METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION FOR MUSICAL PIECES

In one aspect of the teachings herein, a wireless device is configured to obtain identification information for musical piece. Advantageously, the wireless device is configured so that a user can provide a triggering input to the wireless device when the user hears a musical piece of interest being played back on an audio system that is external to the wireless device and proximate to the user. In response, the wireless device initiates communication with a server, which communication includes sending a generic identification request to the server. The server knows which musical piece is currently playing on the audio system, e.g., based on connectivity between the server and the audio system, and the server returns identification information for the currently playing musical piece. This approach obviates the need for the wireless device to capture and process audio data, or to use fingerprint information derived from captured audio data.