Have you ever been listening to the radio, heard a great song, and wondered about the title and/or artist? CMLE recommends using Shazam or SoundHound. Both of these apps identify songs and other media utilizing special sound recognition software. Results can be made available  in under a minute, allowing the user to view lyrics with an option to purchase the song. Interested in learning more about a song that you can’t seem to stop singing? SoundHound has an added feature in which the user is able to hum or sing the lyrics to initiate a search.

Note: Both of these products have a free version compatible with Apple, Android and Windows operating systems.

Tip: If you receive a device for the holidays, this is a quick and fun app to kick-start your learning.  Incorporate this technology into a mini research/trivia activity to engage your library users.