how do i quote a song in an essay

The format for citing a song in MLA depends on the medium in which you listened to it. To cite a song accessed through an online streaming service, list the performer (or group) as author, the song title in quotation marks, the name of the site in italics, and the URL where the song can be found.

The basic MLA citation starts with the name of the author. In the case of a song, if you're referencing a particular recording, the performer is the author. 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.

Include the title of the work in sentence case and standard nonitalic type, and describe the type of audio work in square brackets—for example, “ [Song]”—in the title element of the reference.

Format a quotation of song lyrics the same way you would format a quotation of poetry. If the quotation consists of fewer than four lines, run it into the text, placing quotation marks around the lines and separating the lines from each other with a forward slash with a space on either side of it.

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.

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 ( // ).

How do I cite a song or music video in APA format? To cite a song or music video in APA style, you need to have basic information including the name of the composer, title of the song or music, company name, and publication date.

To cite a song or album in MLA referencing, simply give the artist’s last name or the band’s name in brackets in the relevant part of the text: Her latest album has a strong environmental theme (Sturgeon).

How you cite a song depends on how you accessed it. If you listened to the song on physical media like a vinyl album or CD, follow the MLA format template. List the performer or band as the author and then the title of the song.

MLA Online Song Citation Structure: Group Name or Performer’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Song.”. Title of the Album, edition if applicable, Publisher, Year of publication. URL or App Name app.