Cite Your Sources

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.

Source: "MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources." Purdue OWL, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_other_common_sources.html.

Formatting Guide: Musical Score or Libretto (Website)
Score within a "container" site (like Google Books):
Composer. Title of Score. Year of Composition. Other Contributors, Publisher, Year. Name of Website, URL. Score.

Score as a standalone publication:
Composer. Title of Score. Year of Composition. Other Contributors, Publisher, Year, URL. Score.

Formatting Guide: Sound Recording (Website)
Primary Contributor. "Title of Track." Other Contributors. Recorded Date. Title of Album, Album Contributor, Distributor, Year. Name of Website, Publisher, URL.

Formatting Guide: Sound Recording (Website; libretto. liner notes, etc.)
Author. "Title of Written Material." Title of Album, Other Contributors, Distributor, Year. Name of Website, Publisher, URL. Libretto.

Examples from NoodleTools.

Spotify

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/.

CD

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

Examples from "MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources." Purdue University. owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_other_common_sources.html

Musical Illustrations/"Examples"

• The descriptor "Example" only refers to musical illustrations (e.g. portions of a musical score). It is often abbreviated "ex." 
• Refer to the example in-text and provide an Arabic numeral that corresponds to the example. Do not capitalize "example" or "ex" in the text.
• Supply the illustration, making sure to maintain basic MLA Style formatting (e.g. one-inch margins).
• Below the example, provide the label (capitalizing Example or Ex.) and number and a caption or title. The caption or title will often take the form of source information along with an explanation, for example, of what part of the score is being illustrated. If you provide source information with your illustrations, you do not need to provide this information on the Works Cited page.

Musical Illustration Example 1

In-text reference:

In Ambroise Thomas's opera Hamlet, the title character's iconic theme first appears in Act 1. As Hamlet enters the castle's vacant grand hall following his mother's coronation, the low strings begin playing the theme (ex 1).

Musical Illustration reference:

Source: Thomas, Ambroise. Hamlet. 1868.

Source: “MLA Tables, Figures, and Examples.” Purdue OWL, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_tables_figures_and_examples.html.\

Musical Illustration Example 2

In-text reference:

Aaron's 'swift' stylistic approach is represented in his use of staccato notation (Ex. 1). 

Musical Illustration reference:

Musical Illustration Example 3

If your musical illustration is your own transcription of an existing piece of work, please attribute the work to the original artist/composer but follow this with the acknowledgment, 'Transcription by candidate.'  For example:

           Example 2: Dhol Foundation, "Bhangra Chips," 2020, (mm. 12-13).  Transcription by candidate.

Include the full citation for all examples in the works cited list.  

Source: “Citation Guide - MLA9: Music.” UWC China Libguides, uwcchina.libguides.com/cite/music.