Harvard Referencing Guide

How to Cite Music and Recordings in Harvard Style

Whether you’re looking to cite the latest hit by Drake or an album of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, we’ve got you covered.

Citing a single song or track on CD or vinyl 

To cite a single song or track on CD or vinyl you will need the following:

  • Artist name
  • Year of publication
  • Title of song
  • Title of album
  • Audio format (CD/vinyl)
  • Place of publication
  • Record label

Format for citing a single song or track on CD or vinyl

Artist Name (Year of publication) ‘Title of Song’, Title of Album [Format]. Place of Publication: Record Label.

For example:

Michael Jackson (1982) ‘Billie Jean’, Thriller [Vinyl]. New York: Epic Records.

Format for citing an album on CD or vinyl

When citing an entire album you no longer need to include any track information.

The format for citing an album on CD or vinyl is as follows:

Artist Name (Year of publication) Title of Album [Format]. Place of Publication: Record Label.

For example:

Beyoncé (2016) Lemonade [CD]. New York: Columbia Records.

Pink Floyd (1979) The Wall [Vinyl]. New York: Columbia Records.

Citing music recordings on digital formats

When citing recordings on digital formats you no longer need to include information regarding the place of publication or record label. Instead, you must include a URL to your streaming/digital music platform source.

Format for citing a single track from a digital source

Artist Name (Year of publication) ‘Title of Song’, Title of Album. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

For example:

Nicki Minaj (2012) ‘Getting Paid’,Ghetto Barbie. Available at: https://www.last.fm/music/Nicki+Minaj/Ghetto+Barbie/Getting+Paid (Accessed: 19 September 2020).

Format for citing an album from a digital source

Artist Name (Year of publication) Title of Album. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

For example:

Bon Jovi (2000)Crush. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/album/0Q9SljCrM0CL0bR23MuP69 (Accessed: 9 January 2022).