRCloud
If you’re looking for a professional-grade music recognition tool for your PC, ACRCloud is a fantastic choice. Trusted by developers and media companies worldwide, this platform uses advanced machine learning algorithms to analyze audio signals rapidly. It breaks down elements like pitch, tempo, rhythm and timbre to identify songs accurately, even in noisy environments or with partial clips.
Similarly, these algorithms allow apps to learn your listening habits, giving you personalized insights into your music preferences and helping you discover new tracks you’ll love. Whether recognizing audio files, tagging a digital music library or identifying live tracks in real time, ACRCloud offers reliability and cutting-edge features that deliver results every time.
6. Midomi
This web-based music recognition tool lets you identify songs by singing or humming into your microphone. The neat thing about Midomi is that you contribute to the music database. You can use Midomi’s online recording studio in any language to record yourself singing. The next time someone goes to search for the song you recorded, you could appear as a top result.
Midomi can be a place where you discover music and other people. You can create your profile, sing your favorite songs, and share them with other Midomi users.
7. Musixmatch
Musixmatch lets you search and share song lyrics and translations. Additionally, It enables you to display lyrics synchronized with the music being played. This means the tool can access your music library and track lyrics from several streaming services, such as Spotify, Google Play Music and YouTube.
Musixmatch is unique because it used to be associated with Spotify. Users of Musixmatch will have access to a huge catalog of music lyrics in the translation they need.
8. AHA Music
Another Shazam alternative for PC is AHA Music, an online music recognition service. Like Midomi, AHA is a web-based service, not a dedicated app, but unlike Midomi, it’s also available as a Chrome extension. If you want to know what a song is, hit record on the website or Chrome extension, and AHA will search for it.
AHA Music uses data from Spotify, Deezer, YouTube and more to fingerprint and recognize songs. Its database has more than 100 million music fingerprints, so AHA will likely recognize it no matter what you’re listening to. Unfortunately, you can only identify 10 songs daily with AHA, so it’s not as helpful as others.
If a video or podcast has a song you want to identify, AHA has another service you may find helpful. You can upload a file up to 100MB to the website and AHA will try to find the song in it. Remember that it will only look at the first 60 seconds, so you may have to trim the file first to ensure it identifies the right song.
9. AudioTag
If you don’t want to use AHA, AudioTag is another music recognition online service. The website looks a little dated, but its developers are still active, so it can still identify newer songs. Unlike some other Shazam alternatives for PC, AudioTag uses proprietary acoustic fingerprinting technology, not another developer’s system.
AudioTag doesn’t have microphone support, so it doesn’t work exactly like Shazam. Instead, it works like AHA’s upload feature, letting you upload files and identify the song within them. The site supports various file types and sizes, though clips between 10 and 30 seconds will get the best results.
AudioTag also has a few other features you may find entertaining or helpful. You can browse what other people have searched for recently and rediscover old favorites from past searches.
10. Google Assistant Unofficial Desktop Client
Android users can attest that Google Assistant is a worthy alternative to Cortana’s music recognition services. While there’s no official Google Assistant PC app, there is an unofficial client. The Google Assistant Unofficial Desktop Client is available on GitHub and lets you maximize Google’s music recognition features.
Setting up the Google Assistant unofficial client can be complicated, so it’s not ideal for everyone. Once you have it up and running, though, it works like Google Assistant on Android. To recognize songs, run it, click the microphone and say, “Hey Google, what’s this song?”
With Google Assistant, you can even hum a song instead of playing it. If there’s a melody stuck in your head and you don’t know what it is, this feature can help you. As helpful as the Google Assistant unofficial client is, its complicated setup makes it fall short of the best music recognition app.
11. Bixby
Similarly, you can use Bixby, Samsun’s smart assistant, as an alternative to Shazam for PC. Unlike the previous entry, though, Bixby has an official Windows app you can download. Start by searching for and downloading it from the Microsoft Store.
Bixby works like other smart assistants from here. All you have to do is open the app, say “Hi, Bixby,” then ask “What’s the name of this song?” while something’s playing. Some users report that Bixby is a bit slower than Google Assistant, but it’ll still get the job done.
You can also ask Bixby questions like “Who is this artist?” to learn more about a song’s specific details.
12. SongKong
If managing your digital music library feels like a chore, SongKong can change the game for you. This smart music tagging and recognition tool automatically identifies your songs and cleans up your collection with accurate metadata, including artist names, album details and release dates.
It’s perfect for keeping your library organized and making every track easy to find. When you deal with thousands of files or just a few favorites, SongKong saves you time and effort while delivering professional-level results. It’s not just about recognition — it involves turning your music library into a beautifully curated experience.
13. WatZatSong
When Shazam and other tools fall short, WatZatSong steps in as your go-to for finding those impossible-to-identify tracks. This community-driven platform puts the power of music enthusiasts to work for you.
Simply upload a clip or describe the song and other users will jump in to help you figure it out. It’s perfect for uncovering obscure or niche tracks that traditional recognition apps might overlook. Whether a rare B-side or a melody stuck in your head, WatZatSong turns music discovery into a fun, collaborative experience.
Looking for Ways to Play Your Newly Discovered Music?
As a PC user, you’ve got plenty of music recognition options tailored to your needs, whether a casual listener looking for quick song IDs or a professional managing an extensive audio library.
Plenty of alternatives can stand in if you don’t want to use Shazam for PC.
If you’re loyal to Shazam, the Chrome Extension lets you stick with the platform while using it seamlessly on your browser. But why not explore the other amazing tools out there? From advanced tagging features to live music identification, there’s a solution for everyone.
Once you find your new songs, you’ll need somewhere to listen to them. Whatever service you prefer, you can rest easy knowing you can listen to and find lyrics for all your new song discoveries!
Original Publish Date 06/30/2023 — Updated 12/26/2024
Want more music apps? Read 7 Apps for Making Music
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