Introduction: Library Databases for Music and Interdisciplinary Research
This page contains information about the major databases for music literature, as well as other interdisciplinary and subject-specific databases that may be useful for your research. For more database options, please see the instructions provided in this guide for using the libraries' A-Z Databases tool.
Music Databases
- RILM Abstracts of Music Literature This link opens in a new window
RILM (Repertoire International de Litterature Musicale) Abstracts provides citations and abstracts of articles in music periodicals, conference proceedings, books, bibliographies, catalogs, dissertations, Festschriften, and iconographies. Thousands of journals in hundreds of languages are indexed.
- Music Index This link opens in a new window
Provides citations to articles on topics such as history of music, forms and types of music (including popular music), history of musical instruments, including computer produced music. Also included are book reviews, record reviews, first performances, and obituaries.
- Music Periodicals Database This link opens in a new window
Provides indexing and abstracts for international music periodicals from multiple countries, plus some full text. Most of the included records are from the most recent ten years of publication. Covers music education, performance, ethnomusicology, musical theatre, theory, popular music forms, composition, etc.
- Rock's Backpages This link opens in a new window
This database of rock journalism includes articles and reviews, fully searchable by artist, genre, writer, or keyword. Also included are audio interviews with rock musicians.
Communication & Media Studies Databases
- Communication Source This link opens in a new window
Communication Source merges EBSCOs Communication & Mass Media Complete database with content from Communication Abstracts, providing comprehensive indexing and full-text coverage of literature covering communication, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language pathology, media studies and related fields.
- MLA International Bibliography with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Consists of bibliographic records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, and folklore, and includes coverage from 1963 to the present. Provides access to scholarly research in journals and series, and covers relevant monographs, working papers, proceedings, bibliographies, and other formats.
A-Z Databases
Looking for another database?
The libraries' A-Z Database list is an excellent resource for identifying appropriate databases for your research. This tool gives you the option to view the libraries' databases by subject, database type, and publisher. If you have a specific database or keyword in mind, you can enter this information in the search bar. To find databases on a specific subject, click the arrows next to "All Subjects" to view the options.
