Liner notes

You may need to consult more than one section of Re:cite to accurately represent the source used. Your citation may look different depending on the number of authors it has. Check the frequently asked questions about Chicago A for further advice.

The citation of liner notes accompanying audio recordings is not dealt with comprehensively in the Chicago Manual of Style, apart from a brief note in the Q&A section. The following guidance incorporates this advice but also includes some interpretation based on examples provided for sound recordings and supplementary information (e.g. a preface to a book).

Footnote template

No author

Footnote number. Composer/Performer, Title of recording, Label & Publisher number, date, format, liner notes, page number.

With an author

Footnote number. Author of notes, [liner notes to] Composer/Performer, Title, Label & Publisher number, date, format, page number.

Footnote examples

No author

13. Idea of North, The Gospel Project, Magnetic Records 934 128-4, 2006, compact disc, liner notes.

With an author

22. David Cairns, liner notes to Hector Berlioz, The Complete Works, Warner Classics 190295519414, 2019, compact disc, 40.

Second and subsequent entries:

36. Idea of North, liner notes.

OR

45. Cairns, liner notes, 42.

Bibliography

Bibliography template

No author

Composer/Performer. Title of Recording. Label & publisher number, date. Format. Liner notes.

With an author

Author Surname, Given Name. [Liner notes to] Composer/Performer. Title of Recording. Label & publisher number, date. Format.

Bibliography examples

No author

Idea of North. The Gospel Project. Magnetic Records 934 128-4, 2006. Compact disc. Liner notes.

With an author

Cairns, David. Liner notes to Hector Berlioz. The Complete Works. Warner Classics 190295519414, 2019. Compact disc.

Tips for this reference type

  • Liner notes are not mentioned in the Chicago Manual of Style itself. See this brief note on liner notes in the Q&A section and Manual 14.163 for citing Musical Recordings. Liner notes accompanying a sound recording may also be treated like a preface to a book. See Manual 14.12. Please check with your lecturer if you are unsure of how to deal with citation of liner notes.
  • Where liner notes are unsigned (no attributed author), simply include 'Liner notes' at the end of the citation. Where there is a named author, you may cite them by the name of the author.
  • If the notes are titled, include the title in quotation marks after the author or composer/performer's name.
  • Include any information about the work that is relevant, including performers, conductors, performance dates, medium and publisher details.
  • For the date, include the date of the recording, the copyright date or published date included with the recording. If a date cannot be found, consult a library catalogue or other resource. Citations without a date are generally unacceptable. If no date can be found, use “n.d.” (for no date).
  • Publisher numbers can be found on the CD liner notes or track listing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)