CreativeWriting-Prompts.com

How to Format Song Titles in Writing: Expert Advice

Photo of author

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Capitalizing the Title Case: The Basics of Formatting Song Titles

Capitalizing the Title Case: The Basics of Formatting Song Titles

Italicizing or using quotation marks: determining the correct style, handling punctuation in song titles: a guide for writers, formatting song titles within sentences: maintaining consistency and clarity, special cases: remixes, covers, and featured artists in song titles, abbreviations and acronyms in song titles: to use or not to use, formatting song titles in different writing styles: mla, apa, and beyond, additional tips for perfectly formatting song titles in writing, frequently asked questions, future outlook.

One of the essential aspects of formatting song titles is capitalizing them in title case. This style not only enhances the overall appearance of the title but also follows conventional rules for capitalization in English language. Here are some key guidelines to keep in mind when formatting your song titles:

– Start with capitalizing the first and last words of the title. – Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (e.g., “and” or “but”). – Articles (e.g., “a,” “an,” or “the”), coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “but,” or “or”), and prepositions (e.g., “in,” “on,” or “at”) should not be capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title. – Indicate the title of a song by placing it in quotation marks, using the appropriate punctuation such as single quotes or double quotes.

To further illustrate these guidelines, let’s consider the title of an iconic song by The Beatles: “Hey Jude.” Following proper capitalization rules for title case, the correctly formatted version would be “Hey Jude.” Notice that both the first and last words are capitalized, while the article “a” is not capitalized. By adhering to these formatting basics, your song titles will appear polished and professional, adding to the overall aesthetic of your work.

When it comes to emphasizing words or phrases in your writing, it’s important to use the correct style to effectively convey your intended meaning. Two common options for highlighting text are italicizing and using quotation marks. While both can be used to add emphasis, each style has its own specific purpose.

Italicizing words or phrases is a great way to indicate emphasis in a subtle and visually appealing manner . Italicized text is often used for titles of books, movies, or TV shows, foreign words, scientific names, or to introduce a new term or concept. By slanting the text, you draw attention to specific words without interrupting the flow of your writing. For instance, in an academic paper about psychology, you might italicize the terms “cognitive dissonance” or “self-actualization” to make them stand out in the text.

On the other hand, quotation marks are commonly used to indicate direct quotes from a source or when referring to specific words or phrases. They can also be used to imply irony, sarcasm, or to denote an unusual meaning or definition for a word. For example, you might write, “The word ‘awesome’ has become so overused in today’s language that it has lost its true meaning.” By enclosing the word “awesome” in quotation marks, you convey a sense of skepticism or disbelief towards its contemporary usage. Remember that quotation marks should be used sparingly to avoid cluttering your writing or confusing your reader.

Handling Punctuation in Song Titles: A Guide for Writers

When it comes to song titles, punctuation can play a crucial role in conveying the intended message and style. Here are some tips to help you navigate the often-confusing world of punctuating song titles:

1. Apostrophes: If a word is contracted in the song title, such as “can’t” or “won’t,” use an apostrophe to indicate the omitted letters. For example, “Can’t Stop the Music” or “Won’t Back Down.”

2. Quotation Marks: Quotation marks are commonly used to enclose the title of a song within a larger work. For instance, in the song “Waterloo” by ABBA from the album “ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits,” both of these titles are enclosed in quotation marks.

3. Hyphens: Hyphens are useful when combining words in a song title. They can help clarify the meaning and prevent ambiguity. For instance, “Love-Struck” or “Dance-Off.”

4. Italicization: Consider using italics to showcase song titles when formatting a piece of written work. It not only helps differentiate the titles from the regular text but also adds a visual appeal. For example, “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “Hotel California.”

Formatting Song Titles within Sentences: Maintaining Consistency and Clarity

When incorporating song titles within sentences, it is essential to maintain consistency and clarity to ensure a seamless reading experience. By following a few simple formatting guidelines, you can effectively punctuate and emphasize song titles, allowing them to stand out from the surrounding text.

One common convention is to use quotation marks when referring to song titles within sentences. For example, if you are discussing a specific song in your writing, enclose the title within double quotation marks. This visually sets it apart from the rest of the sentence and makes it clear that you are referring to a song title. Alternatively, if you are mentioning a song without any specific reference, you can simply capitalize the title without using quotation marks. Consistency is key here; choose one format and stick to it throughout your writing to avoid confusion.

Special Cases: Remixes, Covers, and Featured Artists in Song Titles

Remixes, Covers, and Featured Artists in Song Titles often add a touch of excitement and uniqueness to our favorite tunes. In the world of music, these special cases allow artists to collaborate, experiment, and bring a fresh perspective to well-loved melodies. Whether it’s a remixed version of a chart-topper, a cover that transforms a classic, or a featured artist lending their distinctive vocals to a track, these creative adaptations provide a delightful twist for our ears.

Remixes are a popular way to give a song a fresh new sound. With the help of electronic beats and additional production elements, remixes breathe life into existing melodies and offer listeners a chance to experience their favorite songs in a different light. They often feature extended dance breaks, altered vocal arrangements, or reimagined instrumentals, making them perfect for energizing parties or adding excitement to playlists. Some notable remixes have even gained more popularity than the original tracks themselves, igniting new trends and musical styles along the way. So next time you stumble upon a remix of your favorite song, don’t hesitate to hit play and let the infectious beats take you on a thrilling sonic journey.

Abbreviations and Acronyms in Song Titles: To Use or Not to Use?

Choosing the perfect title for a song is crucial, as it can catch the attention of listeners and convey the essence of the composition. One common dilemma that often arises during this creative process is whether to incorporate abbreviations or acronyms into the title. While these condensed forms can add a touch of intrigue and uniqueness, it’s essential to consider their potential impact on the overall message and understand their relevance to the theme or lyrics.

Using abbreviations and acronyms can be an effective way to create catchy and memorable song titles. They can inject a sense of modernity and excitement, instantly capturing the curiosity of an audience. Moreover, abbreviations and acronyms can help convey a specific meaning within a compact space, making the title clear while leaving enough room for interpretation. However, it is important to strike the right balance. Overuse or excessive reliance on abbreviations may confuse or alienate some listeners who may not be familiar with the referenced phrase.

Formatting Song Titles in Different Writing Styles: MLA, APA, and Beyond

In the vast and diverse world of writing styles, even the titles of songs are subjected to specific formatting rules. Whether you are a student, a researcher, or simply a lover of music, it is essential to know how to correctly format song titles in different writing styles such as MLA, APA, and beyond. Here, we will guide you through the key elements and nuances of each style, ensuring that your song titles are formatted with finesse.

In the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, song titles are italicized within the body of your work. When referencing songs in your bibliography or works cited page , you should follow this format:

– Last Name, First Name. “Song Title.” Album Title, Record Label, Year.

For example: – Jackson, Michael. “Thriller.” Thriller, Epic Records, 1982.

In the American Psychological Association (APA) style, song titles are not italicized but rather presented in sentence case. This means that only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. When including song titles in your references list, follow this format:

– Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., & Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Song Title. Album Title. Record Label.

For example: – Jackson, M., & Landis, J. (1982). Thriller. Thriller. Epic Records.

Additional Tips for Perfectly Formatting Song Titles in Writing

Formatting song titles correctly is essential for creating professional and visually appealing written content. By following a few additional tips, you can ensure that your song titles stand out and grab the reader’s attention. Here are some creative suggestions to help you achieve the perfect formatting:

1. Capitalize the main words: When writing song titles, it is common to capitalize the principal words in the title. This includes nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. For instance, consider the song title “Dancing in the Moonlight.” By capitalizing the main words, the title appears more polished and visually appealing.

2. Use italics or quotation marks: To add emphasis and differentiate the song title from regular text, it is advisable to use italics or quotation marks. For example, “Hotel California” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” can be placed in italics or within quotation marks to make them stand out. This not only makes the title more noticeable but also aids in enhancing the readability of your content.

3. Exclude articles and prepositions: To maintain a clean and concise format for song titles, it is recommended to exclude articles (such as “the” or “a/an”) and prepositions (like “in” or “of”) unless they are the first word in the title. Doing so ensures that the focus remains on the essential elements of the song’s title, making it more visually appealing and reader-friendly.

4. Be consistent: Consistency is key when formatting song titles. Whether you choose to italicize, enclose in quotation marks, or simply capitalize the key words, be sure to apply the same formatting style consistently throughout your content. This helps maintain a professional and cohesive look, making your writing more polished and aesthetically pleasing.

Remember, properly formatting song titles not only enhances the visual appeal of your content but also demonstrates your attention to detail. By following these additional tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating perfectly formatted song titles that captivate your readers.

Q: Why is it important to format song titles correctly in writing? A: Properly formatting song titles is essential for displaying professionalism and avoiding confusion in any written piece. It helps readers identify specific songs and also respects the original artist’s work.

Q: How do I format a song title when it is the title of an article, essay, or book? A: When using a song title as the title of an article, essay, or book, it should be enclosed in quotation marks, just like any other shorter work. For example, “Imagine” would be appropriately formatted as the title of an essay discussing John Lennon’s iconic song.

Q: What if I want to refer to a song title within the text of my writing? A: If you are mentioning a song title within the text of your writing, it should also be enclosed in quotation marks. For instance, you could write, “The lyrics of “Bohemian Rhapsody” have captivated audiences for decades.”

Q: How should I format a song title in a formal research paper or academic writing? A: In formal research papers or academic writing, it is generally recommended to use italics instead of quotation marks around song titles. This convention enhances clarity and readability in scholarly work.

Q: Are there any exceptions to using italics or quotation marks? A: Yes, when referring to classical music compositions or opera titles, these should be written in italics, while individual movements or songs within them should be enclosed in quotation marks. For instance, Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 would be italicized, but its third movement, “Menuetto,” would be placed in quotation marks.

Q: How should I format song titles on social media or informal platforms? A: When writing song titles on social media or any other informal platform, it is common to use quotation marks. Italicizing may not be possible in all digital spaces, so quotation marks serve as a suitable alternative and still convey the intended meaning.

Q: What if the song title includes punctuation or special characters? A: Punctuation and special characters within song titles should be retained as they appear in the original. This includes exclamation marks, question marks, commas, and even unconventional symbols as intended by the artist. Remember to always prioritize accuracy and maintain the integrity of the original title.

Q: Can I capitalize all words in a song title? A: In general, only capitalize significant words in song titles. Articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions should be lowercase, unless they are the first or last word of the title. However, it is always a good idea to follow established style guides or the specific preferences of the artist, if known.

Q: Is it acceptable to abbreviate a song title when writing it? A: Abbreviating a song title should generally be avoided, unless the artist or publishing company officially presents it that way. Stick to the original title as closely as possible to convey proper meaning and avoid ambiguity.

Q: What additional resources can I consult for proper formatting of song titles when writing? A: The Chicago Manual of Style, the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, and the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide each provide comprehensive guidelines for formatting song titles. Leveraging these resources can ensure accuracy and consistency in your writing.

In conclusion, correctly formatting song titles is essential for clear and consistent writing. Follow these tips to ensure accuracy and professionalism in your work.

Do You Underline Titles of Movies When Writing? Correct Approach

Are Job Titles Capitalized in Writing? Get it Right

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Reach out to us for sponsorship opportunities.

Welcome to Creative Writing Prompts

At Creative Writing Prompts, we believe in the power of words to shape worlds. Our platform is a sanctuary for aspiring writers, seasoned wordsmiths, and everyone. Here, storytelling finds its home, and your creative journey begins its captivating voyage.

© 2024 Creativewriting-prompts.com

American Psychological Association

How to cite a single song or track reference

Ayanna Adams

Concert season is in full swing, and music artists seem to be dropping a new single every week. If you want to write about the audial gems you listen to in your day-to-day, you have come to the right place.

It doesn’t matter if you are grooving to a jazz-inspired track on William Shatner’s latest album Bill or still trying to recover from the myriad of emotions evoked by the 27 tracks on Ye’s (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) Donda , APA Style can help you cite the melodic works you love in your paper or manuscript. In this post, you will learn how to cite a single song or track reference.

In general, each APA Style reference has an author element, date element, title element, and source element . For a song or track reference, the author of the work is usually the recording artist, which may be an individual or group. If a music artist prefers to use their first name and surname, then follow the APA guideline to invert the author’s name as “Surname, First Initial” in your reference (e.g., “Smith, S.” for singer and songwriter “Sam Smith”).

If the music artist chooses to go by only one name (e.g., “Beyoncé”), a group name (e.g., “Franz Ferdinand”), an inseparable multipart name (e.g., “Lady Gaga”), an initialism (e.g., “MNEK”), or some other name variation, write their name as shown on the work. If the work you are citing features another artist, place the featured artist’s name (again, formatted as “Surname, First Initial” or exactly as their name is spelled on the work) in parentheses after the main artist’s name, preceded by the word “featuring,” as shown in the BTS and Megan Thee Stallion reference example later in this post.

Therefore, in your song or track reference, write the name of the recording artist in the author element (if it’s a classical work, write the name of the composer), and place the date the work was published in parentheses in the date element. 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.

After the title of the work, its bracketed description, and the ending period, write the word “On” in standard nonitalic type, followed by the title of the associated album in italic sentence case. In the source element of the reference, provide the name(s) of the artist’s music label(s), separating multiple music labels with semicolons—as shown in the following example.

Song with an associated album, with multiple music labels

Coldplay & BTS. (2021). My universe [Song]. On Music of the spheres . Parlophone; Atlantic.

  • Parenthetical citation: (Coldplay & BTS, 2021)
  • Narrative citation: Coldplay and BTS (2021)

If the song or track has no associated album, omit that part of the reference, as shown in the next example. If the song or track is a remix of the original version, place the word “Remix” in parentheses after the title but before the bracketed description—also shown in the next example.

Song without an associated album

BTS (featuring Megan Thee Stallion). (2021). Butter (Remix) [Song]. BigHit Music.

  • Parenthetical citation: (BTS, 2021) 
  • Narrative citation: BTS (2021)

What if you want to cite a song or track that has been rerecorded by another artist?

Because song references provide information about the recording artist, who is not always the same person or people who wrote the lyrics and/or the melody, you don’t need to research the history of a song in order to cite it; just cite the version you heard. Thus, there is no need to include the date the original work was published or the name of the original recording artist in your reference.

For example:

Song or track recorded by an artist other than the original artist

Smith, A. (2015). I put a spell on you [Song]. On Nina revisited: A tribute to Nina Simone. Legacy.

  • Parenthetical citation: (Smith, 2015) 
  • Narrative citation: Smith (2015)

One exception to this guideline is classical music, where the work’s original author is usually well-documented. For classical music, credit the original source by providing the year the work was originally published at the end of the reference in parentheses, preceded by the words “Original work published.” Both the original publication date and the date of the rerecorded work appear in the in-text citations, with the earlier year first, separated with a slash. These guidelines are shown in the following reference and in-text citations.

Classical song or track

Beethoven, L. van. (2012). Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major [Song recorded by Staatskapelle Dresden]. On Beethoven: Complete symphonies. Brilliant Classics. (Original work published 1804)

  • Parenthetical citation: (Beethoven, 1804/2012)
  • Narrative citation: Beethoven (1804/2012)

Include a URL in your reference if that location is the only means of retrieval of the song or track (e.g., for artists who provide music in only one location, such as SoundCloud or on their website).

More information on references for audio works can be found in Section 10.13 in the Publication Manual and Section 10.11 in the Concise Guide to APA Style .

Related and recent

Comments are disabled due to your privacy settings. To re-enable, please adjust your cookie preferences.

APA Style Monthly

Subscribe to the APA Style Monthly newsletter to get tips, updates, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.

Welcome! Thank you for subscribing.

APA Style Guidelines

Browse APA Style writing guidelines by category

  • Abbreviations
  • Bias-Free Language
  • Capitalization
  • In-Text Citations
  • Italics and Quotation Marks
  • Paper Format
  • Punctuation
  • Research and Publication
  • Spelling and Hyphenation
  • Tables and Figures

Full index of topics

Textero AI Essay Writer

  • AI Essay Writer
  • Paraphraser
  • AI Text Summarizer
  • AI Research Tool
  • AI PDF Summarizer
  • Outline Generator
  • Essay Grader
  • Essay Checker

There is an ultimate golden rule for citing song titles. The story’s moral is that quotations should always be around the title of a musical composition . This concludes our brief discussion on correctly referencing musical compositions in academic papers.  

Example: “Blank Space” is Taylor Swift’s song released in 2014. 

The example above demonstrates the properly formatted song title according to all popular academic formats. However, there is more! If you need to address an album, the common practice is to use italics. But what do you do if the song and album have identical names? Well, in that case, you should use italics when addressing the album and quotation marks when addressing the song. 

Example: “Blank Space” is Taylor Swift’s song released in her album 1984 . 

General Guidelines for Quoting Song Titles

Titles of songs should generally adhere to the following standards of format:

🗯️ The names of songs should be surrounded by quotation marks: Typographically, proper use of apostrophes (curly quotes) and quotation marks can elevate the appearance of your professionally typeset text.

🎵 Put every album and CD title in italics: It is common for most academic formats to use italics when addressing the album name. 

❗ Do not use underlining: For some reason, underlining some titles is a common mistake among college students, but no academic format recommends doing that. 

Guidelines for Quoting Song Titles

How do I title a song in an essay?

You should put the song title in quotation marks to cite it properly while writing your college paper. If you want to address the album’s name, you should use italics. 

Are song titles italicized in MLA?

No, they are not. The common practice in MLA is to put song titles in quotation marks and italicize only names of albums. 

Is a song title in quotes?

Yes, it is recommended to put the song title in quotes by all popular academic formats. We suggest consulting with your advisor if you are unsure about your academic format. 

How to write song titles in APA?

Regarding grammar and style, songs’ titles should be written in quotation marks in APA, whereas album titles should be italicized. This style requirement is shared by APA, MLA, and other popular academic formats. 

Related Posts

How to Write an Evaluation Essay

How to Write an Evaluation Essay

Jeremy Allen

  • October 3, 2024
  • Comments Off on How to Write an Evaluation Essay

How to Quote a Poem in an Essay

How to Quote a Poem in an Essay

  • September 27, 2024
  • Comments Off on How to Quote a Poem in an Essay

How to Write a Profile Essay

How to Write a Profile Essay

  • Comments Off on How to Write a Profile Essay

Are you ready to write top-quality essays?

Boost Your Essay Writing Skills and Achievements with Textero AI

  • No credit card required to start
  • Cancel anytime
  • 4 different tools to explore