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How to Cite a Musical Album Using MLA Style

In the course of academic research, you may need to quote lyrics or even full songs or musical scores from an audio recording. This type of reference is a little bit unusual, but MLA style imposes a special format that keeps it simple and easy to read, regardless of the type of source material. It is very important to cite these types of source materials on your Works Cited page, so that a reader can retrace your steps and understand how you came to your conclusions.

Instructions

- 1
  Start with the name of the group or artist, followed by a period. For example, if you are using an album by John Denver, your citation will begin:John Denver.
- 2
  Underline the name of the album and follow it with another period. If your word processor will not let you underline words, use an underscore symbol to indicate that the title should be underlined. For example, if the name of the album is "Seasons of the Heart," your citation should now read:John Denver. _Seasons of the Heart_.
- 3
  Add the name of the label that released the album, followed by a comma. You can abbreviate the name of the label only if it is more commonly known by the abbreviation. For example, it is O.K. to call the Radio Corporation of America "RCA." If RCA released the album, your citation should now read:John Denver. _Seasons of the Heart_. RCA,
- 4
  Finish with the year the album was released and a period. For example, if the album was released in 1968, your finished citation should read:John Denver. _Seasons of the Heart_. RCA, 1968.

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