Secondhandsongs «720p»

Many songs have the same title but are different works (e.g., "Love" by John Lennon vs. "Love" by Lana Del Rey).

Q: Is SecondHandSongs legal? A: Yes. We do not host or distribute audio files. We only link to legal sources (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music) and index metadata. Copyright ownership remains with the rights holders.

Q: Who sings a song better, the original or the cover? A: We don’t judge quality. We only document existence and relationships. Popularity votes are for “is this a real cover?” not “which version is best?” secondhandsongs

Q: My band covered a song. How do I add it? A: Register (free). Search for the original Work. Click “Add Performance.” Fill in your band name, year, and a link to your audio. Wait for community verification.

Q: Why is there no audio player? A: To avoid licensing fees and DMCA issues. We are a database, not a jukebox. Click the external links to listen. Many songs have the same title but are different works (e

Q: What is a “Root”? A: The earliest commercially released recording of a Work. For traditional songs (“Scarborough Fair”), the Root is the earliest archival recording, not the original anonymous folk version.

SecondHandSongs is not a commercial juggernaut. It runs on donations and volunteer effort. In 2018, the site underwent a major redesign and server migration (moving from a custom PHP script to a modern framework) to handle traffic spikes. However, two challenges remain: SecondHandSongs is not a commercial juggernaut

The website (secondhandsongs.com) has a retro, text-heavy interface that prioritizes data density over aesthetics. Here is how to read it:

You can trace a sample chain.

The fundamental unit of SecondHandSongs is the Work. SHS organizes music hierarchically:

A version created by manipulating or re-editing an existing recording. It is not a new performance, but a restructuring of the audio master.