With the arrival of Wednesday comes the Heardle answer for today, 17th August.

Heardle is a music game inspired by Wordle - where instead of guessing a word, you hear the opening of a song, with each failed guess extending the preview to help you solve the title and artist in question.

If you fail to guess once you have heard the complete preview, then you'll break your streak - which is why discovering today's Heardle answer is so important for players, especially as some song intros are more elusive than others.

Interested in learning more about music in games once you have solved the Heardle for today? We have interviewed Remute, a techno producer who makes albums for retro consoles, and discussed what Debussy can tell us about mood in games.

Clues for today's Heardle answerThe Heardle answer for song 174 on 17th August, 2022Want to read more about Heardle ahead of the next answer?

Clues for today's Heardle answer

Instead of going straight to the answer, you might only need a few hints to get you over the line:

This song shares its name with a chemical element.This track was released in 1991.The artist's name is also a word used to describe a transcedental state devoid of suffering.This track was part of a second studio album.

Still not sure? Read on for the answer.

Looking for more to play once you've completed today's answer? Our sister site RPS has some suggestions for other guessing-game alternatives.

The Heardle answer for song 174 on 17th August, 2022

Even with the above clues, still not sure and want to keep that streak going?

The Heardle answer today is Lithium by Nirvana which was part of their second album, Nevermind. You can give it a listen below:

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Now you have the answer, do not spoil it for others! Remember, you can share your results spoiler-free in the form of a grid.

Of course, no one has to know you came to this page to work it out. Maybe put in two or three fake guesses first to throw them off the scent, perhaps?

Want to read more about Heardle ahead of the next answer?

Heardle is perhaps the most well known inspiration of Wordle, the word game that saw million of players check in every day within months of its arrival in late 2021.

The most significant development in Heardle's history is its purchase by Spotify for an undisclosed amount in July 2022.

Though Heardle remains free and the game itself unchanged, the acquisition has seen a few changes, including a shift away from SoundCloud as its player of choice to Spotify - which now allows players to listen to the full track once the game has concluded.

It's this, in part, why Spotify was interested in Heardle. "We are always looking for innovative and playful ways to enhance music discovery and help artists reach new fans," said Jeremy Erlich, global head of music at Spotify.

Image credit: prima91 - stock.adobe.com

It hasn't been a smooth transition, however - with the game only available in select countries immediately following the acquisiton (UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) and that players have reported streaks disappearing.

Wordle, for those who don't know, went through something similar - with streaks resetting for some players following its purchase by the New York Times.

As for the future of Heardle, Spotify has teased the game "and other interactive experiences" will "allow music lovers to connect more deeply with artists and challenge friends - and have some fun in the process".

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