How To Cite A Song Mla

Citing a song in MLA style might seem daunting at first, but it's a straightforward process once you understand the core elements and formatting. Whether you're analyzing lyrics, examining musical themes, or referencing a song in any academic context, accurate citation is crucial for giving credit where it's due and maintaining academic integrity. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps of citing a song in MLA, covering various formats and providing examples to ensure clarity.

Understanding the Core Elements of an MLA Song Citation

Before diving into specific examples, it's essential to grasp the fundamental components of an MLA song citation. These elements provide the necessary information for readers to locate the song you referenced.

• Artist's Name: Begin with the last name of the artist, followed by a comma and their first name. If it's a group, use the group's name as it appears on the recording.
• "Song Title": Enclose the song title in quotation marks. Capitalize the first letter of each main word.
• Album Title: Italicize the title of the album on which the song appears.
• Other Contributors (if relevant): Include names of featured artists, composers, or lyricists if they are relevant to your discussion. Preface their names with their roles (e.g., "feat." for featured artist, "comp." for composer, "lyr." for lyricist).
• Publisher/Record Label: List the name of the record label.
• Year of Release: Provide the year the song was released.
• Medium/Format: Indicate how you accessed the song (e.g., CD, streaming service, vinyl).

Citing a Song from an Album (Physical Copy)

The most common scenario is citing a song from a physical album, such as a CD or vinyl record. Here's the standard format:

Artist's Last Name, First Name. "Song Title." Album Title, Record Label, Year of Release.

Example:

Swift, Taylor. "Love Story." Fearless, Big Machine Records, 2008.

Explanation:

• Swift, Taylor: The artist's last name and first name.
• "Love Story": The song title in quotation marks.
• Fearless: The album title in italics.
• Big Machine Records: The record label.
• 2008: The year the song was released.

Citing a Song from a Streaming Service (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music)

With the rise of digital music, you'll often need to cite a song accessed through a streaming service. The format is similar to citing from a physical album, but you'll need to add the streaming service as the source.

Artist's Last Name, First Name. "Song Title." Album Title, Record Label, Year of Release. Streaming Service.

Example:

Eilish, Billie. "bad guy." WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Darkroom/Interscope Records, 2019. Spotify.

Explanation:

• Eilish, Billie: The artist's last name and first name.
• "bad guy": The song title in quotation marks.
• WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?: The album title in italics.
• Darkroom/Interscope Records: The record label.
• 2019: The year the song was released.
• Spotify: The streaming service.

Citing a Song from a Website (e.g., YouTube, Soundcloud)

If you accessed the song through a website, such as YouTube or SoundCloud, the citation format needs to reflect this. Include the artist, song title, website name, and URL.

Artist's Last Name, First Name. "Song Title." Website Name, URL.

Example:

Grande, Ariana. "thank u, next." YouTube, .

Explanation:

• Grande, Ariana: The artist's last name and first name.
• "thank u, next": The song title in quotation marks.
• YouTube: The website where the song was accessed.
• The URL of the specific video.

Citing a Song with Multiple Artists

When a song features multiple artists, include all artists in the citation. Use "feat." to indicate a featured artist.

Main Artist's Last Name, First Name, feat. Featured Artist's First Name Last Name. "Song Title." Album Title, Record Label, Year of Release.

Example:

Sheeran, Ed, feat. Beyoncé. "Perfect Duet." Divide, Asylum/Atlantic Records, 2017.

Explanation:

• Sheeran, Ed, feat. Beyoncé: The main artist and the featured artist, separated by "feat."
• "Perfect Duet": The song title in quotation marks.
• Divide: The album title in italics.
• Asylum/Atlantic Records: The record label.
• 2017: The year the song was released.

Citing a Song with Different Composers and Lyricists

If you need to specifically credit the composer(s) or lyricist(s) of a song, include their names followed by their respective roles (comp. for composer, lyr. for lyricist).

Artist's Last Name, First Name. "Song Title." Lyr. Lyricist's First Name Last Name, comp. Composer's First Name Last Name. Album Title, Record Label, Year of Release.

Example:

Joel, Billy. "Piano Man." Lyr. Billy Joel, comp. Billy Joel. Piano Man, Columbia Records, 1973.

Explanation:

• Joel, Billy: The artist's last name and first name.
• "Piano Man": The song title in quotation marks.
• Lyr. Billy Joel, comp. Billy Joel: The lyricist and composer, both being Billy Joel in this case.
• Piano Man: The album title in italics.
• Columbia Records: The record label.
• 1973: The year the song was released.

In-Text Citations for Songs

In addition to the Works Cited entry, you'll need to include in-text citations whenever you reference the song in your paper. The in-text citation usually consists of the artist's last name and the song title (or a shortened version if the title is long).

• Example: (Swift "Love Story")

If you mention the artist's name in the sentence, you only need to include the song title in the in-text citation.

• Example: As Taylor Swift sings in "Love Story"… ( "Love Story")

If you are referencing a specific part of the song, you can include a timestamp or verse number, if available. However, MLA generally encourages you to focus on the song title and artist for music citations.

Citing an Entire Album

Sometimes, you might need to cite an entire album rather than a specific song. In this case, the format is slightly different.

Artist's Last Name, First Name. Album Title. Record Label, Year of Release.

Example:

Jackson, Michael. Thriller. Epic Records, 1982.

Explanation:

• Jackson, Michael: The artist's last name and first name.
• Thriller: The album title in italics.
• Epic Records: The record label.
• 1982: The year the album was released.

Citing Liner Notes

Liner notes can provide valuable information about a song or album. To cite liner notes, use the following format:

Author of Liner Notes (if known). "Title of Liner Notes" (if any). Album Title, by Artist's Name, Record Label, Year of Release, page number(s).

Example:

Christgau, Robert. "Liner Notes." London Calling, by The Clash, Epic Records, 1979, pp. 2-3.

Explanation:

• Christgau, Robert: The author of the liner notes.
• "Liner Notes": The title of the liner notes (if any).
• London Calling: The album title in italics.
• The Clash: The artist's name.
• Epic Records: The record label.
• 1979: The year the album was released.
• pp. 2-3: The page numbers where the liner notes are found.

Handling Classical Music

Citing classical music requires additional information, such as the composer, the title of the work, and the performer.

Composer's Last Name, First Name. Title of Work. Performed by Performer's First Name Last Name, Record Label, Year of Release.

Example:

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 5. Performed by Herbert von Karajan, Deutsche Grammophon, 1962.

Explanation:

• Beethoven, Ludwig van: The composer's name.
• Symphony No. 5: The title of the work in italics.
• Performed by Herbert von Karajan: The performer's name.
• Deutsche Grammophon: The record label.
• 1962: The year of release.

Addressing Common Citation Challenges

• No Record Label Information: If the record label is unknown, omit this element from the citation.
• Unknown Release Year: If the release year is unknown, use "n.d." (no date).
• Multiple Editions: If you are using a specific edition of an album, include the edition information after the album title (e.g., Deluxe Edition).
• Compilation Albums: When citing a song from a compilation album, include the album title and indicate that it is a compilation (e.g., Greatest Hits, compilation).
• Online Sources with No Clear Information: If you're citing a song from an online source with missing information, try to find the information elsewhere. If you can't find it, omit the missing element.

Tips for Accuracy and Consistency

• Double-Check Your Information: Ensure that all information in your citation is accurate, including spelling, dates, and titles.
• Follow a Style Guide: Consistently adhere to the MLA style guide throughout your paper.
• Use Citation Management Tools: Consider using citation management tools like Zotero or Mendeley to help you organize your sources and generate citations automatically.
• Consult the MLA Handbook: For detailed guidance and specific cases, refer to the latest edition of the MLA Handbook.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Incorrectly Formatting Titles: Make sure to use quotation marks for song titles and italics for album titles.
• Missing Information: Include all the necessary elements in your citation, such as the artist, song title, album title, record label, and year of release.
• Inconsistent Formatting: Maintain a consistent citation style throughout your paper.
• Failure to Include In-Text Citations: Always include in-text citations whenever you reference a song in your writing.
• Plagiarism: Properly cite all sources to avoid plagiarism.

Conclusion

Citing a song in MLA style might seem complicated, but it becomes manageable with a clear understanding of the core elements and formats. By following the guidelines and examples provided in this article, you can accurately cite songs from various sources, including physical albums, streaming services, and websites. Remember to double-check your information, maintain consistency, and consult the MLA Handbook for any specific cases. Accurate citation is essential for academic integrity and ensures that you give proper credit to the artists and creators whose work you are referencing. Mastering the art of citing songs in MLA will enhance the credibility and professionalism of your academic writing.