Do You Italicize Song Titles?
The quick rule: Song titles go in quotation marks, whereas album titles are italicized.
- • Song Titles (Short Works): Put in double quotation marks — e.g. "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- • Album Titles (Long Works): Italicize — e.g. A Night at the Opera
- • EPs & Extended Plays: Italicize — e.g. Thriller EP
Style Guide Comparison (MLA vs APA vs Chicago)
"Titles of short musical works, such as individual songs and tracks, are enclosed in quotation marks. Titles of long musical works, such as operas, oratorios, and full-length albums, are italicized."
— The Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition, Section 8.194) & MLA Handbook (9th Edition)
| Style Guide | Song Title Format | Album Title Format | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLA Style | Quotation Marks | Italics | "Hotel California" from Hotel California |
| APA Style | Quotation Marks | Italics | "Shape of You" on ÷ (Divide) |
| Chicago Manual | Quotation Marks | Italics | "Yesterday" on Help! |
Related Resources & Next Steps
Writing an academic paper or essay? Check out our complete guide on How to Write a Song Title in an Essay for detailed MLA and APA citation rules.
If you are a songwriter looking for title inspiration, use our free AI Song Title Generator or write structured lyrics using the AI Lyrics Studio.
Ready to hear your lyrics transformed into full vocal arrangements? Visit our Text to Song Studio to generate studio-quality audio in seconds.
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