SecondHandSongs is more than just a list; it is a networked resource that maps musical impact.
The year 2020 marked a watershed moment: the database reached one million cover songs, documenting roughly 100,000 original works. Along the way, SecondHandSongs passed other impressive milestones. In September 2017, the project announced it had listed 500,000 covers, noting that growth was accelerating—it had taken just 10 months to add the most recent 100,000 entries. At the time of a feature announcement in August 2019, the database was already listing 822,692 songs.
The SecondHandSongs database is a comprehensive, community-driven resource dedicated to tracking the history and lineage of musical works through , adaptations , and samples . Launched as a collaborative platform, it serves as an "IMDb for songs," allowing researchers and enthusiasts to identify original performers and trace how a single composition has been reimagined over time. Key Database Features
We’ve all been there. You’re listening to a playlist, and a massive hit comes on. You think, "Wow, I love this song by [Famous Artist]." secondhandsongs
Consider the phenomenon of "sanitized" covers. Look up the history of "Hound Dog." SecondHandSongs traces the line from Big Mama Thornton’s raunchy, powerful original to the sanitized, frantic Elvis version. It shows how meaning is stripped away or added on. It preserves the ghosts of the songs that were changed to fit the radio, the songs that were stolen, and the songs that were reimagined to save a career.
Throughout the 2000s, the site grew steadily, gaining a reputation as a reliable source of information. In 2007, the database contained an impressive 60,000 cover songs. As its volunteer editor base expanded beyond Belgium to countries like Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States, the project's international scope widened. The growth accelerated in the late 2010s, and by 2020, the project reached a monumental milestone: one million cover songs indexed in its database, cementing its status as the most comprehensive resource of its kind.
Beyond serving music enthusiasts, SecondHandSongs has become an invaluable tool for scientific and academic exploration. 1. Data Source for Music Information Retrieval (MIR) Cover versions as an impact indicator in popular music SecondHandSongs is more than just a list; it
: Once on a song's page, you can see a list of every covered version known to the database, often including "Web Covers" from YouTube for unreleased performances. Detailed Search Detailed Search
The according to their current data How to use their API for digital music projects Share public link
: By documenting versions of traditional spirituals or early blues recorded by Lead Belly In September 2017, the project announced it had
Search for a song to find all its subsequent versions.
) are more likely to cover their peers than "classic" figures from the mid-20th century. Licensing Assistance
At first glance, a website about covers might seem like a niche hobby. However, serves several critical functions for different audiences: