Need to know how to cite a song in MLA? This guide covers everything from citing your own songs to using a music citation generator, ensuring your music references are clear and accurate in your academic work.
Nov 05, 2024
5 min read
Understanding how to cite a song in MLA format is crucial for students and researchers who need to reference music in academic papers. Proper citation helps give credit to artists and aligns your work with academic standards, whether you're citing song lyrics or entire tracks.
For those asking how do you cite a song in MLA style, this guide covers all the essentials. We'll explore how to cite songs from physical media, streaming services, and even how to include lyrics in-text.
Table of Contents
Part 1:How to Cite a Song in MLA?
Citing a song in MLA format requires attention to detail, as each element—artist, title, album, and source—plays a role in creating an accurate citation. Here, we'll break down the steps for citing songs from different types of media, including physical albums, music streaming services, and specific lyrics in text.
1. How Do You Cite a Song in Physical Media?
When citing a song from a CD, vinyl record, or other physical format in MLA, include the following information:
Artist's name (last name, first name).
Song title in quotation marks.
Album title in italics.
Label or publisher name.
Year of release.
Example: Swift, Taylor. “Shake It Off.” 1989, Big Machine Records, 2014.
2. How to Cite a Song MLA Through a Music Streaming Service?
For songs accessed through streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, the citation is similar but should also include the URL:
Artist's name (last name, first name).
Song title in quotation marks.
Album title in italics.
Music streaming service.
URL where the song can be found.
Example: Eilish, Billie. “Bad Guy.” WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/track/2Fxmhks0bxGSBdJ92vM42m?si=2e878916fef74243.
3. How to Cite a Song Lyrics in Text?
When citing lyrics from a song in the text, provide an in-text citation that includes the artist's name and a timestamp if referring to a specific part of the song. If quoting multiple lines, follow MLA's block quote format for longer quotes.
Example: In the song “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen questions, “Is this the real life? / Is this just fantasy?” (Queen 0:12-0:15).
By following these guidelines, you'll be able to cite a song in MLA format accurately across various types of media.
Maybe you'd like to know:
How to Send a Song via Text Message
Part 2:Tips for Finding Songs Similar to the Ones You Cite
When researching or writing about music, finding similar songs can deepen your understanding of a genre, theme, or artist's style. Tools like Musicful make this process easy and accessible. Musicful is a free platform that uses AI-powered recommendations to help you find songs similar to the ones you cite.
How to use Musicful find similar songs?
Step 1.
Click on “Get Music Now” below.
Step 2.
Type the song name in the search box.
Step 3.
Wait for a while, then click the songyou need in the list.
Step 4.
It will generatesome similar songs, you can click “Save” to save the song list to Spotify.
Part 3:FAQs About Citing a Song in MLA Format
1. How to cite a song in MLA format?
To cite a song in MLA format, include the artist's name, the song title in quotation marks, the album title in italics, the publisher, the release year, and (if applicable) the URL.
2. How do you cite audio in MLA?
For audio files, such as interviews, podcasts, or spoken-word tracks, the format is similar to a song citation. Include the name of the speaker, the title of the recording in quotation marks, the publisher, and the release year. If you accessed it online, include the URL.
Example: Swift, Taylor. “Shake It Off.” 1989, Big Machine Records, 2014.
For songs on streaming services, include the URL:
Example: Eilish, Billie. “Bad Guy.” WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/track/2Fxmhks0bxGSBdJ92vM42m?si=2e878916fef74243.
3. How do you cite the song of myself in MLA?
If you're referring to citing a song that you personally wrote in MLA format, you would follow the general format for citing a song but include yourself as the artist.
Example: Your Last Name, Your First Name. “Song Title.” Album Title (if applicable), Year of Composition.
If the song is unpublished or not publicly available (for example, if it's a personal composition or part of a class project), you might add “[Unpublished song]” after the title for clarity:
Example for Unpublished Song: Smith, Jordan. “Sunrise Dreams” [Unpublished song], 2023.
Conclusion
Mastering MLA citations for songs is simple with the right steps. Whether you're citing a song in MLA from a CD, a streaming service, or quoting lyrics, following these guidelines ensures accuracy and credibility in your academic work.
For anyone looking to discover music similar to what they've cited, try using Musicful—a free music website that helps you find related songs and expand your music library. Properly MLA cite a song and explore related tracks to not only enhance your writing but deepen your appreciation for the music you reference.
