How to Cite a Song or Music in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite a song or music recording in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a song or music in your bibliography:
Artist Last Name, First Name. "Title of Song." Track # on Album Title. Record Label, Year.
Chicago Example for a Song or Music
A complete Chicago reference for a song or music, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Nakamura, Rei. 2020. “Marginalia.” In Quiet Library. Blue Room Records. Album.
Matching in-text citation: (Nakamura 2020)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Artist Year)
Narrative
Artist (Year) describes...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Put the song title in quotation marks.
- Italicize the album title.
- Include track number, record label, and year.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your song or music.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: chicago.csl
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a song or music in Chicago?
- To cite a song or music in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Chicago format for a song or music citation?
- The Chicago format for a song or music is: Artist Last Name, First Name. "Title of Song." Track # on Album Title. Record Label, Year.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a song or music in Chicago?
- In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Artist Year)
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