music
Genius
A database of song lyrics together with annotations. Its search API needs an OAuth token, so we link you to the site's own search instead of querying it. Useful for pinning down lyrics and the annotated context around them.
No programmatic check, opens the archive’s own search.
Why it’s useful & how it works
Genius is the largest annotated lyrics database on the web, where community members add line-by-line explanations, background context, and sourced references to song lyrics. It is most useful when you need to verify an exact lyric, trace a lyrical allusion, or read community interpretations of a song's meaning. Because the Genius API requires authentication, Echo links you to Genius's own search page, where you can find the song and read its annotated lyrics directly.
What’s inside
More than 1.7 million songs with annotated lyrics across virtually every genre and era, with annotations contributed by a large community of editors and verified artists. Coverage skews toward popular and hip-hop music but spans classical, jazz, and international releases as well.
API access
https://api.genius.com/search?q= (OAuth token)
An API key is required (usually free); see the endpoints above for where to get one.
What we measured
Our own probes, not the archive’s own claims. Re-run periodically; every reading below is dated.
Reachability
- Direct request
- Responded HTTP 200 330 ms
- Through a datacenter proxy
- Responded HTTP 200 1 s
- API, direct
- Blocked HTTP 401 584 ms
- API, through a proxy
- Blocked HTTP 401 607 ms
Reachability measured 2026-08-22.
Access
Freely reachable, no key, login, or captcha.