At its heart, SecondHandSongs relies on a dedicated community of volunteers, editors, and administrators. The Submission Process
This feature is a goldmine for music clearance lawyers, DJs, and producers looking to clear samples. It takes the guesswork out of "What is that sound?"
You might ask: Don't Wikipedia and Discogs do this? secondhandsongs
While covers are the sexy headline, is arguably most vital to hip-hop and electronic producers for its sample database .
Modern music—particularly hip-hop, electronic, and pop—relies heavily on sampling. SecondHandSongs maps these connections by indicating exactly which part of a track was sampled, who the original artist was, and how the sample is utilized in the new piece. It also breaks down complex medleys, listing every individual song embedded within a single continuous track. The Power of a Dedicated Community At its heart, SecondHandSongs relies on a dedicated
: Discuss the site's strict criteria: an "original" is the first recorded or released version, which may differ from the songwriter's own version.
This means a single musical work can have multiple "originals" according to the database. For instance, Bob Dylan's song "Make You Feel My Love" has two originals: the first recorded version was by Bob Dylan himself in January 1997, while the first released version was by Billy Joel on August 19, 1997. While covers are the sexy headline, is arguably
: Its primary strength is strictly song versions and performers, meaning it may not be your first choice for general music news or lifestyle content.