Q: Is signing up for free?
A: Yes, membership of SecondHandSongs is entirely for free.
Q: How can I add songs to the database?
A: You can submit them in the participation section. Please provide us with as much information as possible and name the sources where you got your information from.
Q: Are you looking for additional editors?
A: Yes! Read more on the Join Us page.
Q: Do you accept original songs?
A: Only if cover versions of this original have been commercially released.
Q: How do I submit original songs?
A: Go to Submit a cover, and choose "I can't find it in the database, but I have information about the original".
Q: Do you accept covers in other languages than English?
A: Of course. We add covers in any language. Check out our statistics page to get an idea.
Q: Do you accept unreleased covers?
A: If they are available on Youtube, yes. We list those unreleased Youtube covers under WEB COVERS:
Q: Can I add multiple cover songs of the same work by the same artist?
A: No, only 1 cover song per work per artist. By consequence karaoke versions are also out of scope.
A: This doesn't apply to collaborations (the artists are considered different) or covers in different languages (the works are considered different).
Q: How can I submit a songwriter to the database?
A: Identify and submit one or more cover versions of a composition this artist wrote.
Q: Why does it say "unverified" next to my submission?
Example:
A: It means we've received your submission, but our editor team still has to verify and complete it. The more complete your submission, the faster it will be verified.
Q: Does my submission need to be 100% complete to get processed?
Example:
A: No. But the more complete your submission, the faster it will be processed.
Q: Why is my submission "on hold"?
Example:
A: Your submission is on hold until you submit at least 1 cover song of the original song your submission. We're a cover songs database, so originals are only relevant to us if they have been covered.
Q: Why does it take forever until my suggestion has been verified/processed?
A: Since we started we have been literally flooded with cover song suggestions, which are still stacking up. As we are a small team of volunteers, we're struggling to keep up with newly submitted suggestions. We will however eventually verify and add all your submissions, nothing gets lost! It can take a few days, but unfortunately much longer as well. So please be patient or ... become an editor yourself!
Q: Where can I find reliable sources of information?
A: You can find some in our bookmarks list. Note that websites like wikipedia, answers.com, music.com, and many others are not to be trusted! If you prefer real books, check out out the reference books our editors use.
Q: How do I add a cover of which the original is missing?
A: Go to PARTICIPATE, and then ADD COVER. Choose the option "I can't find it in the database. It must be missing but I have information about it.".
Q: Where can I report errors and incomplete information?
A: Please read our introduction to the database before reporting an error. In many cases mistakenly reported errors are based on misinterpretations. You can report errors by clicking on "Report error" available on most pages. Please provide us with as much information as possible and name the sources where you got your information from. This can speed up processing a lot.
Q: Why are some Error Reports assigned to an editor, and others unassigned?
A: By default, Error Reports are assigned to the editor who has ownership over the database entry. However, if the editor has retired since, and no other editor has taken over ownership, the Error Report will remain unassigned. It will remain like this until an active editor takes the initiative to process it. Please bear with us.
Q: How can I add YouTube videos to songs?
A: Spot the songs that don't have a Youtube icon. When signed in, you will automatically be presented a Quick Select menu as below. For more details have a look at the Tutorial.
Q: I want to link a cover song to its corresponding Spotify track, but the track is not suggested to me, although I'm sure it's on Spotify.
A: Possibly because the Spotify track in question is not available in your country.