Song titles in stories

[Immaterialist]

It's there any issue with respect to referencing song titles in stories?

I'm about to submit a story where the point of view character creates a Playlist of songs she had imagined being the soundtracks to the love scenes she would have with her lover, only for them to be separated and reunited decades later. I reference "Because the Night" by 10,000 Maniacs at the start of a scene and "Criminal" by Fiona Apple at the end (with a quote of the first line "I've been a bad bad girl).

 

[Voboy]

Perfectly fine.

Quoting lyrics excessively can be a problem. You're not doing that.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There is no copyright on titles.

 

[Immaterialist]

Perfectly fine.

Quoting lyrics excessively can be a problem. You're not doing that.

Thank you for the insight

 

[Immaterialist]

There is no copyright on titles.

Thank you very much

 

[Fatdog25]

Many of my stories have referenced titles and a couple have referenced specific lines. I credit the artist in the text.

 

[Erozetta]

I literally title a lot of my stories using song titles.

Referencing them within the story text should be fine.

 

[THBGato]

As others have said, you'll be fine. My series "Love is a Place" is named after a Jamie Wyatt song, while "Thirty" was inspired by The Weather Station song of the same name.

 

[StillStunned]

A couple of song titles for story titles - Flesh for Fantasy and Fairytale of New York - and even a line of lyrics to open a story - Love at First Sight - that were all approved with no problem seem to indicate that Lit doesn't have any issue with this.

 

[LonRivers]

I would say go for it, just don't bash a band or mention a popular product just to trash it. That may put readers off if they like that particular band or product.

You can actually reach the readers more if you mention someone or something that they can relate to.

I try to create new names when possible. I am writing a story that takes place in Chicago and Kansas. Chicago and Kansas are real of course, but the places the characters go are fictional.

 

[OffNSFW]

My story "Summer of Sydney" includes lyrics from "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran (and Alan Jackson, and Rush, and...), while my most recent story, "Storyteller," includes lyrics from "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes. I never ran into any trouble with the mods. In fact, the latter was kicked back to me with a reminder of how to format the line breaks correctly.

I also ended my geek pride story, "The Virgin Islands," with a list of the co-lead character's favorite science fiction movies. Again, no problems.