How to Cite Music in APA Format

Citing music in APA format requires the songwriter or recording artist, year, song or album title, publisher or record label, and URL (for streaming sources). The format differs slightly for songs versus full albums.

Basic Music Citation Format

The standard APA 7th edition format for a recorded song citation is:

Reference list entry:

Artist, A. A. (Year). Title of song [Song]. On Album title. Record Label.

Parenthetical in-text citation: (Artist, Year)

Narrative in-text citation: Artist (Year)

In-Text Citation Examples

When you reference a song or album within your paper, you have two options:

• Parenthetical: The lyrics reflected cultural shifts of the era (Bowie, 1972).
• Narrative: Bowie (1972) captured cultural shifts of the era in his lyrics.

Common Variations

Single Song from an Album

Lamar, K. (2017). HUMBLE. [Song]. On DAMN. Top Dawg Entertainment; Aftermath Entertainment; Interscope Records.

Entire Album

Artist, A. A. (Year). Album title [Album]. Record Label.

Beyoncé. (2022). Renaissance [Album]. Parkwood Entertainment; Columbia Records.

Song Accessed via Streaming

Include the URL of the streaming platform.

Swift, T. (2020). Cardigan [Song]. On Folklore. Republic Records. https://open.spotify.com/track/example

Tips for Citing Music

• Use [Song] or [Album] in square brackets to identify the type of recording.
• Credit the recording artist as the author, unless you are citing the songwriter specifically.
• Italicize both the song title and album title in the reference entry.
• List multiple record labels separated by semicolons.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a song if I want to credit the songwriter rather than the performer? List the songwriter as the author. Add “Recorded by [Artist]” in brackets after the song title if the performer is different from the songwriter.

Do I need to include a URL for songs I accessed on Spotify or Apple Music? Including the URL is optional for widely available commercial recordings. Include it if the music is only available through a specific online source.

How do I cite lyrics quoted in my paper? Cite the song using the standard format. In your in-text citation, include a timestamp or track number if applicable. Treat quoted lyrics the same as any other direct quote.