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How To Find a Song at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Reference books

This guide will help you get started in your search for that famous or little-known song. Guide by Bob Kosovsky.

Books in the reference section on the third floor

All the books listed on this tab can be found in the reference section on the third floor of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

General Reference Books

  • Bloom, Ken.
    American song : the complete companion to Tin Pan Alley song.
    New York : Schirmer Books, 2001.
    Call number: JMF 01-1529
     
  • Bloom, Ken.
    American song : the complete musical theatre companion.
    2nd edition. New York : Schirmer Books ; London : Prentice Hall International, 1996.
    Call number: JNF 96-97
     
  • Bloom, Ken.
    Hollywood song : the complete film & musical companion.
    New York : Facts on File, 1995.
    Call number: JNF 96-23
     
  • Stubblebine, Donald J., 1925- 
    British cinema sheet music : a comprehensive listing of film music published in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, 1916 through 1994.
    Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 1997
    Call number: JME 97-678
     
  • Stubblebine, Donald J., 1925- 
    Broadway sheet music : a comprehensive listing of published music from Broadway and other stage shows, 1918-1993.
    Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 1996.
    Call number: JNE 96-85
     
  • Stubblebine, Donald J., 1925-
    Cinema sheet music : a comprehensive listing of published film music from Squaw man (1914) to Batman (1989).
    Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 1991.
    Cal number: JME 92-27

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  • Stubblebine, Donald J., 1925- 
    Early Broadway sheet music : a comprehensive listing of published music from Broadway and other stage shows, 1843-1918.
    Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 2002. 
    Call number: JME 02-254

 

Specialized Reference Books

Subject Guides

Green, Jeff.
The green book of songs by subject : the thematic guide to popular music. 4th edition, updated and expanded.
Nashville, Tenn. : Professional Desk Reference, 1995.
Call number: JME 95-153

 

Stecheson, Anthony and Anne Stecheson.
The Stecheson classified song directory.
Hollywood, Calif. : Music Industry Press, 1961.
Call number: *R-Music 08-441  

 

Chronological Guides

Mattfeld, Julius.
Variety music cavalcade, 1620-1969 : a chronology of vocal and instrumental music popular in the United States : 3rd edition with an introduction by Abel Green.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall, [1971]
Call number:  *R-Music 72-649 
 

Tyler, Don.
Hit songs, 1900-1955 : American popular music of the pre-rock era. 
Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, c2007
Call number:  JMF 07-1591

 

Whitburn, Joel.
Joel Whitburn presents A century of pop music : year-by-year top 40 rankings of the songs & artists that shaped a century : compiled from America's popular music charts, surveys, and record listings 1900-1939, and Billboard's pop singles charts, 1940-1999.
Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research, 1999.
Call number: *L 01-4247