Artist Credits: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 20:59, 22 May 2015

Artist credits indicate who is the main credited artist (or artists) for releases, release groups, tracks and recordings, and how they are credited. They consist of artists, with (optionally) their names as credited in the specific release, track, etc., and join phrases between them.

Use of artist credits

This page describes the use of artist credits (or ACs for short), and gives examples. It is not a style guideline - for that, check the style guidelines for artist credits.

That said, there are better and worse uses for artist credits.

  1. Use to indicate collaborations when possible (when not, use the collaboration relationship type).
  2. Use to indicate variations in an artist's name
    Name variations should not be used for
    • Performance names that are considered separate artists (see the guidelines for artists).
    • Variations based on graphic design choices rather than on artist intent (for example, if a release uses "AЯTIST" for its visual effect, the intended credit might still be "Artist").

How to edit

While the examples below are for releases, artist credits can also be added to tracks, recordings and release groups. The process is similar for each.

Name variations

Entering the release editor
Accessing the artist credit tool

To change how an artist is credited on a particular release

  • Enter the release editor
  • Access the artist credit tool by clicking the ">>" arrow beside the artist's name
  • Edit only the "Artist as credited" field (not the green "Artist" field)
    • A preview will be generated by the artist credit tool. Check carefully before submitting your edit


Collaborations

To create a collaboration artist credit for a whole release

  • Enter the release editor
  • Access the artist credit tool by clicking the ">>" arrow beside the artist's name
  • To add additional artists to the collaboration, use the "Add Artist Credit" button
    • you can (of course) use name variations (see above) for the artists in a collaboration
    • join phrases might include words and/or punctuation as they appear on the release, but note: the style guidelines include specific guidelines for "featured" artists in popular music.
    • as you add artists and join phrases, a preview will be generated by the artist credit tool. Check carefully for correct spacing before submitting your edit
    • adding a join phrase after the last artist can be done by adding an additional "empty" artist field to the collaboration
Multiple artists

To create a collaboration artist credit for a single track in a release

  • Go to the Tracklist tab in the release editor
  • Press "Edit" by the artist for a track to open the artist credit tool
  • To add additional artists to the collaboration, use the "Add Artist Credit" button
    • you can (of course) use name variations (see above) for the artists in a collaboration
    • join phrases might include words and/or punctuation as they appear on the release, but note: the style guidelines include specific guidelines for "featured" artists in popular music.
    • as you add artists and join phrases, a preview will be generated by the artist credit tool. Check carefully for correct spacing before submitting your edit
    • adding a join phrase after the last artist can be done by just writing it in the "Join phrase" field in the last line
  • If you want to change a track artist which has been modified via the artist credit tool, you'll have to open the tool again

"Splitting" existing collaboration artists

Before artist credits were added to MusicBrainz, collaborations were often entered using the collaboration relationship. If you find an existing collaboration that you feel would be better represented as an artist credit, see How to Split Artists.

Examples

Name variations

Simple name variation
Alex Band / Alex Max Band
Name variations including character and voice-actor credits
Macross Frontier O.S.T. II: Nyan Tora

Collaborations

Simple collaboration
Bert Jansch & John Renbourn
Simple collaborations in a language that inflects nouns to indicate association
2010LP
More complex collaborations
DJ Muggs vs. Ill Bill
Simple "featured artist" in popular music
Pearl

Other Uses

Simple split release
Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age
Use of "join phrases" to more closely match the "as on cover" credits (controversial)
The Quintet of The Hot Club of France with Django Reinhardt (Guitar) & Stephane Grappelly (Violin)



How-To Pages
Introductory Guides
Basic How-Tos
Specific How-Tos