How Many Songs Are There In The World?

At some point, you’ve probably wondered, how many songs are there in the world? Is it even possible to count them all?

It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact number since more original songs, covers, and other versions are being recorded and released every day. It also depends on what qualifies as a song.

Fortunately, we’ve done the research for you to answer this common question as accurately as possible. 

As of 2022, there are approximately 82 million songs according to Spotify, 200 million songs according to Gracenote, and between 97 million to 230 million according to Google.

However, since we’re dealing with some outdated data, it’s safe to assume that there are many more songs that have been released.

So now you have a brief understanding of the number of songs in the world, let’s dig into more detail. 

How Many Songs Are There In The World?

Although many sources have gathered data to provide a solid answer, it’s impossible to reach a definite conclusion.

That being said, there are tons of songs in the world, and that number is constantly increasing.

What Is A Song?

Before we can answer the question of how many songs there are in the world, we need to define what a song is.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a song is “a short musical composition of words and music.” Dictionary.com says it’s a “musical piece adapted for singing or simulating a piece to be sung” and simply “something that is sung.”

Now that you understand the definition of a song, it’s important to recognize that there can be different versions of original music. These can include:

• Covers – songs that were originally performed by another person
• Remasters – cleaner, higher-quality versions of songs
• Live Versions – performances that haven’t been polished and perfected in a studio setting
• Remixes – a piece of music that has been changed from its original composition

As you can see, we can’t limit what’s considered a “song” to just original songs, as many versions are released every minute!

What Are The Elements Of A Song?

There are also different elements that make up a song, and these all blend seamlessly together to create beautiful, authentic music that we can listen to. Every tune consists of the following parts, which work together:

• Lyrics – These are words used within the song, which generally consist of verses, hooks, choruses, and bridges. (Check out our hook vs. chorus article to learn the difference between the two.)
• Music – This refers to the combination of instrument sounds in a song. For example, it could be piano, guitar, and drums.
• Melody – This is the star of the show and is often the part that people often remember most. It’s a pleasing combination of pitch and rhythm that is sung by the lead vocalist.
• Form – This is the organization or structure of the song, which dictates the placement of sections like the chorus or bridge.
• Rhythm – In basic terms, rhythm is the repetition of specific beats and their timing, which gives a song a sense of movement.
• Tempo – This is how fast a musical composition is performed.
• Dynamics – These refer to the variation in volume throughout a song.
• Harmony – This is playing more than one note at a time, creating a cohesive sound. For example, in an orchestra, a violinist and flutist could play different notes individually, but it’s harmony when they play their different parts together.
• Timbre – This is the tone of an instrument or voice. For example, if you play the same note on an oboe and flute, you’ll discover that the tones are different.
• Meter – This is how tempo is divided and determines how many beats are within a song.
• Pitch – This refers to how low or high a specific note sounds.

How Many Songs Are There According to Gracenote?

There are several big-name music data registries, and one of the top global leaders is Gracenote. They keep track of all the new songs being released and distribute that data to entertainment services and companies worldwide.

According to the company’s most recent data from 2018, they host over 200 million tracks. However, that was a long time ago, meaning the number of songs must have increased, especially since new songs are created every minute.

How Many Songs Are There According To Spotify?

Now, let’s look at Spotify, one of the world’s best music hosting sites and the largest music streaming services.

According to the most recent research from 2021, Spotify reported that the platform hosts approximately 82 million songs and that more than 60,000 new songs are released every day.

That means that one song is uploaded every 1.4 seconds.

That said, it’s highly likely that Spotify has already exceeded 100 million songs.

How Many Songs Are There According To Google?

After a quick Google search, you’ll discover that the first answer that pops up is 97 million. However, there is a wide range of answers.

For example, one Answers.com user stated that there are over 230 million songs, but that was posted eleven years ago.

So, it appears that the web indicates there are between 97 million to 230 million songs or more.

Summary

Sadly, it’s impossible to answer the question of how many songs there are with a precise number. However, it is possible to reach an estimate, which is what we’ve done.

It’s safe to say that the number of songs in the world will continue to increase rapidly, and we’re not complaining! On the contrary, we’re excited to hear more music.

We know from recent data that Spotify hosts 82 million songs, Gracenote hosts 200 million songs, and Google says there are approximately 97 million to 230 million songs in the world.

Still, that data is outdated, and plenty of new songs have entered the scene since then.

As more tunes continue to be released, it’ll be interesting to see how many songs there will be next year, so be sure to check back as we update this article.