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Citation Help for MLA, 9th Edition: Music

Example

Spotify

Gaga, Lady. "1000 Doves." Chromatica, Interscope Records, 2020. Spotify app.

Online Album

Gaga, Lady. "1000 Doves." Chromatica, Interscope Records, 2020, www.ladygaga.com/album/sd933847l

CD

Gaga, Lady. "1000 Doves." Chromatica, Interscope Records, 2020.

Explanation

Artists Involved: Gaga, Lady.
Either list the band name, lead performer, or composer, etc. If it is a person's name, list the last name followed by the first initial of first name. End with a period.

Title & subtitle of the song: "1000 Doves."
The title & subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle, and all proper nouns and important words. Place song title & subtitle in quotation marks and end with a period. If there is final punctuation like an exclamation point or a question mark, this will replace the final period.

Title & subtitle of the album: Chromatica,
The title & subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle, and all proper nouns and important words. Place song title & subtitle in Italics and end with a comma.

Performers: 
If listed, put the words Performance by and then give the names of the performers and end with a period.

Publisher: Interscope Records,
List the manufacturer or publisher of the sound recording. Place a comma after the publisher's name to separate it from the year of publication.

Year of publication: 2020.
List the year of the publication of the recording. End with a period.

If it is from Spotify, include Spotify in italics followed by the word app and end the citation with a period.

If it is an online album, give the website address after the year followed by a comma and then end the citation with a period.

If it is from a CD, end the citation with the year followed by a period.

Song Examples

Presley, E. "Jailhouse Rock." Essential Elvis Presley, BMG, 2007.

Song Explanation

Artists Involved: Presley, E.
List either the band name, lead performer, or composer, etc. If it is a person's name, list the last name followed by the first initial of first name. End with a period.

Title & subtitle of the song: "Jailhouse Rock."
The title & subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle, and all proper nouns and important words. Place article title & subtitle in quotation marks and end with a period.

Title & subtitle of the album: Essential Elvis Presley,
The title & subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle, and all proper nouns and important words. Place article title & subtitle in Italics and end with a comma. 

Publisher: BMG,
List the manufacturer or publisher of the sound recording. Place a comma after the publisher's name to separate it from the year of publication.

Year of publication: 2007.
List the year of the publication of the recording. End citation with a period.

[The above information is based on p. 39 of the MLA Handbook 8th edition and Purdue OWL].