use Data::Dumper;
  use XML::Simple;

  my $ref = XMLin(\*DATA);
  print Dumper($ref);

  __DATA__
  <result>
    <cd serial="001">
        <artists>
           <artist>Smashing Pumpkins</artist>
        </artists>
        <title>I Am One</title>
    </cd>
    <cd serial="002">
        <artists>
           <artist>Foo Fighters</artist>
           <artist>Smashing Pumpkins</artist>
        </artists>
        <title>The Shield Soundtrack</title>
    </cd>
  </result>