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Citation guide for music

A guide to citing music resources, with a focus on Chicago-style citation examples for various types of music materials

Hanging indent for reference list

Remember to indent after the first line of each bibliographic entry.

Author-Date examples

Here are some examples for your quick reference. For details, please refer to CMOS17 Chapter 15.

Elements of a book citation in Author-Date style

Book with 1-3 Authors
Reference
List:
Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. 2014. A History of Western Music. 9th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
In-Text: (Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 10-11) 
Book with 4 or More Authors
Reference
List:
Frith, Simon, Matt Brennan, Martin Cloonan, and Emma Webster. 2013. The History of Live Music in Britain, Vol. 1. New York: Routledge.
In-Text: (Frith et al. 2013, 10-11)
* Note: For the reference list, list all authors. In the text, cite only the last name of the first author followed by et al. (CMOS 15.9).
Book with an Editor
Reference
List:
Latham, Alison, ed. 2004. The Oxford Dictionary of Musical Terms. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
In-Text: (Latham 2004, 100)
Book with an Author, plus Editors/Translators
Reference
List:
Fendeĭzen, Nikolai. 2008. History of Music in Russia from Antiquity to 1800. Translated by Samuel William Pring. Edited and annotated by Miloš Velimirović and Claudia R. Jensen. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
In-Text: (Fendeĭzen 2008, 22)
* Note: When there are both editors and translators, record them in the order as appeared on the title page of the source (CMOS 14.104).
Chapter in an Edited Book
Reference
List:
Campbell, Edward. 2017. "French Music and the East: Colonising the Sound of an Empire." In The Orient in Music: Music of the Orient, edited by Magorzata Grajter, 60-75. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 
In-Text: (Campbell 2017, 61-62)
Chapter in a Festschrift
Reference
List:
Bianco, Anna. 2014. "From the Art Collection of Ton Koopman: A Possible Portrait of Francesco Saverio Geminiani." In Studies in Baroque: Festscrhfit Ton Koopman, edited by Albert Clement, 75-101. Bonn: Dr. J. Butz. 
In-Text: (Bianco 2014, 75-76)
* Note: Citing a chapter in a Festschrift follows the same guidelines for a book chapter.
Book in a Book Series
Reference
List:
Belkind, Nili. 2021. Music in Conflict: Palestine, Israel and the Politics of Aesthetic Production. SOAS Studies in Music. Abingdon: Routledge. 
In-Text: (Belkind 2021, 25)
* Note: (1) Series title is capitalized headline-style and not italicized (CMOS 14.123).
(2) For numbered series, the number follows the series title without intervening comma unless vol. or no. is used (CMOS 14.123).
E-Book
Reference
List:
Walls, Peter, ed. 2016. Baroque Music. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315096643.
In-Text: (Walls 2017, 12)
* Note: (1) Opt for a direct link to the source (e.g. DOI) rather than a link to the library's catalogue or a URL copied from the address bar of a browser (CMOS 14.8).
(2) Do not include the access date unless the date of publication cannot be determined from the source (CMOS 15.50).
(3) If no year of publication can be ascertained, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).
E-Book with No Publication Date
Reference
List:
Walls, Peter, ed. n.d. Baroque Music. London: Routledge. Accessed November 18, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315096643.
In-Text: (Walls n.d., 12)
* Note: If no year of publication can be ascertained, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).
Book that is Forthcoming, Not Yet Published
Reference
List:
Walls, Peter, ed. Forthcoming. Baroque Music. London: Routledge.
In-Text: (Walls, forthcoming)
* Note: If the publication is forthcoming, enter forthcoming as the year element (CMOS 15.45).

Note the followings for journal articles. For details, please refer to CMOS17 Chapter 15.

  • Article title in double quotations
  • Journal title in italics
  • Include the vol./issue numbers and month/season if available

Elements of a journal article citation in Author-Date style

Journal Article with 1-3 Authors
Reference
List:
Brandenburg, Sieghard, and William Drabkin. 1979. “Viewpoint: On Beethoven Scholars and Beethoven’s Sketches.” 19th-Century Music 2, no. 3 (March): 270–76.
In-Text: (Brandenburg and Drabkin 1979, 270) 
* Note:

(1) If all elements are provided (volume, issue number and month/season): Journal Title volume, no. issue (month): page range. E.g. 19th-Century Music 2, no. 3 (March): 270-76.
(2) If only volume and issue information is provided: Journal Title volume (issue number): page range. E.g. 19th-Century Music 2 (3): 270-76.
(3) If only the issue number is provided: Journal Title, no. issue, page range. E.g. 19th-Century Music, no. 3, 270-76.

Journal Article with 4 or More Authors
Reference
List:
Stuhl, Andy Kelleher, Alexandra Hui, Alexander Russo, and Amy Skjerseth. 2022. “Sounds of Accompaniment: Transcript from an SCMS 2022 Panel on Music, Technology, and Labor." Journal of Popular Music Studies 34, no. 3 (September): 6-29.
In-Text: (Stuhl et al. 1979, 10) 
* Note:

(1) In the reference list, include all authors. In the text, list only the last name of the first author followed by et al. (CMOS 15.9). 
(2) If all elements are provided (volume, issue number and month/season): Journal Title volume, no. issue (month): page range. E.g. Journal of Popular Music Studies 34, no. 3 (September): 6-29.
(3) If only volume and issue information is provided: Journal Title volume (issue number): page range. E.g. Journal of Popular Music Studies 34 (3): 6-29.
(4) If only the issue number is provided: Journal Title, no. issue, page range. E.g. Journal of Popular Music Studies, no. 3, 6-29.

E-Journal Article
Reference
List:
Brandenburg, Sieghard, and William Drabkin. 1979. “Viewpoint: On Beethoven Scholars and Beethoven’s Sketches.” 19th-Century Music 2, no. 3 (March): 270–76. https://doi.org/10.2307/3519805.
In-Text: (Brandenburg and Drabkin 1979, 270) 
* Note: (1) Opt for a direct link to the source (e.g. DOI) rather than a link to the library's catalogue or a URL copied from the address bar of a browser (CMOS 14.8).
(2) Do not include the access date unless the date of publication cannot be determined from the source (CMOS 15.50).
(3) If no year of publication can be ascertained, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).

The citation elements and formats for databases are similar to that for books. For details, please refer to CMOS17 Chapter 15.

Elements of a reference entry citation in Author-Date style

Article in Grove Music Online (As a Signed Article)
Reference
List:
Kerman, Joseph, Alan Tyson, Scott G. Burnham, Douglas Johnson, and William Drabkin. 2001. "Beethoven, Ludwig van." In Grove Music Online. New York: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40026.
In-Text: (Kerman et al. 2001) 
* Note: (1) Opt for a direct link to the source (e.g. DOI) rather than a link to the library's catalogue or a URL copied from the address bar of a browser (CMOS 14.8).
(2) Do not include the access date unless the date of publication or revision for the cited entry cannot be determined from the source (CMOS 15.50).
(3) If no date of publication or revision can be ascertained, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).
Article in Grove Music Online (As an Alphabetical Entry)
Reference
List:
Grove Music Online. 2001. s.v. "Beethoven, Ludwig van." Accessed November 18, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40026.
In-Text: (Grove Music Online 2001) 
* Note: (1) s.v. (sub verbo) means the item is cited under the word in an alphabetically arranged work (CMOS 14.232).
(2) Opt for a direct link to the source (e.g. DOI) rather than a link to the library's catalogue or a URL copied from the address bar of a browser (CMOS 14.8).
(3) Do not include the access date unless the date of publication or revision for the cited entry cannot be determined from the source (CMOS 15.50).
(4) If no date of publication or revision can be ascertained, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).
Article in MGG Online (As a Signed Article)
Reference
List:
Schubert, Giselher. June 2021. "Hindemith, Paul." In MGG Online. Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag, 2021. https://www.mgg-online.com/mgg/stable/395530.
In-Text: (Schubert 2021)
* Note: (1) Opt for a direct link to the source (e.g. DOI) rather than a link to the library's catalogue or a URL copied from the address bar of a browser (CMOS 14.8).
(2) Do not include the access date unless the date of publication or revision for the cited entry cannot be determined from the source (CMOS 15.50).
(3) If no date of publication or revision can be ascertained, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).

For details, please refer to CMOS Chapter 15.

Elements of a webpage citation in Author-Date style

Webpage within a Website
Reference
List:
Phamox Music. n.d. "African Musicians." Phamox Music: Music is Life and Life is Music!!! Accessed November 18, 2022. https://phamoxmusic.com/category/musicians/african-musicians.
In-Text: (Phamox Music, n.d.)
* Note: If no date of publication or revision can be determined from the website, insert n.d. in the place of the year and add an access date (CMOS 15.50).
Wikipedia Entry
Reference
List:
Wikipedia. 2022. s.v. "Inuit Throat Singing." Last modified September 11, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_throat_singing.
In-Text: (Wikipedia 2022)
* Note: (1) Wikipedia is treated as the title of the website rather than a conventional encyclopedia. Thus, it is set in roman, not italics.
(2) The date of modification is indicated at the bottom of the wiki page and is therefore included in the citation. No access date is needed (CMOS 14.207).
Blog Post
Reference
List:
Oteri, Frank J. 2022. "Tania León: The Rhythm of Life." NewMusicBox (blog), New Music USA. December 7, 2022. https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/tania-leon-the-rhythm-of-lilfe.
In-Text: (Oteri 2022)
* Note: (1) Title of the post in quotation marks.
(2) Title of the blog in italics.
(3) If the blog is part of a larger publication, include the name of that publication.
(4) Include the date of the post.
(5) For details about citing a blog post, see CMOS 15.51.

Citing scores is similar to that for books. For details, please refer to CMOS17 Chapter 15.

Elements of a score citation in Author-Date style

Score
Reference
List:
Beethoven, Ludwig van. 1989. Diabelli-Variationen, Opus 120. Fingering by Walter Georgii. München: Henle.
In-Text: (Beethoven 1989) 
Online Score
Reference
List:
Takemitsu, Toru. 1973. Stanza I (1969). London: Universal Edition. Music Online: Classical Scores Library.
In-Text: (Takemitsu 1973)
* Note: When the source is available through a subscription or library account, name the database in lieu of a URL (CMOS 14.11).
Score from complete works
Reference List: 

Busnoys, Antoine. [2000?]. "Missa l'homme armé." In The Latin-Texted Works, edited by Richard Taruskin, 100-160. Part 2 of Antoine Busnoys Collected Works. New York: Broude Trust, 1990-2015.

In-Text: (Busnoys [2000?], 130)
* Note:

(1) A score from a complete work edition (i.e. specific parts of individual volumes of multivolume books) follows essentially the same style as a chapter of a book (CMOS 14.120).

(2) When listing a volume of a multivolume work, the date of that volume follows the author's name. Information about the multivolume work as a whole comes after the information about the individual volume.

(3) The corresponding in-text citation of (2) above would list only the year of that volume and the specific page numbers without referencing to the volume number (CMOS 14.120).

Depending on the purpose of the sound recording citation, you may put the composer or the performer as the author. Also, for audiovisual materials, the Author-Date system emphasizes the date of the original recording in the citation. Hence, this date (instead of the date of a subsequent release) is placed after the author/composer's name (CMOS 15.57). 

Below are some of the specific elements that should be included (where applicable). For details, please refer to CMOS17 14.261 and 14.263.

  1. Name of the composer, performer, etc. and their designation such as vocalist, conductor, or director
  2. Title of the individual track in double quotations
  3. Title of the album in italics
  4. Names of additional contributors
  5. Copyright/publication/release date
  6. Location of the recording or performance
  7. Medium/format, duration of the recording

Elements of a sound recording citation in Author-Date style

CD (For a Whole Recording)
Reference
List:
Britten, Benjamin. 1958. Peter Grimes. Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Benjamin Britten. With Peter Pears, Claire Watson, James Pease, David Kelly, et al. Decca 467 682-2, 2001, 2 compact discs.
In-Text: (Britten 1958) 
* Note: Here Benjamin Britten is both the composer and conductor, hence appearing twice in the citation.
LP (Individual Track Featuring the Composer)
Reference
List:
Shostakovich, Dmitry. 1998. "Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99." On Midori, Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic: Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99. Berlin Philharmonic, Midori Goto, violinist and Claudio Abbado, conductor. Sony Classical 827969308820, 2004, LP.
In-Text: (Shostakovich 1998) 
Streaming Audio (Individual Track Featuring the Performer)
Reference
List:
Goto, Midori, violinist. 1998. "Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99," by Dmitry Shostakovich. On Midori, Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic: Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99. Sony Classical 827969308820, 2004, streaming audio. Naxos Music Library.
In-Text: (Goto 1998) 
* Note: (1) List the service or the file format (CMOS 14.263).
(2) When the source is available through a subscription or library account, name the database in lieu of a URL (CMOS 14.11).

For audiovisual materials, the Author-Date system emphasizes the date of the original recording in the citation. Hence, this date (instead of the date of a subsequent release) is placed after the author/composer's name (CMOS 15.57). For details, please refer to CMOS17 Chapter 15.

Elements of a video citation in Author-Date style

DVD
Reference
List:
Tan, Dun. 2002. Tea: A Mirror of Soul: Opera in Three Acts. Directed by Pierre Audi. Bass-Baritone Chorus of the Netherlands Opera, NHK Symphony Orchestra.  With Haijing Fu, Nancy Allen Lundy, Christopher Gillett, Ning Liang, and Stephen Richardson (vocalists). Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophone, 2004. DVD, 148 min.
In-Text: (Tan, 2002)
* Note: The date of the original recording (instead of the date of a subsequent release) is placed after the author/composer's name. 
Streaming Video
Reference 
List:
World Music. Musicians in Brazil (1). 2008. Directed by Chronis Pchlivanidis and Angeliki Aristomenopoulou. Onos Productions, 2008. Streaming video, 50:24. medici.tv.
In-Text: (Tan, 2002)
* Note: (1) List the service or the file format at the end (CMOS 14.263).
(2) When the source is available through a subscription or library account, name the database in lieu of a URL (CMOS 14.11).
YouTube Video
Reference 
List:
Javanese Gamelan Ensemble. 2014. "Pelog Barang - Singa Nebah (The Pouncing Lion)." Northern Illinois University School of Music. YouTube video, 03:01. https://youtu.be/p3HwqqiVxbE.
In-Text: (Javanese Gamelan Ensemble, 2014)

Generally, cite the sound recording as usual and add "Liner notes" at the end (CMOS FAQ). For a signed liner note, cite by the author's name, followed by the title (if applicable).


Elements of a liner notes citation in Author-Date style

Unsigned Liner Notes
Reference 
List:
Ravel, Gershwin: Piano concertos. 2017. Dennis Kozhukhin, pianist, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Kazuki Yamada, conductor. Recorded July 2017. Pentatone PTC 5186 620, 2018, SACD. Liner notes.
In-Text: (Ravel, Gershwin: Piano concertos 1958, [5]) 
* Note:  The liner notes booklet here is unpaged. In this case, count the pages, cite the page number as usual and put brackets around it.
Signed Liner Notes
Reference 
List:
Row, Grace. 1986. "To the Edge of Dream." To the Edge of Dream: Esa-Pekka Salonen: Messiaen, Takemitsu, Lutoslawski. Sony Classical SMK 53473, 1993, compact disc. Liner notes.
In-Text: (Row 1986, 4-5) 
Online Signed Liner Notes
Reference 
List:
Niels, Elger. 2001. "Sergei Rachmaninov." Sergei Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 1 & 4, by Sergei Rachmaninov. Alexander Ghindin, pianist, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor. Ondine ODE977-2, 2001, streaming audio. Naxos Music Library. Liner notes.
In-Text: (Niels 2001, 3-9)

As stated in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)'s position statement, AI tools do not hold authorship as they cannot take responsibility for the work they generated. Yet, it is still necessary to credit if using AI-generated text in papers and assignments. Cite it in-text, but not in the reference list unless a publicly available link is provided. For details, please refer to CMOS17 FAQ.

Elements of an AI-generated text citation in Author-Date style

When the prompt has been included in the body of the paper

Reference List:

(Do not include it in the reference list.)

In-Text:

When asked to list all countries in Southeast Asia that have been colonized by Britain, Google’s Gemini listed Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore.

When the prompt has not been included in the body of the paper

Reference List:

(Do not include it in the reference list.)

In-Text:

The following list of Southeast Asian countries have been colonized by Britain, as generated by ChatGPT, February 14, 2024.

The following list of Southeast Asian countries have been colonized by Britain (ChatGPT, February 14, 2024).

* Note: 

(1) The generative AI tool, ChatGPT, appears as the "author" in the citation.

(2) The date is when the text was generated by AI.

When the AI-generated text has been edited when incorporating into the body of the paper

Reference List:

(Do not include it in the reference list.)

In-Text:

When asked to list all countries in Southeast Asia that have been colonized by Britain, Google’s Gemini indicated that Singapore was one of them (edited for style and content).

* Note: 

Add at the end of the sentence "(edited for style and content)"

When citing a fonds, no need to include n.d. (no date) in the citation.  However, when citing an item in a fonds, mention the date in the text when applicable/available (CMOS 15.54).

Elements of an archival material citation

An item in a fonds
Reference List: Emmy Heim Fonds. University of Toronto Music Library.
In-Text:  In the program of Lieder-Abend dated 1913 (Emmy Heim Fonds, file C-1-03), it shows that ...

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