Do You Italicize Song Titles? APA, MLA, and Chicago Style Guide

When writing academic papers or professional documents, students often wonder: Do you italicize song titles? The answer depends on the citation style you are following—APA, MLA, or Chicago. Understanding the rules ensures your writing remains accurate and polished.

APA Style

In APA (American Psychological Association) style, song titles are written in italics and placed in sentence case. For example: Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. However, the album name should also be italicized and capitalized properly. Example: Divide.

MLA Style

In MLA (Modern Language Association) style, song titles are placed in quotation marks, while the album name is italicized. For example: “Shape of You” from Divide. This rule applies whether you’re citing a physical album or an online source.

Chicago Style

In the Chicago Manual of Style, the approach is similar to MLA. Individual songs go in quotation marks, while album titles appear in italics. For example: “Shape of You,” from the album Divide.

Why Formatting Matters

Correctly formatting song titles isn’t just about following rules—it demonstrates professionalism and respect for academic standards. Whether you’re writing an essay, research paper, or music analysis, consistency is key.

At StudyUnicorn.com, we guide students through style formats like APA, MLA, and Chicago so you never second-guess details like how to cite or format a title. By mastering these small but important rules, your writing becomes clear, credible, and academically strong.