A content recognition system operates in conjunction with a media hosting service to identify hosted media content and ownership rights associated with the hosted content. By applying melody recognition, the content recognition system can identify compositions embodied in hosted media content even when these compositions do not precisely match any known sound recording. Thus, the content recognition system is beneficially able to detect, for example, recorded cover performances and recorded live performances embodied in hosted media content. Once identified, ownership information is determined and the media hosting service can carry out appropriate rights management policies associated with the content such as monetizing or blocking the protected content.