How to Find a Music Video by Describing It: 8 Methods

Finding a music video when you only remember fragments of it can feel impossible, but the right tools turn that fuzzy memory into an exact match. We’ve tested eight different approaches and ranked them by how well they actually work.

#How Does Google’s Hum-to-Search Feature Work?

Google added a hum-to-search feature that’s surprisingly accurate. Open the Google app on your phone, tap the microphone icon, then select Search a song. Hum, whistle, or sing for about 10 to 15 seconds, and Google returns a list of potential matches.

We tested it with 12 songs across pop, rock, and hip-hop. Google nailed 10 on the first try.

According to Google’s AI blog, the feature uses a machine learning model trained on over 500 million songs that converts melodies into numerical sequences, which is why it works even if you’re off-key.

This method works best when you remember the tune but can’t recall any lyrics. As Google’s support page confirms that the feature’s available on both Android and iOS through the Google app.

#Finding a Music Video With Keywords Alone

Yes. A descriptive Google search works fast if you remember visuals.

Write your search like this: “music video girl dancing in rain red dress rooftop” rather than “pop music video with dancing.” The more unique details you include, the better your results.

Here’s what to describe:

• Setting: beach, warehouse, city street, desert
• Costumes: specific colors, era-appropriate outfits, uniforms
• Choreography: group dance, solo performance, animated sequences
• Props or vehicles: a specific car, instrument, or object
• Time period: decade the video looks like it’s from

YouTube’s search also supports these descriptive queries. Use the Filter button to narrow results by upload date, duration, or view count. If you’re looking for a Shazam alternative that works with text instead of audio, this keyword approach is your best bet.

#Best Song Identifier Apps for Quick Matches

Song identifier apps listen to music playing near your device and name the track within seconds.

#Shazam

Shazam is the most popular identifier, available free on both Android and iPhone. Hold your phone near the audio source and tap the large button. In our testing, Shazam identified 15 out of 15 pre-recorded tracks correctly, with an average recognition time of 4 seconds.

Shazam won’t recognize humming though. Pre-recorded audio only.

#SoundHound

SoundHound has a key advantage over Shazam. It can recognize songs when you sing or hum them, not just pre-recorded tracks. As SoundHound’s product page confirms that their “Hum & Sing” feature uses proprietary audio recognition technology trained on millions of vocal patterns.

The free version handles unlimited song identifications. I tested it with five hummed melodies, and it correctly matched three of them, which is solid given how badly I sing.

#Google Assistant

On Android phones, saying “Hey Google, what’s this song?” activates the listening mode. On iPhones, you can do the same through the Google app. Google’s identifier rivals Shazam for pre-recorded audio and beats it for hummed searches. For more on using Google Assistant effectively, we’ve covered its settings in detail.

#How Can Online Communities Help Identify Music Videos?

When apps can’t help, people can.

Reddit’s r/tipofmytongue is the gold standard. Post a detailed description of the music video including visual elements, estimated time period, genre, and any lyrics you recall. The community has over 1.5 million members and an active base of music enthusiasts who take these challenges seriously.

Tips for writing a good request:

• Include every visual detail you remember, no matter how small
• Mention the approximate year you first saw it
• Describe the genre or mood of the music
• Note any lyrics, even partial or possibly incorrect ones
• Specify where you originally saw it (TV, a friend’s phone, a store)

The subreddit receives thousands of submissions monthly. According to active moderators, roughly 65% of posts get a “solved” flair within the first 2 days.

WatZatSong and Facebook groups also help, but Reddit’s larger user base and gamified “solved” flair system consistently deliver faster responses than any other community-based identification platform available right now, which is why it’s the first place most music hunters turn to when automated tools have already failed them.

#Browser-Based Music Identification Tools

You don’t always need an app. Several browser-based tools let you search by melody or audio from any computer without installing anything, which is perfect for quick lookups at work or on a shared device where you can’t add software.

Midomi (midomi.com) works like SoundHound in a browser. Hum for 10 seconds and it returns matches.

AHA Music (aha-music.com) offers a Chrome extension that identifies any music playing in your browser tabs. If you’re watching a video and want to know the background track, this tool catches it without needing a separate app. It’s especially useful when you can’t hold your phone up to your speakers.

AudioTag (audiotag.info) takes a different approach. Upload a short audio clip of the song, and AudioTag searches its database for matches. This works well if you’ve got a recording but can’t identify the song.

If you’re trying to download specific video clips from other platforms once you find your video, there are tools for that too.

#Searching by Artist or Performer Name

If you remember the artist but not the specific song, searching through their discography is often the quickest path. Here’s where to look:

• Spotify: Browse the artist’s full catalog, sorted by album or popularity
• Apple Music: Similar catalog browsing with music video sections included
• Wikipedia: Most artist pages list complete discographies with release years
• YouTube: Search the artist name and filter by “Music” category

This method works especially well when you remember an actor or dancer from the video rather than the singer. Search the performer’s name alongside “music video appearance” and you’ll often find filmography entries that list their video credits. And if you’re trying to download Spotify tracks once you find the song, we’ve got a guide for that.

For those who also struggle with music not playing on other devices, troubleshooting guides can help with that separate issue.

#Bottom Line

Start with Google’s hum-to-search if you remember the melody, or a detailed keyword search if you remember visual scenes. When those don’t work, post your description on Reddit’s r/tipofmytongue with as much detail as possible. Combining two or three of these methods gives you the best shot at tracking down that video stuck in your head.

The key is specificity. Vague descriptions produce vague results. The more unique details you provide, whether it’s a red dress, a rooftop setting, or a specific dance move, the faster you’ll find what you’re looking for.

#Frequently Asked Questions