how to reference a song title in an essay

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How to Quote a Song in a Paper (with Formatting & Examples)

Last Updated: April 29, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Marissa Levis and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Marissa Levis is an English Teacher in the Morris County Vocational School District. She previously worked as an English director at a tutoring center that caters to students in elementary and middle school. She is an expert in creating a curriculum that helps students advance their skills in secondary-level English, focusing on MLA formatting, reading comprehension, writing skills, editing and proofreading, literary analysis, standardized test preparation, and journalism topics. Marissa received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 319,868 times.

Depending on the type of paper you're writing, you may need to use a song as a reference – either a specific recording, or the composition of the song itself. The format of your citation will be somewhat different depending on whether you are using Modern Language Association (MLA) style, American Psychological Association (APA) style, or the format in the Chicago Manual of Style. You'll also need a brief, in-text citation to point the reader to the more complete citation at the end of your work. [1] X Research source

• The performer could be a single individual or a band. If you're using the name of a single person, use "last name, first name" format.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé.

• If there are multiple writers, list them all in the order they appear in the copyright information for the song. If the song has lyrics, there may be both a composer and a lyricist.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake.

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake. "Freedom."

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake. "Freedom." Lemonade , Parkwood Entertainment, 2016.

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake. "Freedom." Lemonade , Parkwood Entertainment, 2016. Online, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/, accessed January 9, 2017.

• Use the name you used in your full citation. Just use the first or primary name if there is more than one artist in the full citation. Include the title or a title phrase if you're citing more than one work by that artist.
• For example: (Knowles-Carter, "Freedom")

• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J.
• If there are multiple writers and their roles are identified, you can put these in parentheses after their names. For example: Knowles-Carter, B. (Lyricist), & Blake, J. (Composer).

• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016).

• You also may want to include the name of the performing artist if they are known by a stage name or are otherwise not immediately identifiable by their last name.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016). Freedom [Recorded by Beyoncé].

• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016). Freedom. On Lemonade [CD].

• Include state or country information if the city is not well-known. Otherwise, simply include the name of the city.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016). Freedom. On Lemonade [CD]. New York City: Parkwood Entertainment (2016).

• For example: (Knowles-Carter & Blake, 2016, track 10)

Using Chicago Style

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake.

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake. Freedom .
• If the performer of the song is someone different from the songwriters, include this information immediately after the title of the song or album by listing their first name and last name.
• If the performer is more important than the songwriter or composer, you may want to list their name first. Use your best judgment depending on the focus of your paper.

• If you can't find the recording number on the physical copy of the recording itself, look on www.discogs.com. Make sure you have the listing for the same recording as the one you're referencing.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake. Freedom . On Lemonade . Parkwood Entertainment, 88985336822, 2016. [11] X Research source

• For example: For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake. Freedom . On Lemonade . Parkwood Entertainment, 88985336822, 2016, CD.

• For example: (Knowles-Carter 2016).
• To provide a pinpoint citation to a specific song, include the track number. For example: (Knowles-Carter 2016, track 10).

Community Q&A

• If you're using Chicago style, list audio recordings separately in a discography that is separate from your main bibliography. [14] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• When you access music online, you may have difficulty finding the information you need for your citation. Try looking up the song on a website such as www.discogs.com, which will have publication information. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about citations, check out our in-depth interview with Marissa Levis .

• ↑ http://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp
• ↑ https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/12/how-to-cite-recorded-music-in-apa-style.html
• ↑ http://www.ubishops.ca/wp-content/uploads/APAguide6thofficial.pdf
• ↑ http://libguides.depauw.edu/c.php?g=73436&p=472435
• ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Beyoncé-Lemonade/release/8486714
• ↑ http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/turabian_citationguide.html
• ↑ http://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/chicago-turabian/how-to-cite-a-musical-recording-chicago-turabian/

About This Article

To cite a song using APA, start by putting the last name of the songwriter or composer, followed by their initials. Then, add the copyright year in parenthesis, and the title of the song. Next, start a new sentence with the word “on,” followed by the italicized name of the album and the medium you heard it on. End the citation with the location, the name of the recording company, and the recording year. For more information on citing songs, including in-text citations for MLA and Chicago style, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Proper Formatting of Song Titles in Written Documents

Learn when to use italics and quotation marks to write clearly

• Animation & Video

What to Know

• Refer to the style guide specified by your employer, client, or teacher.
• In the absence of a style guide, the general rule is to use quotation marks for song titles and italicize CD or album titles.
• Don't use underlining in place of italics unless you are using a typewriter or writing titles by hand.

This article explains the proper formatting of song titles in written documents and includes examples.

How to Format Song Titles in Written Documents

For matters of style when punctuating and formatting titles of any kind, turn first to the style guide prescribed by your employer, client, or teacher. In the absence of a style guide, use the following guidelines:

• Put quotation marks around song titles : For best appearance in professionally typeset material, use proper typographical quote marks and apostrophes ( curly quotes ).
• Set CD/album titles in italics : In typeset material, watch out for fake italics . That's not a grammar rule but it is a good design and printing rule.
• Do not use underlining (in place of italics) unless you're using a typewriter or writing titles by hand.

In desktop publishing and word processing software, create character styles to quickly format song titles and other types of titles used throughout a document.

Example References to Song Titles and Albums

Here are two examples of text that includes song titles and album titles:

• Trace Adkins' first #1 single “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” is from his 1997 CD  Dreamin’ Out Loud . 
• The title cut from Toby Keith’s How Do You Like Me Now? was the most-played country song of 2000. Other favorites from the same album include “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like That” and “Country Comes to Town.”

When the song/album is the same : In the second example, although “ How Do You Like Me Now? ” is the song title, it is also the album title and in that context is treated as the album title, using italics. It would be just as correct to write: My favorite song on the How Do You Like Me Now? album is “How Do You Like Me Now?”

Punctuation in titles : When a song title ends in a question mark, exclamation point, or other punctuation, that punctuation goes inside the quotation marks because it's part of the song title. The beginning portion of the Adkins song title in parentheses is contained in the quotation marks the same as the other part of the song title.

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Do You Use Quotation Marks or Italics for Song and Album Titles?

by Liz Bureman | 40 comments

Are you making any playlists for the new year? I love music, and when I write about a song or album, I know when to use quotation marks and when to use italics. Do you? Are song titles italicized? Let's discuss. 

I love music. I've been teaching myself to play guitar, and I can stumble my way through four or five songs without wanting to poke holes in my eardrums, but my main appreciation for music is when other people play it. I'm an avid Spotify user, and I take a lot of pride in my ability to make kickass playlists. One of my girlfriends has even given me the green light to create her hypothetical wedding reception playlist.

Not everyone writes out the titles of their favorite songs or music albums regularly, so it's no surprise I sometimes hear people ask, “Are song titles italicized?”

The answer is no.

Here's how it works:

Song Titles in Quotation Marks

Song titles are always surrounded by quotation marks, like *NSYNC's “Bye Bye Bye,” or “A Whole New World” from Disney's Aladdin .

Anytime you write out the title of a song, you'll put that song title in quotation marks according to standard grammar rules. Think of a song as a shorter work like a short story. Short story titles are always in quotation marks. 

Album Titles in Italics

Musical album titles, on the other hand, are always italicized. For example, while I will openly admit to loving Journey's power ballad song “Faithfully,” I think pretty much every song on their Greatest Hits album should be sung at karaoke nights across the country.

When you write out an album title, you'll put it in italics.

It may help to remember that the music album is a longer work, like a novel. Titles of books are also written in italics in most major style guides. 

Are Song Titles Italicized in Classical Music?

Classical music isn't typically arranged into an album, per se, but the general rule still applies. The shorter songs and movements would be in quotation marks. If it is a full length longer composition, like a full sonata, concerto, or opera then use italics for titles indicating the full work.

For example: The aria “Der Hölle Rache” is probably the most famous piece in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute . 

Other Italics Questions

Of course, lots more media have titles than just songs and albums. There are books , short stories, podcasts, TV shows, episodes . . . the list goes on and on. Want more italics advice? Check out our ultimate title-writing guide for answers to all your italics conundrums.

Do you have any tricks for remembering when to use quotes and when to use italics? Tell us in the comments .

Imagine your favorite musical artist or group is discussing the set list for an upcoming show that has the potential to go viral. What will they play to appeal to fans, old and new?

Take fifteen minutes and write about the hypothetical conversation the ladies of the group had in determining the songs they would play for the show. Post your conversation in the Pro Practice Workshop , and leave notes for other writers brave enough to publish as well. Not a part of a writing community yet? Join us !

Liz Bureman

Liz Bureman has a more-than-healthy interest in proper grammatical structure, accurate spelling, and the underappreciated semicolon. When she's not diagramming sentences and reading blogs about how terribly written the Twilight series is, she edits for the Write Practice, causes trouble in Denver, and plays guitar very slowly and poorly. You can follow her on Twitter (@epbure), where she tweets more about music of the mid-90s than writing.

40 Comments

It was blowing up a storm when we started to practice, but that don’t stop Effie.  He thinks you gotta play no matter what.  If the tornado sirens go off down in town and one of our old ladies calls to tell us so, he’ll say, “Ya’ll can go get in your fraidey holes if you want to.  Me, I’m playing my fiddle.”

Well, you can’t go to the storm cellar with your tail between your legs, so we stay, me and Vander and Larry, even though Larry, who plays the washtub, lost his house in the tornado of ’96 and he shakes when the sky rumbles.  And then Effie’ll start in on some song like “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder,” just to put his spin on how things might turn out if a twister does find us.

So we’re playing, me on the bass, and we’re looking out the window, where you can see the sky turning the color of a two-day bruise, and Larry’s sweating and Vander’s got his eyes shut like he does when he plays mandolin, and Effie, truth be told, is a flat-out bully.  So he’s getting the show list together and acting like everything’s business as usual.

“I think we should start with “Sitting On The Front Porch,” he says.  Crowd pleaser, every time.  And then, “Baby’s Little Shoes.” And then “Walking With Clementine” for the old folks.  We’ll finish with “God Bless the U.S.A,” since the veteran’s home is bringing a bus.

Lightning is hitting closer, the sky like the Fourth of July.  Larry’s done sat down, turned all pale as fresh milk.  Larry’s a big man.  He can’t button his overalls up all the way on the side, so when he doubles over and then falls out of the fold-up chair, none of us knows what to do.

“I ain’t doing mouth-to-mouth,” Effie says, while the rest of us are trying to right him. 

Larry comes to soon enough, just as the hail starts.

“My new truck,” he says, and shakes his head. You know when people say you’re green at the gills? Well, Larry is.

All our trucks are parked outside, and all of ‘em are getting blasted.  I see my old Dodge, the one I’ve had since May left me, the hail, big as cotton bols hitting it, and it makes me sick.

And then I remember Effie’s truck.  His is in the carport.  Well, sure it is, I think.

Vander, who preaches every other Sunday over in the Cavanaugh bottoms, says, “Shit fire,” and hits the wall.  We are in the town hall of Rudy, a little Craftsman house donated by Mayor Giles Walker’s family when he passed, and the photos of the veterans shake when he does it.

The rain flashes down.  Pounding everything, soaking through my back windshield that was shattered by the hail.

“Mercy sakes,” is all I can say.

Larry stands up, grabbing my arm to do it.  He’s about as wide as he is tall, and he’s near about pulls me down.

“I’m off like a prom dress,” he says, “so don’t try to stop me.”  And then he turns to Effie.

“You’re about as helpful as a boar with teats,” he says, you know that? You act like you’re the bread and butter of The Frog Bayou Boys.”  He points to me.  “But Columbus here, he might not play as good as you like, but he’s the one got the news folks out here to do that story calling us the best band in the River Valley.  And he books every show, and when you get drunk, let’s just be honest here, when you get drunk, you can’t play worth shit.”

Effie came after Larry.  Effie’s a little action figure of a man, but he fights mean, and it took Vander and me to stop him.

We were holding Effie by his scrawny arms, and he was kicking, his cowboy boots flying off the wood floor, so that we were mostly holding him up.

“You are a liar and a snake,” Larry Brammel.  “A liar and a snake.  You’re going to go straight to hell with gasoline drawers on, and when you do, I’ll play my fiddle on your grave.”

Vander stepped in.  “Ya’ll cut it out.  Nobody’s dying,” he said.  “Effie,” he said, and pointed, “you and Larry need to quit showing your butts. That show on Saturday pays $100, plus they feed us.  We ain’t had a show like that since we played that Red, White and Bluegrass gig for the rich ladies who wanted to dress up in thousand dollar boots and wear tight jeans and drink beer in front of their husbands.”

And then Vander bowed up, like I never seen him do before.  “And Effie, we ain’t playing “Walking With Clementine.” The old folks can do without it for one dang night.  I wrote my own song and I want to sing it.  It’s called “She Broke My Heart And Stole My Wallet.” That’ll get ‘em going,” Vander said. 

I’d known Vander thirty-two years, and that was the first I’d heard of his songwriting.  His new girlfriend, the one who brought over the Mexican casserole when Vander’s wife died, was likely the inspiration for this new tune.

Word was, she was over in Branson now, hooked up with a cowboy singer who wore a Bolo tie and colored his hair.

Effie face was red.  He looked hotter than blue blazes, like he might catch fire at any minute.  And then he backed down, his shoulders falling.  He looked at all of us, me and Larry and Vander, and then he said, “Fine, that’s fine with me.  I been carrying you ya-hoos for way too long.”

Larry cuffed him on the arm, and then they shook hands, and the rain fell, and the thunder roared, but nobody moved for a minute. 

Effie had a bottle in his fiddle case, and he went to get it.  “Ain’t nobody driving till the rain stops,” he said.  “And that includes you, Larry.”

And then we sat down, and passed the bottle until Vander started singing.  “I loved a girl from Minnesota.  Loved her with a passion true.  And then stole my dad burn wallet, took it out and followed you.  You must be a handsome cowboy.  You must look like Johnny Cash.  But when I find my little Cindy, I will tell her that she’s trash.”

We were laughing then.  And Effie brought out his fiddle, and I picked up my bass, and Vander his mandolin.  Larry drug out the washtub, and we got back at it, the Frog Bayou Boys, just as good as new.

Wow, Marla, if you’re not from those parts then you’ve got one wild imagination, girl! Well done, and then some. The phrasing, the way you used the anarchic terminology, and even the names were spot on, perfect. Beautiful!

 Thank you, Yvette.  I can’t take credit.  I live with these people and these voices.  It’s like music to me.  We get teased A LOT but I wouldn’t trade the dialect or the cadence for anything. 

I love this!!!  The gig, the music, the attitudes.  And the dialogue is genuine county-folk!  Good work, Marla!

You’re so nice.  I love the music we have in the South, the twangy, ball-your-eyes-out stuff that connects us all and makes us feel less alone.  And I know men like these, I’ve heard them play, so writing this was easy.

Great writing Marla. I agree with the others you really have that dialect (which I’m also familiar with) down pat.  

Thank you, Mariaanne. Where are you from?

I live in Lynchburg Va now but was originally from Norfolk.  The accent you are writing sounds like an Appalachian accent to me. Where are you from?

Mariaanne, I live in Lynchburg, too! We have two crit groups here and would love for you to join us. Email me at charmainetdavis at yahoo dot com.

Charmaine – I can’t believe it.  Will you please email me?  [email protected].  I’d love to join you.  When and where do you meet?  

I had a playlist for my wedding that included  “One Day My Prince Will Come” and “If You Wish Upon a Star.”  Since I’m still single, it’s “The Impossible Dream.”

It depends if you’re writing for American or British publications. In the US, song titles are always “Jumping Jack Flash” but in the UK they’re often ‘Midnight Rambler’. It’s caused me no end of headaches writing for both.

They punctuate dialogue differently in the UK too don’t they?  I think the way they do it makes more sense actually but I don’t like to think about it too much or I get confused. I imagine it’s hard to write both ways.  

Agreed. The UK punctuates more logically. I had points knocked off of college papers for employing that punctuation, & tried to defend it with no success. Ha! Punctuation Wars – my kind of rebellion!

I’m in the US. In high school, I got marked off for spelling aluminum as “aluminium.” The teacher actually asked if I was British.

Ten years later, I’d still argue I was technically correct.

sorry so long to reply. Yet, after recent happenings, I can only hope that we can just get back to debating language. God Bless us All. Thanks for replying Eric Foster!!

Does also apply to other works that have a part/whole relationship? I’m thinking specifically of “short stories” and The Collection They Come in or “poems” and Chap Books.

I can’t make any italics work in this application, so I’ll indicate italics with [i] at the beginning and at the end of each title I intend to be italicized.

My practice:

The state-of-the-art bus pitched only slightly with the dips and rolls of Interstate 35 — not like those death-traps they used to ride in the ’40s and ’50s — on the way up to Fort Worth and Billy Bob’s.  He walked down the aisle toward his stateroom with the practiced sea-legs of an old salt, noticing that his harp-player, Mickey, had gone to sleep and was droolin’ in his lap. 

“HEY MICK YOUR FLY’S OPEN!”  he barked in that sargeant’s voice he could assume on a moment’s notice.  Mickey jumped awake and then amiably shot him the bird.  He laughed in his baritone voice and walked on into his quarters. 

Billy Bob’s.  Let’s see — that crowd likes the ’70s stuff off the concept albums, sprinkled ’round the edges with the early Nashville songs.  Let’s do, let’s do — he got his legal pad and licked the point of his stubby pencil — Let’s do “Bloody Mary Mornin'” and “Walkin'” from [i]Phases and Stages[i].  Follow that with “Hello Walls” from [i]And then I Wrote[i].  He sat before the big window and watched the country roll by, remembering.  Remembering. 

The world was a different place when I got started.  I’m an extrememly lucky man, he thought.  All the close shaves — I could easily have gone the way of Hank.  All  the little one-horse planes I’ve flown in, I also could have had the same end as Jim Reeves, or Patsy, God love ‘er. 

Gotta do “Crazy” tonight in honor of Patsy.  That’s another’un offa [i]And Then I Wrote[i].  Sold that’un for fifty dollars when my kids needed shoes, and I’d do it again too. 

He picked up the old spanish guitar with the hole in it where his right hand had worn through the wood over the decades, and began to strum it.  Key of E.  Began to sing just a little bit, soft and low:  “In___ the twighlight glow I see__ her . . .”  And then stopped.  All those years.  All those songs.  All those changes.  Phases and stages.

Yes, I’m lucky, it’s still hard to believe just how lucky.

Gotta find a spot for “Blue Eyes” tonight too.  [i]Red-Headed Stranger[i].  

Sometimes, he realized, I look in the mirror and that’s who I see.

Wow!  I love this.  The part about the hole in the guitar is gold.  And I love your main character.  I’d go hear him, in a heartbeat. 

Thank you all for your kind comments.   The piece is about Willie Nelson, I just didn’t name him.  All of the album and song titles are real, as is the hole in his guitar;  just look closely the next time you see him playing on tv and you’ll see it.  I had a lot of fun writing this!

I’ve always been amused by Willie’s “holy” guitar. He’s such a kook.

I forgot DISQUS doesn’t allow italics. Sorry about that John. Way to make it work 🙂

That was really well done John.  It’s kind of sad to hear him thinking about old times but he seems to be a pretty happy guy overall.  I like the hole in the guitar too as well as the guy drooling in his sleep.  Gross but probably about right.  

Good article. Quick and to the point. Thanks!

Not kickass playlists if they have Journey in them lol…

It will really depend on how are you going to use those kind of quotations in your writing but I what I have observed, this kind of thing was being used by most writing especially if when they emphasized a title on their writing.

I was going to ask about the title of a composition and the movements but after reading the program magazine I realized that italics are used for both.

I think I have been doing that correctly. I was worried.

Her hand twisted the edge of her shirt as the smell of sawdust filled the air. The crowd’s noises dimmed, her heart beat louder in her ears and her palms dampened as she climbed the stage stairs. Though she had practiced long hours she was nervous anticipating singing “China Girl” from John Cougar Mellancamp’s, (italics American Fool italics), album.

You should try djing. It’s easy if you can already make a good playlist. If you’re already a good selector, all you have to do is pre-cue the next song in your headphones then drop it on the 1. Really easy stuff. You can buy the app, djay, for ios devices and log in with your spotify account for access to your playlists and stuff. We need more female djs.

My first concert experience was of one that I would not easily forget, it was Summer Jam hosted by Hot 97. The concert had a majority of middle class rappers playing their hot singles. I came there for a select few: 50 Cent, Fabolous and Young Thug. The other performing artists were mainly for the female demographic, like Fetty Wap and Ty Dolla $ign. What I really enjoyed about this concert is they did not only play songs from this current generation, they reached out to other generations as well. The biggest example of this is seeing 50 Cent preform. He played hits from his Get Rich or Die Tryin’ album all the way up to his recent The Kanan Mixtape. I was going ballistic when I heard him preform a new track “I’m the Man” and decided to take us back to 2003 with “In da Club” immediately after. The artists I came for did not disappoint.

And if you are writing dialogue, I do not recall seeing two double quotation marks at end of dialogue. Maybe I am wrong. For instance, “Baby, you know I love Ted’s “Stranglehold,”” he fired back. I have seen a single followed by a double quotation at end of dialogue after the comma or period. So maybe that’s why the King’s English prefers single over double?

This saved my essay. Thanks Liz!

Dear Liz, I was looking for some advice about quote/italics for song/movie/book titles and got totally side-tracked by your Journey reference. When I rule the world, I promise you will get your wish. Journey will be piped directly into people’s heads so they can all become happier and more well rounded. Tee Hee. Keep up the good work. 😉

The Excavators play Brady Wilkenson’s 8th Birthday Bash!

This past Saturday afternoon was Brady Wilkensen’s birthday party, and he could think of no better live entertainment than his father’s heavy metal band, The Excavators. When Brady suggested the idea, his dad felt honored, albeit unsure whether the mothers of his son’s 8-year-old classmates and friends would appreciate the lyrical content of his band’s hits, especially “Rotting Flesh” and “Glory Hole” off their latest album (i) In it for the Lingue Hall. (i)

Instead of becoming the third grade parents’ worst nightmare, Mr. Wilkensen figured he’d tone things down quite a bit to become more palatable to the kids and their discerning parents. He got the members of the Excavators together, sure, but instead of “Rock My Grave,” the afternoon’s selections included “Punk Rock Teacher” and “All My Friends Headbang” off their pseudo EP (i) Songs for the Peanut Gallery (i).

The party was to be held at Bringadown Hall, in a posh country club in the suburb where Brady and his family resided. Mr. Wilkenson figured that his band had better revamp their look for this gig as well. Instead of their usual studs and leather, the Excavators came to the party dressed in red t-shirts, jeans, and letter jackets that evoked high school in the ’70s.

The band decided to even craft some improv tunes on the subject of the party’s goings-on and present them to Brady and his guests at the end of the show. “Pizza on my Face, What a Disgrace!” did so well among Brady’s friends that the Excavators decided to include it on their upcoming album, (i) Smells like Burnt Crust (i).

Rather than the utter disgust that would have been sure to follow had the band performed its signature material, (i) Songs for the Peanut Gallery (i) was lauded by parents and children alike as a “too-cool-for-school crowd pleaser.”

Brady bragged from that day forward that he had the coolest dad in town, and his 8th birthday party became the epitome of birthday bash success in the eyes of the entirety of Willten Elementary School’s student body, whether they’d attended the party or heard about it from a friend-of-a-friend’s brother.

“Whew,” Mr. Wilkenson said to his wife when the party was over, “that was a good call!”

Thanks Liz, good info!

Here’s my sentence in question: “They just ran out the back door singing it to the tune of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’.” It is dialog, and according to what I’m reading, I should use double quotes around the song and at the end of the sentence. Correct?

thanks for the help!

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How to Cite a Song or Album in MLA Referencing

3-minute read

• 7th April 2021

If you write about music in your work, you might have to cite a recording. But how do you cite a song or album in MLA referencing ? This post will explain the basics.

To cite a song or album in MLA referencing , simply give the artist’s last name or the band’s name in brackets in the relevant part of the text:

Her latest album has a strong environmental theme (Sturgeon).

“Wildlife in America” (Shearwater) comments on US culture.

And to cite a specific part of a song, you can add a timestamp :

The middle eight in “Air and Light” (Sturgeon 2:14–2:29) is truly haunting.

In the above citation, for example, we are citing a section that runs from 2 minutes 14 seconds to 2 minutes 29 seconds into the song.

Musical Recordings in an MLA Works Cited List

All references contain certain core elements in MLA style. And for a musical recording, each entry should include some or all of the following:

• Artist or band name – For individual artists, give their surname first, followed by their first name (e.g., Young, Neil). For artists who don’t follow this naming convention (e.g., U2 or Lady Gaga), just use the full name they are known by.
• Song title – If you are citing a specific song, give the title in quotation marks.
• Album title – Give the name of the album you are citing (or that the song you are citing comes from) in italics.
• Version – If relevant, include information on the version of the song next (e.g., if there are different versions of a song on different albums).
• Publication details – The name of the publisher (i.e., the record label that released the album or song) and the year the recording was released.
• URL – If you accessed the recording online, include the URL. For songs accessed via a streaming platform, give the platform name in italics.
• Format – If it is relevant to your work, you can optionally add the format of the recording at the end of your reference (e.g., CD, vinyl, MP3).

You won’t always need all of this! For many references, the artist’s name, song and/or album title, the publisher, and the year of publication will be enough. But whatever you cite, make sure to include enough information in the Works Cited list to guide readers to the exact version of the recording you have used.

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Example References

Below, you can see example references for an album, a song on an album, an album accessed via a streaming platform, and a single song accessed online:

Talk Talk. The Colour of Spring , EMI, 1986.

Song on an Album

Shearwater. “Animals in America.” Jet Plane and Oxbow , Subpop, 2016.

Album on a Streaming Service

Sturgeon, Jenny. The Living Mountain , Hudson Records, 2020. Spotify , https://open.spotify.com/album/7Kt6kaJ8dGIo6cngVA7dcB

Single Song Online

Benin City. “Freaking You Out.” Bandcamp , https://benincity.bandcamp.com/track/freaking-you-out

Make sure to add a hanging indent for each line after the first in all references.

Expert MLA Referencing Proofreading

To ensure all your referencing is error free, get in touch with our expert proofreading team. You can even get your first 500 words checked for free !

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite a Song in MLA

How to Cite a Song in MLA

Citing a song / musical recording.

Musical Recording – Any track or album from a compact disc, MP3 recording, MIDI, cassette, or vinyl recording.

MLA Album Citation Structure:

Group Name or Performer’s Last Name, First Name. Title of the Album. Edition if applicable, Publisher, Year of publication.

MLA Album Citation Examples:

BTS. Map of the Soul: 7.  Bighit Entertainment, 2020.

King, Carole. Tapestry. Remastered ed., Sony Legacy, 1999.

MLA Online Song Citation Structure:

Group Name or Performer’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Song.” Title of the Album , edition if applicable, Publisher, Year of publication. URL or App Name app.

MLA Online Song Citation Examples:

BTS. “Inner Child.” Map of the Soul: 7, Bighit Entertainment, 2020.  Spotify app.

Grannis, Kina. “When Will I Learn.” In the Waiting , KG Records, 2018, soundcloud.com/kina-grannis/when-will-i-learn?in=kina-grannis/sets/in-the-waiting.

MLA Song Citation Structure (for CD/MP3/MIDI/Cassette/Vinyl):

Last, First M. “Track Name.” Album Name , written/performed/conducted by First Name Last Name, album’s ed. (if applicable), Publisher, year of publication, track number. CD/MP3/MIDI/Cassette/Vinyl.

Note: There will not always be a separate writer, conductor, orchestra, or performer. If citing the entire album, do not fill out the track name.

MLA Song Citation Example:

Beethoven, Ludwig van. “Allegro Con Brio.” Piano Concertos Complete, performance by Friederich Gulda and Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Horst Stein, Decca Music Group, 1970, track 2. CD.

MLA Song In-text Citation Structure:

(Group Name or Performer’s Last Name)

MLA Song In-text Citation Example:

(Beethoven)

Other music citation examples:

• Citing a musical play
• Citing sheet music

Updated June 19, 2021.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

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23 How to Quote Song Lyrics in an Essay in APA Style

When writing essays in fields like music education, psychology, sociology, or other disciplines that may analyze song lyrics, you’ll often need to incorporate direct quotations or paraphrases to support your arguments and deepen your analysis. Understanding how to properly attribute these sources is essential to both academic integrity and effectively guiding your reader back to the original work. The American Psychological Association (APA) style provides the framework for formatting these citations while ensuring you give credit where credit is due.

Additionally, if you find yourself overwhelmed with the task of incorporating citations or formatting your paper according to APA guidelines, consider seeking assistance and ask professionals to do my paper on DoMyEssay to ensure accuracy and adherence to academic standards.

While there’s no single section in the APA manual devoted entirely to musical sources, you can intelligently adapt the principles for citing various source formats to fit this particular purpose. This involves a careful understanding of both APA’s conventions and the unique nature of musical works, where elements like composer, lyricist, performer, and the date of a particular release all contribute to the full picture.

In-Text Citations

Short Quotations : Integrate shorter lyrical excerpts directly into your text using quotation marks, providing a seamless flow within your writing and allowing the lyrics to speak directly to the reader. Separate line breaks with a single forward slash ( / ) and stanza breaks with two ( // ).

Joni Mitchell explores themes of freedom and constraint in her song “Big Yellow Taxi,” where she poignantly sings, “They paved paradise / And put up a parking lot” (Mitchell, 1970, track 4). 

This technique lets the song’s imagery resonate clearly, strengthening your argument by using the artist’s own words as direct evidence. Furthermore, short quotations can be particularly impactful when they capture a powerful metaphor or a striking turn of phrase unique to the songwriter. 

The bitter irony of “Don’t it always seem to go / That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone” (Mitchell, 1970, track 4) underscores the song’s larger message about the fleeting nature of what we take for granted.

Block Quotations : For lengthier lyrical segments (typically four lines or more), set them apart as block quotations to emphasize their significance, help with visual clarity, and signify a deeper level of analysis. Indent the entire block from your main text. Consider this example:

They took all the trees

Put ’em in a tree museum

And they charged the people

A dollar and a half just to see ’em

(Mitchell, 1970, track 4)

By using a block quotation, you invite the reader to pause and carefully consider the extended lyrical passage, potentially uncovering deeper meanings, nuances, or its connection to the larger themes of your work. Block quotations can also highlight shifts in tone within a song or reveal the development of an idea across several verses. In Mitchell’s case, the block quote emphasizes the absurdity and commercialization of a world where nature is commodified, adding a layer of social commentary to the environmental focus of “Big Yellow Taxi.”

Citation Components : An in-text citation for song lyrics generally includes the songwriter(s) last name, copyright year, and either track number (for recordings) or page/line number (for printed scores). For example, a direct quotation from “Big Yellow Taxi” would be cited as (Mitchell, 1970, track 4). Paraphrases follow the regular APA pattern of (Author, Year), allowing you to rephrase the song’s message in your own words while still giving credit to the original idea. Remember that consistency in your citations adds a layer of professionalism and clarity to your essay writing , demonstrating your respect for intellectual property and guiding your reader effectively.

Reference List Entries

Your reference list, found at the end of your essay, provides a comprehensive and detailed guide to all the sources you’ve used. For song lyrics, this is where you meticulously list full publication information, allowing a reader to easily locate the exact music you analyzed. Here’s the basic structure, with examples and additional considerations:

Recorded Music : Start with the songwriter(s), copyright year, song title, and recording artist. Then, specify the album title, medium of the recording (vinyl, CD, digital, etc.), location of the record label, and the label itself.

Mitchell, J. (1970). Big Yellow Taxi [Recorded by Joni Mitchell]. On Ladies of the Canyon [LP record]. Burbank, CA: Reprise Records.

If the songwriter and recording artist are the same, you can omit the bracketed “[Recorded by…]” portion. Sometimes, you might need to differentiate between various editions or re-releases of an album, especially if bonus tracks or alternate versions are involved. Since different versions could contain lyrical changes, it’s important to be detailed to ensure a reader can locate the precise source you used. Also, be aware that original publication dates and recent re-releases can differ, so make sure to list the date relevant to the version you’re citing.

Printed Scores : For printed sheet music, whether it’s a full score or a simplified arrangement, focus on the publication details. List the songwriter(s), year of publication, song title, the type of score (vocal, instrumental, choral, etc. – if relevant), the city and state where the publisher is located, and the publisher’s name.

Dylan, B. (1963). Blowin’ in the Wind [Vocal score]. New York, NY: Warner Bros. Publications.

Printed scores can vary widely, from simple piano-and-vocal arrangements to comprehensive orchestral scores. Specifying the score type clarifies the exact version you used for analysis and can be particularly helpful if your arguments focus on instrumentation, harmonies, or other musical elements beyond just the lyrics themselves. Additionally, some scores include notes on historical context or performance practice relevant to specific genres or time periods, giving you additional insights for your analysis.

With a bit of careful attention and by understanding the core principles of APA, you can successfully integrate song lyrics into your academic writing, giving proper credit, strengthening your analysis, and enhancing the overall scholarly impact of your work!

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How Do You Indicate Song Title When Writing? Clear Instructions

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Different ⁣Ways to⁤ Indicate Song Titles in Writing

Using quotation marks to‍ highlight song titles, using italics to emphasize song titles, capitalizing the first letters of each word​ in a song ⁣title, including the ⁤song⁤ title in parentheses, providing⁢ contextual information ⁣with song titles, guidelines for writing song titles in academic papers, maintaining consistency in ‍indicating song titles, frequently asked⁤ questions, wrapping up.

One commonly used way to indicate‌ song‌ titles⁣ in​ writing is to use quotation marks. This helps to⁣ distinguish the title from the surrounding text and gives ‍it prominence. ‍For example, you could write, ⁤”I just listened to one of my all-time ⁢favorite ‌songs, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by⁤ Queen.” ​By enclosing the song ⁤title⁢ in quotation marks, it becomes clear ⁣to the reader that you ‌are referring to a specific⁣ piece‍ of music.

Alternatively, you can also italicize⁢ song titles to ⁣set them apart. ⁢This method is ‌particularly useful when writing in a format that⁢ does not support quotation ‍marks,⁤ such as some social ​media platforms or⁢ handwritten notes. For instance, you‌ could‌ write, “I​ can’t ‍get ‍enough of the ​catchy tune *Shape ⁢of ⁤You* by Ed ‌Sheeran.” By italicizing ⁣the song title, it adds ⁢emphasis and ensures that the reader recognizes it as a distinct title.

Another way‍ to denote song ⁢titles​ is by capitalizing the principal words. This method ‌is often ​used for longer song⁣ titles or when quotation marks or italicization cannot be used. For example, you could⁤ write, “Have you ever heard ‘Dancing Queen’ by ABBA? It’s an absolute classic!” By ⁤capitalizing the​ principal words, such⁢ as ​nouns, ‌verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, the title ⁣stands out ‍and​ is easily recognizable.

Moreover, ⁣you can also use a combination of capitalization and⁣ quotation‌ marks ⁢to⁣ indicate song titles. This‍ method is useful when you want to ‍provide special distinction to a specific song within a⁣ sentence or a paragraph. ‍For example, you ⁣could ‌write, “I​ have been⁤ humming that unforgettable melody, ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams, all day long.” By capitalizing the principal words⁤ and enclosing the title in quotation marks, it‍ ensures that the song title is clearly indicated.

Ultimately,‌ there are various ⁣ways to indicate‌ song titles in writing, including the ‍use of quotation marks, italics, capitalization, or a combination of ⁣these methods. It’s crucial⁣ to be ⁢consistent in your approach throughout your⁤ writing‌ so‍ that readers can easily identify‍ and differentiate the song titles from the rest of the text. Whether you choose to enclose‌ titles in quotation marks, italicize them, capitalize principal words, or ⁣use a combination ‍of formatting styles, the ⁣goal is⁤ to make the ‌song‌ titles ⁢clear and distinguishable within the ⁣context of ⁤your writing.

When ⁢it ⁢comes to writing, using‌ quotation ⁢marks can help distinguish‍ the titles​ of ⁢songs​ and make‌ them stand out.​ Quotation​ marks​ are​ a ⁢simple yet effective way to⁣ convey that⁢ you are referring to⁤ a specific ‍song title. Here’s a guide on how to make your song titles shine ⁣with ‍quotation⁣ marks:

1. Enclose the song title in double ‌quotation marks: “Song Title”. This clearly indicates that you‌ are⁢ referring to⁢ the title of ⁢a song, making it easier for readers ⁣to identify and distinguish⁤ it from the rest of⁢ the text. 2. Use⁤ italics within the quotation‌ marks: “ “Song Title” “. By adding italics to ​the text within the quotation ​marks,⁣ you ⁢give the song title ⁤even more emphasis and make it‌ visually distinctive, capturing the reader’s attention.

Italics are a valuable ⁣tool for adding emphasis and ‌visual distinction to ‍your writing, especially ‍when it comes to ​song titles. By using italics,⁤ you ⁤can ‍make song titles stand out in your ⁣text, helping readers identify ​the exact‍ name of⁣ the song ‍and enhancing‍ the overall reading experience. So, how can you‌ effectively use italics to emphasize song titles? ⁢Let’s explore a few guidelines:

1. Consistency: When using italics⁣ for song titles, ​consistency is key. Ensure that you consistently apply‍ italics for all ‌song titles​ throughout your work‍ to maintain ⁣clarity and uniformity. 2. ‍Use HTML tags:‌ In HTML, you can‍ easily ‌format text using the “ ” tags to insert italics. Simply⁢ enclose the song title within⁤ the opening and closing tags, like “ Song Title “, and‌ watch⁢ the magic happen.

Now that you know the⁤ basics, it’s time to explore a few specific use cases:

– ⁤Song titles within a sentence: When incorporating a ⁣song title ‍within ‍a sentence, use italics to set it apart ​from the surrounding text. For example, “In her latest ⁣single, Dream on a Cloud , the artist ⁢expresses⁣ deep ​emotions⁤ through poignant lyrics.” -‍ Song titles as‌ headings⁣ or subtitles: If you’re writing ‌a review, a ⁢blog post, or an article ⁤specifically about ‍a‌ song, consider using ⁤the song title as a heading or a subtitle. This​ will not​ only ⁤catch the reader’s attention but also allow the title ​to shine. Remember to format the heading⁢ in a larger and bolder font to maximize ‌readability‌ and‌ impact.

is ⁣a common practice in the music ⁣industry. This technique not ​only enhances the visual​ appeal​ of the title but also helps in conveying the artistic⁣ intent ⁤and separating ⁢each‌ word for easier reading.‍ Here are some⁣ reasons why capitalization is important in song​ titles:

1. Visual Impact: Capitalizing the first letter⁤ of each ‌word in a song title instantly⁤ makes it stand out. It adds ⁣a ⁤touch of professionalism, elevating the overall‍ aesthetics​ and making ​the title ⁢visually appealing. 2. ‌Clarity and Readability: By ⁣capitalizing each ​word,⁣ it​ becomes easier⁣ for readers‍ or⁣ listeners to identify⁢ and comprehend the individual words in the title. This ⁢is especially helpful in longer ⁤titles or when words are unfamiliar or unique. 3. ‌Artistic⁤ Expression:⁤ Song ​titles often carry significant meaning ⁤ and convey ⁤the‌ emotions ‍or⁣ themes explored in the⁣ lyrics.⁤ Capitalizing ‍each word can lend ⁤a sense ⁢of importance to the title, emphasizing the artistic ‌expression behind it. 4. Industry Standard: ‌Capitalization of song titles has become an ‌industry standard, making it easier to⁤ recognize ⁤and ​categorize ⁤songs‍ across various platforms and‍ databases.⁣ This consistency aids in ‍organizing music libraries and⁤ searching for⁢ specific songs. 5. Promotional Purposes: A well-crafted, capitalized song‍ title is ‌more ⁣likely to catch the attention of‌ potential listeners ⁤and stand out among a ‍sea of other ‌songs. It‍ can pique ⁤curiosity ​and‍ generate​ interest, ‌giving the artist or band a ‌competitive edge.

One‌ popular practice ‌in the music industry is⁣ ​within the album or‍ track‌ listing.⁤ This simple addition provides ‌a convenient ⁢way ⁣for⁣ listeners to ⁤identify and refer to specific songs, especially when discussing them with others. By encasing the⁣ title ‍within parentheses,‌ it⁢ stands out ⁤from ‍the rest of the text and ⁤serves as a sort​ of visual cue. This ‍convention ⁢has become prevalent ⁢across⁤ various music⁣ genres and formats, allowing fans to easily ​locate‍ their favorite songs and create playlists based⁣ on individual tracks.

Music has⁣ always ​had a way of​ capturing the ‍essence of moments and emotions. When it⁣ comes to providing contextual information, song titles can be a ⁤powerful tool. They have the ability to set⁣ the ​tone, convey a message, or even tell a story just by ⁢their⁤ mere presence.⁣ By ⁤using song⁢ titles strategically, we can add depth‍ and meaning to various forms of content.

One way⁤ to utilize ⁤song titles⁤ is⁤ in ⁢written articles or blog​ posts. Incorporating them⁣ into headings or subheadings ​can ‌instantly grab the reader’s⁤ attention and give them a glimpse ‍of what to expect. For example, if you’re writing an⁢ article ‍on traveling, using a song title like “Wanderlust Boulevard” can convey a⁢ sense ⁣of adventure and inspire⁤ curiosity ‌in your⁤ audience. Additionally, song titles can‌ serve as creative hooks within the content itself,​ highlighting ⁤key⁢ points or providing ‌relevant examples .‍ This​ approach not only ​engages the reader but​ also adds a unique ⁤flair to the overall tone of the piece.

Another medium where song titles can offer‍ contextual⁣ information is in ⁣visual content, such as presentations or infographics. Incorporating song‍ titles into ⁣slides or graphics ⁣can⁣ enhance the⁢ overall theme or message‍ you’re trying to convey. Using ‌bold and larger fonts ​for the song titles can draw ⁤the viewer’s⁣ attention and​ create a‌ visual hierarchy. Whether you’re ​presenting ‍data about climate⁣ change and using a title like ‍”Earth’s Anthem” or showcasing​ the success ​of a business with a title like “Chart-Topping Growth,” song titles ‍can help reinforce ⁣your key ⁤points and make your content more ​memorable.

Incorporating song titles‍ into‌ various forms ​of content can provide a unique‍ way to engage your ⁢audience, convey emotions, and add a touch of creativity. From ‍written‍ articles to visual presentations, ‌the power of song titles lies in their ability to capture the essence of a moment or⁣ concept in⁢ just a few words.⁢ So, ‌next ‌time ‌you’re creating content, consider⁤ how song titles can ‍help ‌provide that extra dose of contextual information ‍and⁤ captivate your audience in a way that resonates with their emotions and interests.

Writing song titles in academic ⁢papers can be a ⁣tricky task, ​as‌ there‌ are specific guidelines to‍ follow. To ⁤ensure ‍consistency and⁢ accuracy, here are some essential guidelines to consider when including⁤ song titles:

1. Capitalization: When writing a⁣ song⁢ title in your academic paper, capitalize the ​principal​ words of the title. This includes nouns, pronouns, verbs, ⁤adverbs, ‍and ⁣adjectives. However, do not capitalize articles⁣ (a,⁤ an, ​the), prepositions (in, on, of), or‌ conjunctions (and, but, or) ​unless they are the first word ‍in ‍the title.

2. Quotation Marks: Enclose‍ song titles⁢ in quotation marks to ⁣indicate that‌ it is a title. This convention allows readers to identify ‍the title ⁢clearly and distinguishes it from the rest of the text.‌ Make‌ sure to place quotation marks at the ⁤beginning and end of the song title. For ⁢example:⁤ “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “Imagine”.

3. ‍Italics: Another option is to ‌italicize the song titles ⁤instead of using quotation marks. Italicizing​ is commonly⁣ used in academic⁢ papers ​and can help differentiate the ​song title from the surrounding ⁤text. Ensure consistency in your ‍paper by either italicizing⁢ or ⁤using quotation marks throughout the text, ⁤depending on your preferred style.

4. Punctuation: Maintain proper punctuation within⁣ the song title. Place any⁤ necessary punctuation marks (e.g., commas, exclamation points) ⁤inside‍ the quotation⁢ marks ⁤or italics. However, if the‍ punctuation is not ⁣part of the song title itself, it‍ should ⁢be placed outside the quotation marks or italics.

Remember‌ to consult‍ the specific formatting ⁣style ⁣guide recommended by⁤ your academic institution or instructor.⁣ Following⁢ these‌ guidelines ⁣diligently will enhance the professionalism of your academic paper and ‌contribute⁤ to overall clarity ⁢and readability.

When it comes to indicating ⁤song titles,‌ consistency is key. Whether you’re a ​writer, a blogger, or simply someone who loves sharing ‍music, using a ⁤unified style ​for song titles can greatly enhance the ⁢readability and aesthetics of your content. Here are some ⁢tips and guidelines to help you maintain ⁤consistency⁣ in ​indicating song titles:

• Italicize or underline: One common practice⁢ is to italicize or⁤ underline song titles to make them stand out. This​ helps distinguish ⁢them⁣ from regular text and indicates ‌that they‍ are specific works of art.
• Capitalize important words: When formatting song titles, capitalize⁣ all important words, ‍such as⁤ nouns, pronouns, verbs,​ adjectives, and ⁣adverbs. However, ⁢articles, conjunctions, and‍ prepositions should‍ be lowercase unless ⁢they are the first ⁣or last ‍word ⁣in​ the title.
• Use quotation marks: Another option is to enclose ​song titles in quotation marks. This style is particularly useful when you’re working with a platform⁣ or‌ medium where it is challenging ‍to apply italics or underlining, ‍such as social ‍media posts or handwritten notes.

By‍ adhering to a⁣ consistent ⁤style ⁢for ⁤indicating ⁤song titles, ​you ⁣provide⁣ clarity and structure to your content. ‌Not only does this⁣ make it easier for readers to identify and search for specific ⁣songs, but it also‍ showcases your⁢ attention to detail. Remember, not only enhances the visual appeal​ of your work but​ also portrays your professionalism⁤ in the‍ music-loving community.

Q: How should ⁤I indicate a ​song title⁣ when ‍writing? A:⁣ When​ writing about songs or‍ including⁣ song titles‍ in your ​writing,‍ it’s important to follow certain formatting guidelines to ​ensure clarity and accuracy. Here’s how you can indicate song titles effectively:

Q: Should song titles ​be ⁤italicized or put in quotation marks? A:‍ Generally, song titles are written in quotation marks. For ⁢example, “Bohemian ​Rhapsody.” However, if you’re creating a formal piece of writing⁤ (such as a research paper) that⁢ requires consistent use of italics for emphasis, you can‍ also ⁢italicize song titles ⁣instead.

Q: Do I⁣ need to ⁣capitalize⁢ every word in a song title? A: In ⁤song titles, it’s common‌ to capitalize the first letter⁢ of each major word. Major words include‌ nouns, pronouns,‍ adjectives,‌ verbs, and adverbs; articles ⁣(a, an, ​the), conjunctions (and,⁣ but, or), and ⁤prepositions (in, on,⁢ at) are⁢ typically not ⁤capitalized unless they are ‍the first or last‌ word of the title. Examples include “Sweet Child o’‌ Mine” and “Love Me Do.”

Q: What if a song title includes punctuation marks ⁢or special characters? A: Punctuation marks and special ⁣characters in song ​titles should be treated and ⁤written exactly as​ they ⁤appear. ⁣This includes apostrophes, hyphens, exclamation points, question​ marks,⁣ and any other ​unique symbols. ‍For instance, “Livin’⁢ on a Prayer” and “Hey,⁣ Jude” should ⁣be ‌written exactly like that.

Q:‍ How should I format a‌ song title within a sentence? A: When including ⁢a song⁤ title within a‍ sentence, you should still enclose ‌it in‍ quotation marks. Additionally, proper ‍punctuation and capitalization should be maintained. ⁤For example, “John dedicated ‌his performance to his‍ favorite song, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.'”

Q: ⁣What should I do if the ​song title is in a language other than English? A: Song titles ⁣in languages other than English⁢ should​ still ⁤follow the same formatting rules as⁢ mentioned ⁢earlier. Therefore, they should be‍ written in ⁤quotation marks ‍with correct capitalization. However, remember ‌to ‍preserve any​ special ⁣characters ⁤or ⁢diacritical marks ‌that may⁤ be present ⁣in the ⁤original title.

Q: Are there any exceptions to these ⁢formatting guidelines? A: Yes, ‍there ‌are a few exceptions. ⁢Some musical compositions ⁤that are divided‌ into smaller parts, such as movements ​in symphonies or classical pieces, are⁤ often italicized instead of being put in quotation marks. However, it’s always best to consult a style guide or follow ‌the specific ​guidelines provided by your instructor or publisher.

Remember,⁢ properly indicating​ song‍ titles in ‌your writing gives ‌your‌ readers a clear understanding and ​maintains consistency ​throughout your⁢ work. ‌Following these​ guidelines‍ will​ help you accomplish just that!

In conclusion, ‌properly indicating ⁢song titles when ​writing is⁤ crucial ‍to maintain clarity and consistency. Whether ‍you italicize, underline, or ⁣use quotation marks, following⁣ a specific⁢ style​ guide will ensure your readers understand ⁤and appreciate your⁣ musical references. So go ahead, write with ⁣confidence, and ⁣let ​the music flow‍ in ​your writing.⁢

Do We Quote Titles When Writing Papers? Best Practices

When Writing an Essay: Underline the Title for Clarity

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• Leeds Harvard referencing examples

Leeds Harvard: Music

Reference examples, recorded music.

Individual piece of recorded music:

Family name, INITIAL(S) (of originator/composer). Year. Title. Name of recording artist. Title of album . [Medium]. Place of publication: Label. 

Gallagher, N. 1994. Live forever. Oasis. Definitely maybe . [CD]. London: Creation Records. 

Name of recording artist. Year. Title of album . [Medium]. Place of publication: Label. 

Oasis. 1994. Definitely maybe . [CD]. London: Creation Records.

Sheet music/Musical score

Family name, INITIAL(S) (of originator/composer). Year of publication. Title . [Medium]. Place of publication: Publisher.

Handel, G.F. 1890. Serse. Ombra mai fù ; arr . [Musical Score]. London: Augener Ltd.

Live performance of music

Family name, INITIAL(S) (of originator/composer). Year written. Title. [Live performance]. Name of performing artist. Date seen, location.

Springsteen, B. 1975. Born to run. [Live performance]. Bruce Springsteen. 15 June 2013, Wembley Stadium, London.

Chopin, F. 1830. Piano concerto no 2 . [Live performance]. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 26 January 2013, Leeds Town Hall, Leeds.

Citation examples

Author and date.

When the author name is not mentioned in the text, the citation consists of the author’s name and the year of publication in brackets.

It was emphasised that citations in the text should be consistent (Jones, 2017).

If you have already named the author in the text, only the publication year needs to be mentioned in brackets.

Jones (2017) emphasised that citations in the text should be consistent.

Three or more authors

If a source has three or more authors, the name of the first author should be given, followed by the phrase "et al."

It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent (Jones et al., 2017).

Jones et al. (2017) emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent.

Leeds Harvard does not use ibid to refer to previously cited items. If you are citing the same item twice in a row (i.e. you do not cite any other items in the text between the two citations) you must write the full citation again. As usual, if you are directly quoting or paraphrasing specific ideas, you should include a page number (if there is one). 

Jones et al. (2017, p.24) emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent and argued that referencing is a key part of academic integrity (2017, p.27). Furthermore, having a broad range of references in a text is an indicator of the breadth of a scholar's reading and research (Jones et al., 2017, p.14).

Corporate author

If the item is produced by an organisation, treat the organisation as a "corporate author". This means you can use the name of the organisation instead of that of an individual author. This includes government departments, universities or companies. Cite the corporate author in the text the same way as you would an individual author.

According to a recent report, flu jabs are as important as travel vaccines (Department of Health, 2017).  

Common issues

When you're referencing with Leeds Harvard you may come across issues with missing details, multiple authors, edited books, references to another author's work or online items, to name a few. Here are some tips on how to deal with some common issues when using Leeds Harvard.

Skip straight to the issue that affects you:

• Online items
• URL web addresses
• Multiple authors
• Corporate author(s) or organisation(s)
• Multiple publisher details
• Editions and reprints
• Missing details
• Multiple sources with different authors
• Sources written by the same author in the same year
• Sources with the same author in different years
• Two authors with the same surname in the same year
• The work of one author referred to by another
• Anonymising sources for confidentiality
• Identifying the authors’ family name (surname)

How do I cite song lyrics?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

The way you cite song lyrics will vary depending on how you access them and how much information you include in the body of your essay.

If you cite song lyrics from a CD you listened to, you might simply refer to the song in your essay:

“You say you got a real solution,” the Beatles sing in “Revolution 1.” 

You can then provide a works-cited-list entry for the album that contains the song. Follow the MLA format template : list the name of the performer or band as the author, the name of the album as the title of the source, the publisher, and the date. In the optional-element slot at the end of the entry, list the format:

Beatles. The Beatles . EMI Records, 1968. CD.

If you cite song lyrics from a booklet accompanying the CD, list a description in the “Title of source” slot and the name of the album as the title of the container:

Beatles. Booklet. The Beatles , EMI Records, 1968.

If you cite lyrics from a website, provide a description in place of the title. Then provide the name of the website, publication information for the site, and the URL:

Beatles.  Lyrics to “Revolution 1.” Genius , 2017, genius.com/The-beatles-revolution-i-lyrics.

Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite a song in Chicago

Here are two forms to cite a song depending on where you accessed it. The first one is for songs on CDs, vinyls, cassettes, etc. Variant B is for songs available on streaming platforms or online.

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To cite a song in a reference entry in Chicago style 17th edition include the following elements:

• Artist(s) name: Write artistic names as given, e.g. 'Lady Gaga.' Reverse if it is a regular name 'Smith, Sam.'
• Title of the song: Give the official title of the song.
• Track number: Give the song's number in the list.
• Title of the album: Give the title as presented in the source.
• Publisher: Give the publisher name in full.
• Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.
• Song format: Describe the song format, e.g: CD, Vinyl, etc.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a song in Chicago style 17th edition:

Artist(s) name . " Title of the song ." Track number Title of the album . Publisher , Year of publication , Song format .

• Artist(s) name: Give first the last name, then the name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For more than seven authors, list the first seven names followed by et al.
• Title of the song: Give the official title.
• Recorded date: Give the month, day and year of publication.
• Location: Give the place of publication of the source.
• Song format: Describe the song format, e.g: video, audio recording, etc.
• Length of song: Give the total length of the audio-visual source (e.g. 00:14:06).
• URL: Give the full URL from the direct source. Include http:// or https://.

Artist(s) name . " Title of the song ." Recorded date at Location . Song format , Length of song . URL .

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the Chicago style guidelines in action:

A song by a band retrieved from a CD

Florence + the Machine . " Hunger ." Track 2 on High as Hope . Virgin EMI , 2018 , CD .

A song by a band retrieved from a YouTube video

Florence + the Machine . " Dog Days Are Over ." Recorded July 2010 at Oxegen Festival, County Kildare, Ireland . YouTube video , 7:22 . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiDIObd8YaI .

This citation style guide is based on the Chicago Manual of Style (17 th edition).

More useful guides

• How do I cite a song or album in Chicago Style?
• How do I cite song lyrics in Chicago?
• Citing Music Resources Using Chicago Style

More great BibGuru guides

• AMA: how to cite an online magazine article
• MLA: how to cite an online report
• AMA: how to cite a translated book

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MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Several sources have multiple means for citation, especially those that appear in varied formats: films, DVDs, television shows, music, published and unpublished interviews, interviews over e-mail, published and unpublished conference proceedings. The following section discusses these sorts of citations as well as others not covered in the print, periodical, and electronic sources sections.

Use the following format for all sources:

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

An Interview

Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and unpublished (personal) interviews, although interviews may also appear in other, similar formats such as in e-mail format or as a Web document.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)

List the interview by the full name of the interviewee. If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor, Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

Amis, Kingsley. “Mimic and Moralist.” Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men , By Dale Salwak, Borgo P, 1984.

Online-only Published Interviews

List the interview by the name of the interviewee. If the interview has a title, place it in quotation marks. Cite the remainder of the entry as you would other exclusive web content. Place the name of the website in italics, give the publisher name (or sponsor), the publication date, and the URL.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed , 27 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May 2009.

Speeches, Lectures, or Other Oral Presentations (including Conference Presentations)

Start with speaker’s name. Then, give the title of the speech (if any) in quotation marks. Follow with the title of the particular conference or meeting and then the name of the organization. Name the venue and its city (if the name of the city is not listed in the venue’s name). Use the descriptor that appropriately expresses the type of presentation (e.g., Address, Lecture, Reading, Keynote Speech, Guest Lecture, Conference Presentation).

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

Panel Discussions and Question-and-Answer Sessions

The MLA Handbook makes a distinction between the formal, rehearsed portion of a presentation and the informal discussion that often occurs after. To format an entry for a panel discussion or question-and-answer session, treat the panel members or speakers as authors by listing them first. If these people are formally listed as panelists, indicate this by following their names with a comma and the title "panelist(s)." Follow with the title of the discussion, or, if there is no title, a simple description. In the latter case, don't capitalize the description. Follow this with the title of the conference or event. End with the date and the location.

Bavis, Jim and Stein, Tammi, panelists. Panel discussion. Dawn or Doom Conference, 4 Nov. 2018, Stewart Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Treat recorded discussions as instances of the appropriate medium (e.g., if you want to cite a recording of a panel discussion hosted on YouTube, cite it the same way you would cite an ordinary online video ).

Published Conference Proceedings

Cite published conference proceedings like a book. If the date and location of the conference are not part of the published title, add this information after the published proceedings title.

Last Name, First Name, editor. Conference Title , Conference Date and Location, Publisher, Date of Publication.

To cite a presentation from published conference proceedings, begin with the presenter’s name. Place the name of the presentation in quotation marks. Follow with publication information for the conference proceedings.

Last Name, First Name. “Conference Paper Title.” Conference Title that Includes Conference Date and Location , edited by Conference Editor(s), Publisher, Date of Publication.

A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, and the date of composition. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution (if the location is not listed in the name of the institution, e.g. The Art Institute of Chicago).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If the medium and/or materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are important to the reference, you can include this information at the end of the entry. However, it is not required.

For photographic reproductions of artwork (e.g. images of artwork in a book), treat the book or website as a container. Remember that for a second container, the title is listed first, before the contributors. Cite the bibliographic information as above followed by the information for the source in which the photograph appears, including page or reference numbers (plate, figure, etc.).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages , 10 th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.

If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and the URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the name of the website. Note the period after the date below, rather than the comma: this is because the date refers to the painting's original creation, rather than to its publication on the website. Thus, MLA format considers it an "optional element."

Goya, Francisco.  The Family of Charles IV . 1800 . Museo del Prado,  museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74.

A Song or Album

Music can be cited multiple ways. Mainly, this depends on the container that you accessed the music from. Generally, citations begin with the artist name. They might also be listed by composers or performers. Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Put individual song titles in quotation marks. Album names are italicized. Provide the name of the recording manufacturer followed by the publication date.

If information such as record label or name of album is unavailable from your source, do not list that information.

Morris, Rae. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014. Spotify , open.spotify.com/track/0OPES3Tw5r86O6fudK8gxi.

Online Album

Beyoncé. “Pray You Catch Me.” Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind , Geffen, 1991.

Films or Movies

List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. If relevant, list performer names after the director's name.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

Television Shows

Recorded Television Episodes

Cite recorded television episodes like films (see above). Begin with the episode name in quotation marks. Follow with the series name in italics. When the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g., the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth Season), list the title that would help researchers to locate the recording. Give the distributor name followed by the date of distribution.

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth Season , written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

Broadcast TV or Radio Program

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series or program in italics. Also include the network name, call letters of the station followed by the date of broadcast and city.

"The Blessing Way." The X-Files . Fox, WXIA, Atlanta, 19 Jul. 1998.

Netflix, Hulu, Google Play

Generally, when citing a specific episode, follow the format below.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031.

An Entire TV Series

When citing the entire series of a TV show, use the following format.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

A Specific Performance or Aspect of a TV Show

If you want to emphasize a particular aspect of the show, include that particular information. For instance, if you are writing about a specific character during a certain episode, include the performer’s name as well as the creator’s.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

If you wish to emphasize a particular character throughout the show’s run time, follow this format.

Poehler, Amy, performer. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2009-2015.

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series in italics. Then follow with MLA format per usual.

“Best of Not My Job Musicians.” Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! from NPR, 4 June 2016, www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me.

Spoken-Word Albums such as Comedy Albums

Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.

Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations . Comedy Central, 2003.

Digital Files (PDFs, MP3s, JPEGs)

Determine the type of work to cite (e.g., article, image, sound recording) and cite appropriately. End the entry with the name of the digital format (e.g., PDF, JPEG file, Microsoft Word file, MP3). If the work does not follow traditional parameters for citation, give the author’s name, the name of the work, the date of creation, and the location.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Moonlight Sonata . Crownstar, 2006.

Smith, George. “Pax Americana: Strife in a Time of Peace.” 2005. Microsoft Word file.

Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and National Writing Project. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing . CWPA, NCTE, and NWP, 2011, wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf.

Bentley, Phyllis. “Yorkshire and the Novelist.” The Kenyon Review , vol. 30, no. 4, 1968, pp. 509-22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org.iii/stable/4334841.

Cite A Music or recording in Harvard style

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• Select style:
• Archive material
• Chapter of an edited book
• Conference proceedings
• Dictionary entry
• Dissertation
• DVD, video, or film
• E-book or PDF
• Edited book
• Encyclopedia article
• Government publication
• Music or recording
• Online image or video
• Presentation
• Press release
• Religious text

Use the following template or our Harvard Referencing Generator to cite a music or recording. For help with other source types, like books, PDFs, or websites, check out our other guides. To have your reference list or bibliography automatically made for you, try our free citation generator .

Reference list

Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

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• How to cite a E-book or PDF in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Encyclopedia article in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Music or recording in Harvard style
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