how genius works
Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you from around the world, who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. How can you get involved?
—> SIGN UP FOR A GENIUS ACCOUNT
You'll get your own profile page and the ability to follow other scholars and artists. Once you have an account, you can start adding knowledge and earning Genius IQ. If you're interested in adding knowledge with any of our international communities, you can do that, too! —> More info on international communities
IQ is what we call the points you earn by adding knowledge. Every scholar has a total IQ number next to their name that represents how knowledgeable they are. —> More info on IQ
Annotate Lyrics: Highlight any line in a song to start an annotation. Explain what a complicated lyric means, or add other interesting context. —> More on annotations
Write Artist, Song & Album Bios: Write a few paragraphs that tell the story of an artist's career, or break down the key details of a specific song or album. —> More on bios
Annotate Cover Artwork: Click through artwork found on any album page to start a cover art annotation —> More on annotating cover art
Add Song Facts: Do you know who produced a song? What sample it uses? Where it was recorded? Add all the interesting data. —> More on song facts
Transcribe Lyrics: Any scholar can add a song page. Post new lyrics when a song drops, add old songs we’re missing, or correct lyrics. —> More on transcription
Make A Suggestion or Propose An Edit: Could an annotation or bio be improved? Tell us what's missing and it could get integrated. —> More on suggestions & edits
Ask or Answer A Question With Q&A: Anyone can ask the Genius community a question. Want to know where a song peaked on the charts? Ask away! Know the answer and want to tell us? Let us (and the world) know. —> More on Q&A
Everything on Genius is collaborative. Here's how we work together and communicate.
Annotations & Edits Are Reviewed: Anyone can add knowledge, but editors determine what becomes the official "Genius Annotation." —> More on editorial review
Artists Add Knowledge Too: Creators who are "Verified" can write annotations, confirm lyrics, and co-sign good annotations from scholars. —> More on Verified Artists
Upvotes & Pyongs: See something good on the site? Your cosign can have a real effect on the best knowledge rising to the top. —> More on upvotes & pyongs
Follow People In The Newsfeed: See what other scholars are doing on the site, and get alerts when your favorite artists write annotations. —>More on the newsfeed
Editors & Other Advanced Roles: Dedicated scholars who make good contributions can get additional powers and responsibilities. —> More on editors & advanced roles
Direct Message Any User: Start a private conversation with anyone on Genius any time. —> More on messages
The Forums: The Genius community loves talking about music and the details of our collaborative knowledge project. Get started now! —> More on the forums
International Communities: Genius is thriving all around the world in many languages. Connect with scholars in your home country. —> More on International Communities
Community Policy: Genius aspires to be a place where everyone feels welcome and safe. We take abuse and harassment seriously. —> Read our full Community Policy
Below is a list of resources developed by the Genius Editorial Board to help educate everyone from budding contributors to seasoned veterans on editorial best practices. If you feel like we're missing something, send @BrianErwin a message.
Guides
How to Add Songs to Genius
How to Annotate & Edit on Genius
How to Edit Metadata on Genius
How to Add Song Credits to Genius
Formatting and Markdown Guide
Coaching: Best Practices
How to Translate Songs on Genius
How To Annotate Artwork On Genius
How to Get Verified on Genius
Commonly asked questions
What Is Plagiarism and How To Avoid It
Tate Talks™
Annotating Songs That Have More Than One Language
Annotation Style Guide
Avoiding The Stretch
Contextualising
How To Add First Hand Knowledge To An Annotation
How Do You Annotate Pop Music?
How To Annotate Problematic Lyrics
How best to clean up a song page? Removing Red, Deleting Annotations, Integrating/Rejecting Suggestions
Making Real Connections
Mastering The Song Bio
Mastering Linked Citation
Refining Language
Research And Interpretation
Updating Old Annotations With New Information
When And How To Use Quotes In Annotations
Removing Filler From Your Annotations
The Public Significance of Annotations
How to Correctly Cite A Bible Verse
Annotating Artwork
Writing Blurbs