A method at a computing system includes receiving from a first device a request from a user indirectly referencing a media content item and content information including one or more portions of audio and/or video components of media playing in proximity to the first device in response to the user request, the media having originated from a third party content provider independent of the server system; and in response to receiving the user request and the content information from the first device: matching the content information received from the first device to a portion of content stored in the server system; and identifying the media content item based on the matching.