Researchers in music draw on both general academic databases and specialist resources. While Scopus and Web of Science help track citation networks across disciplines, music-focused databases such as RILM and RISM provide access to literature, primary sources, and archival material essential for musicology and cultural research. In parallel, industry-facing platforms like Chartmetric and PRS Repertoire Search provide vital data on contemporary music markets and rights.
General Academic Databases (multi-disciplinary)
Scopus – Large abstract and citation database (STEM, social sciences, arts).
Web of Science – Citation indexing across disciplines; strong for citation tracking.
Google Scholar – Freely available, good for quick searches (less precise).
JSTOR – Digital library with strong coverage in humanities and social sciences.
ProQuest – Broad database including theses, dissertations, and grey literature.
Music-Specific Scholarly Databases
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature – Core international bibliography of music scholarship, covering articles, books, conference proceedings.
RIPM (Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals) – Historical journals and reviews (18th–20th century).
RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales) – Database of musical sources, manuscripts, early prints, and archival holdings.
Oxford Music Online (Grove Music Online) – Authoritative reference works in musicology.
Music Index – Index to music journals, both scholarly and popular.
Primary Sources & Archives for Music
British Library Sound Archive – Extensive audio collections (oral histories, recordings).
Europeana Music – Digitised music collections across European libraries.
IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project) – Free access to public-domain scores.
Naxos Music Library – Streaming library for listening and analysis (subscription-based).
Music Industry / Professional Databases
Music Business Worldwide / Music Ally – Industry news, reports, and analysis.
Chartmetric – Analytics on artists, playlists, and streaming data.
Muso.ai – Credits database for recordings (musicians, producers, engineers).
Discogs – Comprehensive user-generated database of releases, labels, formats.
PRS for Music / PPL Repertoire Search – Rights and licensing databases.
