can you quote a song in an essay

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

Last Updated: September 17, 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 323,583 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/release/8486714-Beyonc%C3%A9-Lemonade
• ↑ 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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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 to Quote a Song in an Essay

Lyrics are one of the most effective tools in an essay to express certain feelings, thoughts, and ideas. You may decide to cite lyrics if you see that the author of a song has created a great line that expresses your point perfectly.

It is like when you walk around, and have a bunch of thoughts in your head but have no idea how to express them on paper. And then all of a sudden… buzz… You hear a song that says it all! In just one or two sentences. You know the feeling, right? Well, this is exactly what you feel when you put song lyrics in an essay. The words that are written and sung in a song may be exactly what you need to add some flavor to the whole academic text.

However, you must follow the copyright and not use the whole song in your text. The good news is that there are no legal requirements about how many words you may use not to be convicted of plagiarism. Whenever you use some part of a song in your paper, do not forget to include in-text citations, a list of all citations, or a reference page. And you may sleep calmly – no one will ever say that you stole their words.

Page Contents

How to quote song lyrics in an essay: simple rules

There are different formats (MLA, APA, Harvard) and each one has its peculiarities. Although, each one requires a parenthetical citation (in-text) and a note in the reference list. Also, the way you cite lyrics in your paper may be different and depends on how you listen to a particular song as well as the amount of information you put in your text. For example, if you cite a song from a CD you listened to, you may refer to the song in the following way:

“The show must go on,” Queen sings in the self-titled song.

To quote the lyrics in MLA format, mention the artist’s name in parenthesis. For example, “In the lyrics to “The Show Must Go on” (Queen), it states that…” This is all you need to do.

However, when you use APA or Harvard format, there are slight differences. You must write the name of the singer, date, and track number in parenthesis, like this: (Queen, 1991, track 12).

As you see, when you integrate short citations into your text, you must use quotation marks. Longer quotations (could be several lines) must be written in a block quote. Don’t forget to indent the citation from the paragraph above it.

How to quote lyrics in a reference list

After in-text quotations, you must make a note in the reference list for the album which contains the song you used in your academic text. If you choose to stick to the MLA requirements, write the name of a performer first, then mention the name of the album, the publisher, and the date. You may also want to list the format:

Queen.  Innuendo.  Metropolis Studios, 1991. CD.

If you use lyrics from a booklet that goes together with the CD, include this information in the “Title of source” and the album’s name:

Queen. Booklet.  Innuendo,  Metropolis Studios, 1991.

How to quote a song if you pick it up on a website? It is also simple. Mention this in place of the title. Then give the name of the website, information about the publication for this site, and its URL:

Queen. Lyrics to “The show must go on”.  Genius,  2018, genius.com/Queen-the-show-must-go-on-lyrics.

Quoting the song in APA and Harvard format will be a little bit different and you must provide the copyright date:

Queen. (1991).  Innuendo.  [CD]. London: Metropolis Studios (Recorded 1990).

Quotation marks or Italics?

When you include lines from songs in your paper, you may ask Do you italicize song lyrics in an essay? Or you may be curious about how to write a song title in an essay. Well, there are simple rules to remember: titles of songs must be always surrounded by quotation marks while CD and album titles are always italicized. See the examples above.

Also, note that if the title of a song ends with a question mark or exclamation point, they should go inside of the quotation marks since they are a part of that title. If the punctuation is not a part of the song title, it should go beyond the quotation marks.

Things to consider

There are several unwritten rules you must follow when you are quoting song lyrics in your paper.

• Stay away from clichés. These are “I hope you had the time of your life”, “We don’t need no education”, “You’ve got a friend in me”, “All you need is love” and so on.
• Paraphrase. Don’t you dare to include the whole song in your essay? Your professor might remember his best years reading 10,000 lines of Paradise Lost but most likely he will not understand why you decided to make him nostalgic. Pick several lines that describe your point the best and cite them.
• Appeal to the reader’s imagination. Any song is a melodic poem and therefore it should create some scenes in the readers’ heads. Cannot do that? Well, do not write lyrics in an essay, and better think of another way of describing your ideas. Using lyrics in your papers is not your strength.

Using wording from songs in your academic essay is a wonderful idea. However, make sure you cite them properly to make your paper professional.

How do I cite song lyrics?

The way you cite song lyrics will vary depending on how you access them.

If you cite song lyrics from a CD you listened to, follow the MLA format template : list the name of the performer or band as the author, the name of the song as the title of the source, the name of the album as the title of the container, the publisher, and the date. In the final supplemental element you have the option to list the format, if you think that information would be relevant for readers:

Beatles. “Revolution 1.” The Beatles , EMI Records, 1968. CD.

If the song was on a streaming app, include the app’s name in the final supplemental element:

Lady Gaga. “Perfect Illusion.” Joanne (Deluxe) . Interscope Records, 2016. Spotify app.

If the song was on a streaming website, include the name of the website and the song’s URL in the second container of the entry.

Lady Gaga. “Perfect Illusion.” Joanne (Deluxe) . Interscope Records, 2016. Spotify , open.spotify.com/album/2ZUwFxlWo0gwTsvZ6L4Meh.

If you cite transcribed song lyrics, such as from liner notes, provide a description of the source in the Title of Source element and the name of the album as the title of the container:

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

If you cite transcribed lyrics from a website, provide a description in the Title of Source element. The description can include the title of the song, which should be styled in quotation marks. Then provide the name of the website, publication information for the site, and the URL of the web page:

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

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MLA Formatting Quotations

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When you directly quote the works of others in your paper, you will format quotations differently depending on their length. Below are some basic guidelines for incorporating quotations into your paper. Please note that all pages in MLA should be double-spaced .

Short quotations

To indicate short quotations (four typed lines or fewer of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Provide the author and specific page number (in the case of verse, provide line numbers) in the in-text citation, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page. Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.

Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

For example, when quoting short passages of prose, use the following examples:

When using short (fewer than three lines of verse) quotations from poetry, mark breaks in verse with a slash, ( / ), at the end of each line of verse (a space should precede and follow the slash). If a stanza break occurs during the quotation, use a double slash ( // ).

Long quotations

For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2   inch  from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come  after the closing punctuation mark . When quoting verse, maintain original line breaks. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)

For example, when citing more than four lines of prose, use the following examples :

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

When citing long sections of poetry (four lines of verse or more), keep formatting as close to the original as possible.

In his poem "My Papa's Waltz," Theodore Roethke explores his childhood with his father:

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We Romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. (qtd. in Shrodes, Finestone, Shugrue 202)

When citing two or more paragraphs, use block quotation format, even if the passage from the paragraphs is less than four lines. If you cite more than one paragraph, the first line of the second paragraph should be indented an extra 1/4 inch to denote a new paragraph:

In "American Origins of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Movement," David Russell argues,

Writing has been an issue in American secondary and higher education since papers and examinations came into wide use in the 1870s, eventually driving out formal recitation and oral examination. . . .

From its birth in the late nineteenth century, progressive education has wrestled with the conflict within industrial society between pressure to increase specialization of knowledge and of professional work (upholding disciplinary standards) and pressure to integrate more fully an ever-widening number of citizens into intellectually meaningful activity within mass society (promoting social equity). . . . (3)

Adding or omitting words in quotations

If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text:

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipses, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space. For example:

Please note that brackets are not needed around ellipses unless they would add clarity.

When omitting words from poetry quotations, use a standard three-period ellipses; however, when omitting one or more full lines of poetry, space several periods to about the length of a complete line in the poem:

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources / How to Cite a Song in APA, MLA, or Chicago

How to Cite a Song in APA, MLA, or Chicago

Music is an art form—and just as you’d analyze a poem for a literary paper or cite a painting for an art history paper, you may find yourself using a song as a source, especially if you’re enrolled in music theory courses. Here, we’ve laid out how to cite a song, so if you’re deciding whether or not to include a song in your next paper based on whether you can figure out how to cite it, go for it! Citing songs, whether you’re working off the audio recording or using written lyrics, is actually a pretty similar process to what you might have done for other kinds of citations.

Although citing a song might seem unfamiliar, there’s no need to worry. We’ve got you covered for both audio recordings and written song lyrics, whether you need to cite in MLA format ,  APA format, or Chicago style.

Citing an Audio Recording of a Song Found Online

If you’ve ever cited a movie before, you’ll discover that citing an audio recording of a song is a pretty similar process. But even if you’ve only cited text before, you should be a pro at song citations in no time! We’ve included examples of how you would cite Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t” for each of the three styles as well.

To cite an audio recording of a song, you should make note of the following pieces of information: 1. Singer’s name 2. Songwriter’s name 3. Title of the song (and subtitle, if there is one) 4. Title of the album (and subtitle, if there is one) 5. Album’s Edition (if there is one) 6. Track Number 7. Publisher 8. Year of publication 9. Website or database where the song was found 10. URL 11. The names of any other contributors

Use the following structure to cite an audio recording found online in MLA 9:

Singer’s Last Name, Singer’s First Name. “Title of the Song.” Title of the Album , album’s ed., Publisher, Year of publication, track number. Website or Database Name , URL (remove http:// or https://).

Here’s how the above example would be cited in MLA 9 :

Sheeran, Ed. “Don’t.” X , deluxe ed., Asylum Records, 2014, track 4. Spotify , play.spotify.com/track/34gCuhDGsG4bRPIf9bb02f?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in an in-text citation:

(Singer’s Last Name)

Use the following structure to cite an audio recording in APA format:

Songwriter’s Last Name, Songwriter’s First Initial. (Year of publication). Title of the song [Recorded by Singer’s First Initial, Singer’s Last Name if different from writer*]. On Title of the album [Audio file]. Retrieved from URL

*Do not include the information in the brackets if the name of the songwriter is the same person as the singer or performer.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in APA:

Sheeran, E. (2014). Don’t. On X. [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://play.spotify.com/track/34gCuhDGsG4bRPIf9bb02f?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

Use the following structure to cite an audio recording in Chicago:

Singer’s Last name, Singer’s First name. Title of the Song. Publisher, Year of publication, Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in Chicago:

Sheeran, Ed. Don’t. Asylum Records, 2014, Accessed June 5, 2017. https://play.spotify.com/track/34gCuhDGsG4bRPIf9bb02f?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open.

Citing Song Lyrics Found Online

Citing written song lyrics is pretty similar to citing an audio recording, but if you’re used to mostly citing written work, you may find this procedure a bit easier since you’re citing words off a page rather than audio. Here, we’ve cited “Imagine,” a song by John Lennon which you’ve surely heard before—and one which could be the subject of rich analysis for your next paper.

To cite written song lyrics, you should make note of the following pieces of information: 1. Singer’s name 2. Songwriter’s name 3. Title of the song (and subtitle, if there is one) 4. Title of the album (and subtitle, if there is one) 5. Album’s Edition (if there is one) 6. Track number 7. Publisher 8. Year of publication 9. Website or Database where the lyrics were found 10. URL 11. The names of any other contributors

Use the following structure to cite written song lyrics in MLA 9:

Songwriter’s Last Name, First Name. Lyrics to “Title of the Song.” Names of other contributors, Album’s Publisher, Year of publication. Name of Website, URL.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in MLA 9:

Lennon, John. Lyrics to “Imagine.” Performed by John Lennon, Ascot Sound Studios, 1971. Genius, genius.com/John-lennon-imagine-lyrics.

Use the following structure to cite written song lyrics in APA format :

Songwriter(s) Last Name, Songwriter(s) First Initial. (Year of publication). Title of song [Lyrics]. Retrieved from URL

Lennon, J. (1971). Imagine [Lyrics]. Retrieved from https://genius.com/John-lennon-imagine-lyrics

Use the following structure to cite an written song lyrics in Chicago:

Singer’s Last Name, Singer’s First Name. “Title of the song.” Name of Website. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

Lennon, John. “Imagine.” Genius. Accessed June 5, 2017. https://genius.com/John-lennon-imagine-lyrics.

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To cite a song or music in MLA, it is helpful to know information including the song title, contributor names, and production details. The templates and examples below are based on the MLA Handbook , 9th edition.

In-text citation and works cited list entry examples for a song by a single artist are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

Artist Surname

Parenthetical:

(Artist Surname)

Works cited entry template and example:

Surname, First M. “Song Title.” Album Title , relevant contributor information, Production/Record Company, Year Released.

Grande, Ariana. “Moonlight.” Dangerous Women , Republic Records, 2016.

The in-text citation does not include the release year. The surname alone is used in the in-text citations.

The song title should be enclosed in double quotation marks. If the song is part of an album, the album title should be included. Any additional contributors, the name of the record company, and the year the song was released should also be part of the works cited entry.

To cite song lyrics, include the following details: the lyricist/artist’s last name, year, song’s title, title of the album, medium, producer, and URL if applicable.

Citation Basics

Harvard Referencing

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