Don't Forget the Lyrics! is an international music game show. The original American show aired on Fox from July 11, 2007, to June 19, 2009, and after a year off the air, a third overall season, and first as a syndicated show, began on June 15, 2010, in daytime syndication and in primetime on VH1 and in primetime on MyNetworkTV on October 5, 2010. On March 24, 2011, the show was canceled. A new primetime version, hosted by Niecy Nash, debuted on FOX on May 23, 2022. The show has spun off to numerous countries outside America using different top prize or game format.
The primary difference between Don't Forget the Lyrics! and other music-based game shows is that artistic talent (such as the ability to sing or dance in an aesthetically pleasing way) is irrelevant to the contestants' chances of winning. In the words of one of their commercials prior to the first airing, "You don't have to sing it well; you just have to sing it right".
Gameplay Each game is played by a single contestant who earns money incrementally based on a payout ladder by completing missing song lyrics on up to ten songs, testing the contestant's memory on songs. The following description of the show is based primarily on the American version of Don't Forget the Lyrics!, though the general format applies to all international versions.
The contestant is presented and chooses from a set of nine different genres or categories. Two different songs (some versions presented three) were then presented to the contestant to choose one to sing, then the host informs the number of missing words the contestant will have to provide. The band or an ensemble will play the music and sings along, karaoke-style until the music stops, in which the monitor will display blank lines. The contestant then fills in the missing lyrics and chooses to either risk their accumulated winnings by locking in the lyrics or end the game and keep any accumulated winnings. To advance to the next level, all the lyrics must be correct, otherwise the game ends and the contestant leaves with the last guaranteed amount or nothing depending on the level they lost.
The contestant is also presented with three "Backups" to help, each usable once throughout a game: Backup Singer: The contestant receive assistance from one of two support members (or in some versions, an audience member) to help the contestant. The contestant may opt to choose their own lyrics or go with their backup singer's lyrics if it is different. Two Words: The contestant chooses any two of the missing words; the correct words for those positions are shown. Three Lines: The contestant is shown three lines of lyrics, among which one is correct.
The contestant has no choice over the tenth and final song (usually with the generic genre mentioning the top prize amount, such as the "Million Dollar Song"), which is not revealed unless they risk their winnings and play on. In most versions, any unused backups before the final song are rendered unavailable to use. If the contestant completes the final lyric correctly, he or she wins the grand prize that varies from country to country.
International versions Currently airing franchise Country/Region Name Host Channel Date airedTop prize اسمع صوتكEssma3 Saoutek Brahim Ghazali Samira TVZahra TV January 20, 2020 (season 1)March 24, 2023 (season 2)DA 1,000,000 Sing and Win! Rainhard Fendrich ATV March 6, 2008 – 2009 €50,000 Помниш ли текста? Pomnish li teksta? KeranabTV November 5, 2024 – May 22, 2025 50,000лв () On connaît la chanson! Mario Tessier TVA September 25, 2011 Can$ 200,000 ¡No te olvides de la canción! Rafael Araneda Chilevisión August 6, 2012 – December 21, 2012 Ch$20,000,000 Ne zaboravi stihove! Igor Mešin Nova TV March 17, 2008 kn 500,000 Så det synger Michael Carøe TV2 March 22, 2008 DKr 500,000 فاكر ولا لأ؟Faker wella la? Amir Karara ERT 2NTN 2009 LE 250,000 N'oubliez pas les paroles! Nagui France 2 December 15, 2007 – present € 100,000 (2007–2013, 2014)€ 20,000 (2013–) Δεν εχω λογια!Den echo logia! Giorgos Kapoutzidis Mega Channel 2015–2016 €10,000 Don't Forget the Lyrics! Elli Kokkinou ANT1 October 5, 2025 – present €15,000 Bol Baby Bol Adnan Sami Life OK November 9, 2007 – April 11, 2008 Rs. 2,500,000/- Missing Lyrics Irgi Achmad Fahrezi Trans TV May 12, 2008 – December 3, 2010 Rp. 100,000,000 شعر یادت نرهSher yadet nare Omid Khalili Tajrishi Manoto 1 September 14, 2012 US$10,000 Canta e Vinci Amadeus and Checco Zalone Italia 1 2007–2008 €250,000 Don't Forget the Lyrics! - Stai sul pezzo Gabriele Corsi NOVE February 7, 2022 – June 3, 2025 €5,000 (series 1–5)€10,000 (series 6–7) Jangan Lupa Lirik! Aznil Nawawi Astro Ria May 25, 2008 – 2011 RM 1,000,000 ¿Te la sabes? Cántala Chuck Pereda Azteca 7 October 10, 2007 Mex$500,000 Prave riječi Nikola Đuričko TV Vijesti 2012 €5,000 Don't Forget the Lyrics Myanmar Kaung Htet Zaw MRTV-4 March 2, 2024 – present Ks200,000 Don't Forget the Lyrics Kamal Salau All Major stations 2008 ₦20,000,000 Kan du teksten? Tshawe Baqwa and Yosef Wolde-Mariam TV2 2008–2009 NKr 500,000 Tak to leciało! Maciej Miecznikowski TVP2 March 9, 2008 – June 3, 2012 zł 150,000 (series 1–8)zł 100,000 (series 9) Sławomir Zapała and Magdalena "Kajra" Kajrowicz (2022–2024) September 4, 2022 – present zł 100,000 Kacper Kuszewski (2024–present)Não te Esqueças da Letra!João Paulo RodriguesRTP1March 14, 2021 – July 25, 2021€10,000 Из песни слов не выкинешьIz pesni slov ne vykinesh Vyacheslav Manucharov NTV August 31, 2013 Main prize: Flat in Moscow Don't Forget the Lyrics! Gurmit Singh Adrian Pang (Comic Mayham episode) MediaCorp Channel 5 November 27, 2008 S$500,000 我要唱下去 Sam Tseng MediaCorp Channel 8 August 25, 2009 我要唱下去 (名人版) Mark Lee June 1, 2010 S$50,000 LYRICS - Vyspievaj si milión! Andrej Bičan TV JOJ February 22, 2008 Sk 1,000,000 ¡No te olvides de la canción! Àngel Llàcer La Sexta September 26, 2008 €100,000 Million Singer Harlem Yu TTV May 10, 2008 – August 11, 2012 NT$300,000 لسه فاكرLessa faker Sami Fehri El Hiwar El Tounsi September 22, 2015 DT 20,000 Don't Forget the Lyrics! Shane Richie Sky1 May 11, 2008 – August 9, 2009 £250,000 (original format)Don't Forget the Lyrics! Wayne Brady FOX July 11, 2007 – June 19, 2009 US$1,000,000Niecy NashMay 23, 2022 – present Mark McGrath Syndication June 15, 2010 – May 27, 2011 US$50,000 Trò chơi âm nhạc – Don't Forget the Lyrics! Nguyên Khang Quốc Minh VTV3 November 7, 2012 – December 30, 2015 100.000.000VND
See also The Singing Bee (American game show) - another lyrics-themed game show The Lyrics Board - another lyrics-themed game show Beat Shazam - another music-related game show I Can See Your Voice - another music-related game show
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