# Instagram Search Music API (https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/instagram/search-music)

> Searches Instagram's audio (music) library by keyword. Returns matching tracks, each with artist and title, audio and cover-artwork URLs, duration, and usage metadata. Page through with `cursor`. When the main source is unavailable, page 1 can come from a backup source: about 10 tracks, `song_monetization_info` null, and no `next_cursor`. That page is not cached, so calling again later returns the full page with its cursor.

TL;DR: `GET /v1/instagram/search/music` costs 5 credits per call and returns SocialCrawl's unified JSON schema. Single x-api-key auth, 100 free credits on signup.

## Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `query` | yes | Search keyword or phrase to find Instagram audio tracks. |
| `cursor` | no | Pagination cursor. Use the `next_cursor` from the previous response to fetch the next page. |
| `max_pages` | no | 1 to 50 (default 1, or 50 when `max_items` or `max_credits` is sent). Walk up to this many pages in one call and return the rows from all of them. Each page walked is billed exactly as one call to this endpoint (a cached page is free) and counts against your rate limit; its charge and any refund are recorded under the page's own request id, listed in `data.walk.request_ids`. The walk stops early at the last page, or when the request's time budget runs low; `data.walk.stopped` says why (`end`, `max_pages`, `max_items`, `max_credits`, `time_budget`, `page_error`) and `pagination.next_cursor` continues from where it stopped. |
| `max_items` | no | 1 to 5000. Get more in one call: keep walking pages until the response holds at least this many rows, then stop with `data.walk.stopped: "max_items"`. The last page is returned whole (it was billed), so `data.items` can hold up to one page more than this, and `pagination.next_cursor` resumes right after it without skipping a row. Walks up to 50 pages unless `max_pages` says fewer; each page is billed as one call (a cached page is free). Add `max_credits` to cap the spend. A long walk can stop on the time budget first (`"time_budget"`): send the returned cursor with the same params to continue. |
| `max_credits` | no | 1 to 100000. The most this call may spend, across every page it walks. A page starts only while the credits already spent plus that page's price (or, when higher, the most any page of this walk has cost) still fit, so the call never goes past it; the walk then stops with `data.walk.stopped: "max_credits"` and the cursor to resume. Sent alone, it walks as far as the budget goes (up to 50 pages). A value below the price of one page is a free 400 whose `error.details.page_credits` names that price. Credits a row join (`include=`) adds are known only once a page has run, so page 1 is checked against its own price. |

## Code example

```bash
curl -G "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/instagram/search/music" \
  --data-urlencode "query=beyonce" \
  -H "x-api-key: sc_YOUR_API_KEY"
```

## FAQ

### How do I search Instagram music with an API?

Send a GET request to /v1/instagram/search/music with the query parameter set to a track title, artist, or keyword. SocialCrawl returns a JSON array of matching audio tracks, each with artist, title, audio and cover-artwork URLs, duration, and usage metadata.

### Does each track include a playable audio URL?

Yes. Every track object carries an audio URL for the sample plus a cover-artwork URL, its duration, and usage metadata so you can preview and catalog sounds.

### How do I page through more music results?

Each response includes a cursor. Pass it back as the cursor parameter on your next request to fetch the following page of tracks for the same query.

### Can I find the audio id to pull reels using a sound?

Yes. Each track carries its audio id. Feed that id into /v1/instagram/audio/reels to see the reels that use the sound, which helps you spot sounds worth riding.

### How much does the Instagram Music API cost?

Music search is an advanced endpoint at 5 credits per request. New accounts get 100 free credits, so you can run around 20 searches before topping up.

See the full Instagram API: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/instagram

## Pricing

- Standard endpoints: 1 credit per call
- Advanced endpoints: 5 credits per call
- Premium endpoints: 10 credits per call
- 100 free credits on signup, no credit card required. Cached responses cost 0 credits. Credit packs never expire.
- Full pricing: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/pricing

## Explore with AI

Questions this API answers, phrased for an AI assistant:

- How to search the Instagram audio library by keyword with an API
- Instagram music API for sound discovery and reels planning