Secondhandsongs File
The story of SecondHandSongs is a narrative of musical preservation, tracking how a single melody can travel through decades, genres, and voices. The Origin: A Digital Library for Covers April 2003 SecondHandSongs was founded in
by Bastien De Zutter, Mathieu De Zutter, and Denis Monsieur. At its core, the site was built to solve a specific problem: documenting the "second-hand" life of music—the cover versions adaptations
that follow an original release. Unlike standard music databases that focus on the primary artist, this platform prioritizes the evolution of a song The Core Conflict: What Defines an "Original"?
The site navigates a complex world where the "original" is defined strictly as the first performance or recording
, which often excludes the songwriter if they weren't the first to release it. This distinction creates a fascinating historical record: The Record Holder : The most-covered work on the site is "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" ("Silent Night"), with over 4,200 recorded versions since its 1818 debut. A Scale of Influence : By 2021, the database had grown to include nearly one million covers of 100,000 original works. The Evolution: From Hobbyist Site to Scientific Resource
What started as a collaborative database for enthusiasts has evolved into a tool for cultural and academic research Data Science : Researchers use the site’s data to model musical influence
, scraping tens of thousands of works to see how artists impact each other over generations. Trend Tracking
: Analysis shows a shift in modern music; for the first time since the 1960s, contemporary artists (like the generation covering Taylor Swift Ed Sheeran
) are more likely to cover their peers than "classic" figures from the mid-20th century. Licensing Assistance
: Beyond data, the platform has played a role in the professional world, such as helping license songs like Brandi Carlile’s "The Story" for worldwide use in books. The Human Element The "story" of SecondHandSongs is ultimately told by its volunteer curators
who manually update metadata and link recordings, ensuring that the legacy of a song—from a 1920s blues standard to a modern pop hit—is never lost in the digital shuffle. in a specific genre, or learn how to contribute to the database yourself?
In the digital age, where musical "second life" is as common as its first, SecondHandSongs
has evolved from a niche database into a cornerstone of musicology. This "SecondHandSongs" essay explores how the platform preserves the intricate history of cover songs, samples, and musical lineages that define modern culture. The Digital Cartography of Influence secondhandsongs
At its core, SecondHandSongs functions as a genealogical record for music. While general databases like track artist discographies, SecondHandSongs focuses on the musical work
itself as an evolving entity. By cataloging over 76,000 covers and original versions, the platform allows researchers to trace how a single melody—such as Julie London's 1955 "Cry Me a River"—can be reimagined by hundreds of artists across generations. ResearchGate Preserving Musical Lineage
The platform is essential for understanding the shift in how music is valued. Recent academic studies using SecondHandSongs data reveal that 21st-century artists are increasingly covering their contemporaries rather than just the "classics". For example, the database highlights how modern icons like Taylor Swift Justin Bieber Ed Sheeran
are becoming the "new standards," a trend only visible when analyzing thousands of cover relationships tracked over decades. ResearchGate The Intersection of Law and Art
Beyond simple trivia, the database provides critical context for Public Domain discussions and copyright history. Public Domain Tracking : Initiatives like the WNYC Public Song Project
rely on the historical data found in databases to help artists find works they can legally reinterpret. Cultural History
: By documenting versions of traditional spirituals or early blues recorded by Lead Belly
, the platform preserves the "versioning practices" that originated in the 1950s and 1960s, showing how layers of authorship are added to a song over time. A Tool for Modern Research
For students and musicologists, SecondHandSongs acts as more than a list; it is a tool for analyzing intertextuality What is the age of the collected folk ballad? - Facebook
Huddie Ledbetter was unique in knowing a very large number of songs, all of which he sang effectively while he twanged his twelve- The Ballad Tree: Traditional Folk Ballads and Songs
(PDF) On the robustness of cover version identification models
The SecondHandSongs database is a comprehensive, community-driven resource dedicated to tracking the history and lineage of musical works through cover versions, 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 The story of SecondHandSongs is a narrative of
Version Tracking: The site documents over 855,000 cover versions across more than 106,000 artists. It distinguishes between "covers" (tributes or reworkings) and "adaptations" (re-recorded versions in different languages or with lyric changes).
Original Attribution: Each entry aims to identify the "Original" version of a song, often providing data on the primary songwriters and the first known recording artist.
Cross-Linguistic Data: It is particularly useful for finding foreign-language renditions of popular hits, such as French lyrics for jazz standards.
Community Contributions: Users can Suggest Covers and Samples or report errors to refine the accuracy of the musical family trees. Licensing and Academic Use
SecondHandSongs is frequently used as a data source for academic research in popular music to measure the "musical impact" of artists. Artist: Phil Spector - SecondHandSongs
SecondHandSongs most commonly refers to "Peace Piece," a celebrated improvisational jazz composition by Bill Evans
While a "piece" is technically any musical work without lyrics, the database lists several specific works with "piece" in the title: Peace Piece
: Originally recorded by the Bill Evans Trio in 1958, this work has over 35 recorded versions by artists like the Kronos Quartet, Herbie Mann, and Igor Levit. Piece By Piece : A heavy metal track by from the 1986 album Reign in Blood , which has been covered by 5 different artists. Piece of My Life
: A song written by Troy Seals and famously covered by Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson. Piece of Ground : A work written by Jeremy Taylor. SecondHandSongs
is a comprehensive database used by music enthusiasts and researchers to track original performers and their subsequent cover versions. recording history of a specific "piece," or would you like to see a list of cover versions for one of these titles? Peace Piece - Bill Evans [US1] - SecondHandSongs
1. Settle the Score (The "Weird Al" Effect) Did you know that “Respect” was written and originally recorded by Otis Redding? It’s true. Aretha Franklin didn’t write it; she owned it. SecondHandSongs shows you the respectful bridge between the original artist’s vision and the cover artist’s reinvention.
2. Discover the Ghosts in the Machine Some of the biggest hits of the 90s and 00s were actually covers of forgotten B-sides. and even "same song" comparisons (e.g.
3. The "Lost Original" Game Sometimes, the "original" is a demo recorded in someone’s basement. SecondHandSongs tracks those ghosts, too. It forces you to ask: What makes a song "real"? The moment the ink hits the paper, or the moment the radio falls in love with it?
Just because a band plays a song live does not mean it is a Cover entry on SHS.
No tool is perfect. While SecondHandSongs is massive, it suffers from the "pool of volunteers" problem:
This is the most powerful view on the site. It lists the lifecycle of a song.
Launched in 2003 by Dutch music enthusiast Arnoud Raskin, SecondHandSongs is a user-built website dedicated to tracking the origin and evolution of songs. Unlike traditional music databases (like AllMusic or Discogs) that focus on albums and artists, SecondHandSongs focuses exclusively on the song as a living entity.
The premise is simple but powerful: Every song has a first recording (the "original"), and then it has a life. That life includes cover versions, samples, medleys, parodies, and even "same song" comparisons (e.g., classical pieces recorded by different orchestras). As of 2025, the database contains over 1.4 million performances of more than 900,000 distinct songs, making it the largest repository of cover song information on the web.
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?”
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.
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.