Musical referencing will generally require you to use Chicago Style, due to the complex possibilities for citation. The particular aspect of the performance or recording that you want to reference determines the format.
Shortcut Examples for the most common entry types:
Spotify, Apple iTunes, etc.
Footnote:
Main Performer(s) [only if citing as primary contributor], “Title,” by Composer, track # on Recording Title, Additional Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s), recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, Release Year, streaming audio, platform. Accessed Month Day, Year [if necessary].
17 Terence Blanchard, "Levees," track 7 on A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina), Blue Note Records, 2007, streaming audio, Apple Music.
18 Rihanna, “Umbrella,” track 1 on Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad, featuring Jay-Z, Island Def Jam, 2007, streaming audio, Spotify.
Bibliographic Entry:
Main Performer(s) [only if citing as primary contributor]. “Title.” By Composer. Track # on Recording Title. Additional Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s). Recorded Day Month, Year. Record Label Label Number, Release Year, streaming audio, Platform. Accessed Month Day, Year [if necessary].
Blanchard, Terence. "Levees." Track 7 on A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Blue Note Records, 2007, streaming audio, Apple Music.
Rihanna. “Umbrella.” Track 1 on Good Girl Gone Bad. Featuring Jay-Z. Island Def Jam, 2007, streaming audio, Spotify.
Music Documentaries
Footnote:
Main Contributor(s) [if necessary], Title, directed by Director [if necessary], Production Company, Year of Publication, streaming video, timestamp for section cited, accessed Month Day, Year, Platform.
19 Ron Howard, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years, Apple Corps, 2016, streaming video, 7:10, accessed December 5, 2025, Hulu.
Bibliographic Entry:
Main Contributor(s) [if necessary]. Title. Directed by Director [if necessary]. Production Company, Year of Publication, streaming video, accessed Month Day, Year, platform, duration of video.
Howard, Ron. The Beatles: Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years. Apple Corps, 2016, streaming video, accessed December 5, 2025, Hulu, 1:06 mins.
Youtube
Footnote:
Contributor, “Title,” Channel, posted Month Day, Year, YouTube video, timestamps of the section cited, https://youtu.be/XXXXXXXXXX.
20 Green Day, “iHeartRadio Album Release Party w/ Green Day,” Green Day, streamed live on February 7, 2020, YouTube video, 1:28:42-1:30:06, https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
21 Sonny Rollins, "Sonny Rollins on Improvisation and Life," Jazz Video Guy, posted March 12, 2010, YouTube video, 9:21-9:45, https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
Bibliographical Entry:
Contributor. “Title.” Channel. Posted Month Day, Year. YouTube video, duration. https://youtu.be/XXXXXXXXXX.
Green Day. “iHeartRadio Album Release Party w/ Green Day.” Green Day. Streamed live on February 7, 2020. YouTube video, 1:35:26. https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
Rollins, Sonny. "Sonny Rollins on Improvisation and Life." Jazz Video Guy. Posted March 12, 2010. YouTube video, 9:21-9:45, https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
In summary:
In detail:
Focus on Performers
Footnote:
Performer(s), "Title of Song," recorded Month Day, Year, track # on Title of Album, Record Label Label Number, year of release, format.
1 Adele, "Rolling in the Deep," recorded 2010, track 1 on 21, XL Recordings/Columbia Records, 2011, compact disk.
2 Aretha Franklin, "Respect," recorded 1967, track 4 on I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Atlantic Records, 1967, vinyl.
Bibliographic Entry:
Performer(s). "Title of Song." Recorded Month Day, Year. Track # on Title of Album. Record Label Label Number, year of release, format.
Adele. "Rolling in the Deep." Recorded 2010. Track 1 on 21. XL Recordings/Columbia Records, 2011, compact disk.
Franklin, Aretha. "Respect." Recorded 1967. Track 4 on I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Atlantic Records, 1967, vinyl.
Focus on Composer
Footnote:
Composer, Title of Album, with Performer/Ensemble, conducted by Conductor, Recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, year of release, format.
4 Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt Suites I & II, with the Slowakische Philharmonie and Stefan Jeschko (klavier/piano), conducted by Libor Pesek, Point Productions 2666682, 1991, compact disc.
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. Title of Album. With Performer/Ensemble. Conducted by Conductor. Recorded Month Day, Year. Record Label Label Number, year of release, format.
Grieg, Edvard. Peer Gynt Suites I & II. With the Slowakische Philharmonie and Stefan Jeschko (klavier/piano). Conducted by Libor Pesek. Point Productions 2666682, 1991, compact disc.
Music Dictionary (New Grove / Oxford)
Footnote:
Contributor(s), “Entry Title,” in Grove Music Online, ed. Editor, accessed Month Day, Year, DOI.
5 Leah G. Nelson, "Editha Knocker," Grove Music Online, accessed June 30, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1093/omo/9781561592630.013.90000382141.
6 Nicholas Temperley, “Atwood, Thomas,” in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, eds. Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (Macmillan, 2001), ii: 151.
Bibliographic Entry:
Contributor(s). “Entry Title.” In Grove Music Online, edited by Editor. Accessed Month Day, Year. DOI.
Nelson, Leah G.. "Editha Knocker." In Grove Music Online. Accessed June 10, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/omo/9781561592630.013.90000382141.
Temperley, Nicholas. “Atwood, Thomas.” In The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. Macmillan, 2001. ii: 150-152.
Physical Media Audio - full recordings
Footnote:
Composer/Performer(s), Title, Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s), Recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, Release Year, format.
7 W.A. Mozart, The Complete Mozart Symphonies, The English Consort, conducted by Trevor Pinnock, recorded 1993-1995, Archive Production 471 666-2, 2002, compact disc.
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer/Performer. Title. Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s). Recorded Month Day, Year. Record Label Label Number, Release Year, format.
Mozart, W.A. The Complete Mozart Symphonies. The English Consort, conducted by Trevor Pinnock. Recorded 1993-1995. Archive Production 471 666-2, 2002, compact disc.
Physical Media Audio - individual tracks
Footnote:
Performer/Group/Conductor, “Title,” by Composer, on Recording Title, Additional Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s), Recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, release year, format.
9 Ella Fitzgerald, "Summertime," track 3 on Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, recorded 1957, Verve Records, 1959, vinyl.
10Whitney Houston, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, on Whitney, recorded 1987, Arista AS4-9642, 1987, cassette.
Bibliographic Entry:
Performer/Conductor(s). “Title,” by Composer. On Recording Title. Additional Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s). Recorded Month Day, Year. Record Label Label Number, release year, format.
Fitzgerald, Ella. "Summertime." Track 3 on Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book. Recorded 1957. Verve Records, 1959, vinyl.
Houston, Whitney. "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)." By George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam. On Whitney. Recorded 1987. Arista AS4-9642, 1987, cassette.
Physical Media Video
Footnote:
Main Contributor, Title, Other Contributors (Publisher/Production Company, Year of Publication), format, duration.
15 Herbie Hancock, Herbie Hancock: Possibilities, directed by Doug Biro and Jon Fine (Verve Music Group, 2006), DVD, 100 min.
Bibliographic Entry:
Main Contributor. Title. Other Contributors. City of Publication: Publisher/Production Company, year of publication, format, duration.
Hancock, Herbie. Herbie Hancock: Possibilities. Directed by Doug Biro and Jon Fine. Verve Music Group, 2006, DVD, 100 min.
Digital Media Audio - full recordings
Footnote:
Main Performer, Title, other Performer(s), recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, release year, streaming audio, accessed Month Day, Year [if necessary], platform.
16 Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, recorded 1959, Columbia Records, 1959, streaming audio, Spotify.
16 Lewis Porter, "John Coltrane's Harmonic Genius," The Jazz History Podcast, Posted February 12, 2023, podcast, https://jazzhistorypodcast.com/coltrane-harmony
Bibliographic Entry:
Performer/Conductor. Title. Performer/Group/Conductor(s). Recorded Month Day, Year. Record Label Label Number, release year, streaming audio. Accessed Month Day Year [if necessary]. Platform.
Davis, Miles. Kind of Blue. Recorded 1959. Columbia Records, 1959, streaming audio, Spotify.
Porter, Lewis. "John Coltrane's Harmonic Genius." The Jazz History Podcast. Posted February 12, 2023. Podcast. https://jazzhistorypodcast.com/coltrane-harmony
Digital Media Audio - individual tracks
Footnote:
Main Performer(s) [only if citing as primary contributor], “Title,” by Composer, track # on Recording Title, Additional Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s), recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, Release Year, streaming audio, platform. Accessed Month Day, Year [if necessary].
17 Terence Blanchard, "Levees," track 7 on A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina), Blue Note Records, 2007, streaming audio, Apple Music.
18 Rihanna, “Umbrella,” track 1 on Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad, featuring Jay-Z, Island Def Jam, 2007, streaming audio, Spotify.
Bibliographic Entry:
Main Performer(s) [only if citing as primary contributor]. “Title.” By Composer. Track # on Recording Title. Additional Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s). Recorded Day Month, Year. Record Label Label Number, Release Year, streaming audio, Platform. Accessed Month Day, Year [if necessary].
Blanchard, Terence. "Levees." Track 7 on A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Blue Note Records, 2007, streaming audio, Apple Music.
Rihanna. “Umbrella.” Track 1 on Good Girl Gone Bad. Featuring Jay-Z. Island Def Jam, 2007, streaming audio, Spotify.
Digital Media Audio - streaming video
Footnote:
Main Contributor(s) [if necessary], Title, directed by Director [if necessary], Production Company, Year of Publication, streaming video, timestamp for section cited, accessed Month Day, Year, Platform.
19 Rachel Lears, Knock Down the House, Netflix Originals, 2019, streaming video, 1:08:10, accessed April 5, 2025, Netflix.
Bibliographic Entry:
Main Contributor(s) [if necessary]. Title. Directed by Director [if necessary]. Production Company, Year of Publication, streaming video, accessed Month Day, Year, platform, duration of video.
Lears, Rachel. Knock Down the House. Netflix Originals. 2019, streaming video, accessed April 5, 2025, Netflix, 115 mins.
Digital Media Audio/Video - YouTube
Footnote:
Contributor, “Title,” Channel, posted Month Day, Year, YouTube video, timestamps of the section cited, https://youtu.be/XXXXXXXXXX.
20 Green Day, “iHeartRadio Album Release Party w/ Green Day,” Green Day, streamed live on February 7, 2020, YouTube video, 1:28:42-1:30:06, https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
21 Sonny Rollins, "Sonny Rollins on Improvisation and Life," Jazz Video Guy, posted March 12, 2010, YouTube video, 9:21-9:45, https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
Bibliographical Entry:
Contributor. “Title.” Channel. Posted Month Day, Year. YouTube video, duration. https://youtu.be/XXXXXXXXXX.
Green Day. “iHeartRadio Album Release Party w/ Green Day.” Green Day. Streamed live on February 7, 2020. YouTube video, 1:35:26. https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
Rollins, Sonny. "Sonny Rollins on Improvisation and Life." Jazz Video Guy. Posted March 12, 2010. YouTube video, 9:21-9:45, https://youtu.be/hhY-7wtIICY.
Accompanying Notes
Footnote:
Contributor, "Title of Booklet," accompanying Title of Album, Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s), Record Label Label Number, year, format.
22 Humphrey Searle, "Anton Webern," accompanying Webern: Complete Works Opp. 1-31, performed by the Juilliard String Quartet and the London Sinfonietta conducted by Pierre Boulez, SONY Classical S3K 45845, 1991, compact disc.
Bibliographic Entry:
Contributor. "Title of Booklet." Accompanying Title of Album. Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s). Record Label Label Number, year, format.
Searle, Humphrey. "Anton Webern." Accompanying Webern: Complete Works Opp. 1-31. Performed by the Juilliard String Quartet and the London Sinfonietta conducted by Pierre Boulez. SONY Classical S3K 45845, 1991, compact disc.
Print/Vocal Scores
Footnote:
Composer, Score Title, ed. or arr. by Name, vocal score (Publisher, Year), Page Number, m. Measure Number [if applicable].
24 W.A. Mozart, Don Giovanni, English version by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman, vocal score (G. Schirmer, 1961), 74-78, m. 8.
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. Score Title. Edited or Arranged by Name. Vocal score. Publisher, Year.
Mozart, W.A. Don Giovanni. English version by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman. Vocal score. G. Schirmer, 1961.
Reprint Scores
Footnote:
Composer, Score Title (Original Score Title [if applicable], Original Publisher, [Original Year of Publication]; reprint, New Publisher, New Year of Publication), Page Number, m. Measure Number.
25 William Boyce, Lyra Britannica: being a Collection of Songs, Duets and Cantatas on Various Subjects (I. Walsh, [1745]; reprint, King’s Music, n.d.), m. 8-9 (page citations are to the reprint edition).
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. Score Title. Original Score Title [if applicable]. Original Publisher, [Original Year of Publication]. Reprint, New Publisher, New Year.
Boyce, William. Lyra Britannica: being a Collection of Songs, Duets and Cantatas on Various Subjects. I. Walsh, [1745]. Reprint, King’s Music, n.d.
Digital Scores
Footnote:
Composer, Score Title, in Database, ed. Editor, URL, Page Number, m. Measure Number.
26 Fanny Mendelssohn, Trio for Violin, Violoncello, and Piano, Op. 11, in A-R Music Anthology, ed. James L. Zychowicz, www.armusicanthology.com, 2, m. 12.
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. Score Title. In Database. Edited by Editor. URL. Accessed Month Day, Year.
Mendelssohn, Fanny. Trio for Violin, Violoncello, and Piano, Op. 11. In A-R Music Anthology. Edited by James L. Zychowicz. www.armusicanthology.com. Acessed June 10, 2025.
Part of a Score
Footnote:
Composer, “Song/Lied/Movement Title,” in Score Title, vol. Number, ed. Editor (Publisher, Year of Publication), Page Number, m. Measure Number [if applicable].
27 Richard Strauss, “Morgen!,” in Lieder: Gesamtausgabe, vol. I, ed. Franz Trenner (Boosey & Hawkes, 1964), 143.
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. “Song/Lied/Movement Title.” In Score Title. Vol. Number, edited by Editor, Song/Lied/Movement Starting Page #-Song/Movement Ending Page #. Publisher, Year of Publication.
Strauss, Richard. “Morgen!” In Lieder: Gesamtausgabe. Vol. I, edited by Franz Trenner, 143-44. Boosey & Hawkes, 1964.
M3s, Monuments of Music
Footnote:
Composer. Title of Score Volume. ed. Editor. Vol. Number of Title of Series, ed. Editor. (Publisher, Year.)
28 Giuseppi Verdi, Il Trovatore. ed. David Lawton. Series 1, vol. 18a., Works of Giuseppe Verdi, ed. Philip Gossett. (University of Chicago Press, 1992.)
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. Title of Score Volume. Edited by Editor. Vol. Number of Title of Series, edited by Editor. Publisher, Year.
Verdi, Giuseppe. Il Trovatore. Edited by David Lawton. Series 1, vol. 18a., Works of Giuseppe Verdi, edited by Philip Gossett. University of Chicago Press, 1992.
M2s, Monuments of Music Scores
Footnote:
Composer, Title of Score Volume, ed. Editor, Title of Series Series Number (City: Publisher, Year).
29 John Eccles, Semele: An Opera, ed. Richard Platt, Music Brittanica: A National Collection of Music 76. (Stainer and Bell, 2000).
Bibliographic Entry:
Composer. Title of Score Volume. Edited by Editor. Title of Series Series Number. City: Publisher, Year.
Eccles, John. Semele: An Opera. Edited by Richard Platt. Music Brittanica: A National Collection of Music 76. Stainer and Bell, 2000.
Digital Liner Notes
Footnote:
Contributor, “Liner Notes or Section Title,” liner notes for Composer, Recording Title, Performer/Group/Conductor(s), recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, release year, streaming audio, Database, page Number.
30 Sergio Segalini, “The Romantic Dream of Lucie,” liner notes for Gaetano Donizetti, Lucie de Lammermoor (Lucia di Lammermoor) (1893 French version), Patrizia Ciofi, Alexandru Badea, Nicolas Rivenq, Gregory Bonfatti, Riccardo Botta, Jae-Jun Lee, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, Bratislawa Chamber Choir, cond. Maurizio Benini, recorded July 25-27, 1997, Dynamic CDS 204/1-2, 1998, streaming audio, Naxos Music Library, 8.
Bibliographic Entry:
Contributor. “Liner Notes or Section Title.” Liner Notes for Composer. Recording Title. Performer/Group/Conductor Name(s). Recorded Month Day, Year. Record Label Label Number, Release Year, streaming audio. Database.
Segalini, Sergio. “The Romantic Dream of Lucie.” Liner Notes for Gaetano Donizetti. Lucie de Lammermoor (Lucia di Lammermoor) (1893 French version). Patrizia Ciofi, Alexandru Badea, Nicolas Rivenq, Gregory Bonfatti, Riccardo Botta, Jae-Jun Lee, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, Bratislawa Chamber Choir, Maurizio Benini, conductor. Recorded July 25-27, 1997. Dynamic CDS 204/1-2, 1998, streaming audio. Naxos Music Library.
Print Liner Notes
Footnote:
Contributor, “Liner Notes or Section Title,” liner notes for Composer, Recording Title, Performer(s), recorded Month Day, Year, Record Label Label Number, release year, format, page number.
31 Tim Carter, “Mozart: Early Symphonies,” liner notes for W.A. Mozart, The Complete Mozart Symphonies, The English Consort, cond. Trevor Pinnock, recorded 1993-1995, Archiv Produktion 471 666-2, 2002, compact disc, 19.
Bibliographic Entry:
Contributor. “Liner Notes or Section Title.” Liner Notes for Composer. Recording Title. Performer(s). Recorded Month day, Year. Record Label Label Number, release year, format.
Carter, Tim. “Mozart: Early Symphonies.” Liner Notes for Mozart, W.A. The Complete Mozart Symphonies. The English Consort, Trevor Pinnock, conductor. Recorded 1993-1995. Archiv Produktion 471 666-2, 2002, compact disc.
Live Performances
Footnote:
Contributor(s), Title, Performance, Venue, Location, Month Day, Year.
31 Esperanze Spalding, Esperanza Spalding Live in Concert, concert performance, Symphony Center, Chicago, June 13, 2025.
Bibliographic Entry:
Contributor(s). Title. Performance. Venue, Location, Month Day, Year.
Spalding, Esperanze. Esperanza Spalding Live in Concert. Concert performance. Symphony Center, Chicago, June 13, 2025.
Please note that different citations styles may appear across different sub-disciplines within music. McGill University has provided a useful overview and additional links to the following citation resources broken down based on music discipline:
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