Capitalising Every Word In A Song Title Is Silly!

/ satchmo67

I’ve got a pet peeve to share: Capitalising Every Word In A Song Title Is Silly! Not only does it look clunky, but it’s also not correct grammar.

This isn’t just a matter of personal preference. There are long-standing style guides that set the standards for how titles should be written. A few of the big ones are:

  • Chicago Manual of Style (widely used in US publishing and the music industry, first published 1906).
  • AP Style (standard in US journalism, first published 1953).
  • Oxford / British Style Guides (common in UK publishing and academia, with roots in the early 20th century).

Looking for some backup, I put the question to ChatGPT, and got the confirmation I was looking for. So here it is, for your reference (or to quickly scroll past):

🎵 Title Capitalisation Cheat Sheet

1. Songs / Pop & Jazz Titles (Title Case)

  • Capitalise: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs.
  • Lowercase: a, an, the, and, but, or, for, nor, on, at, by, to, in, of, with (unless first or last word).

Examples:

  • ✅ Bridge over Troubled Water
  • ✅ A Whiter Shade of Pale
  • ✅ Land of Make Believe

2. Classical Works (Sentence Case Is Common)

  • Only the first word and proper nouns get capitals.
  • Generic terms (concerto, symphony, variations, quartet) stay lowercase.

Examples:

  • ✅ Variations on a theme by Erik Satie
  • ✅ Piano concerto in A minor, Op. 16
  • ✅ Symphony no. 5 in C minor

👉 If writing for a US or non-academic audience, Title Case is also acceptable:

  • Variations on a Theme by Erik Satie

3. General Writing / Blogs / Articles

  • Chicago Style → Title Case (common in books, websites, publishing).
  • Oxford / UK academic style → Sentence case.

Examples:

  • Chicago: How to Badger Your Neighbours with Daily Trumpet Practice
  • Oxford: How to badger your neighbours with daily trumpet practice

✅ Quick Rules to Remember

  1. Don’t capitalise short joining words (of, on, a, the, and, in) unless at the start/end.
  2. Songs = Title Case. Classical = Sentence case. Blogs = depends on audience.
  3. Consistency beats perfection — pick one system and stick with it.

All that said, I’ve noticed albums in my own collection where the song titles are printed entirely in UPPER CASE, sidestepping the issue altogether. 🤣

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