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=Album Attributes=
=Release Attributes=


Album attributes define the [[Release Type|ReleaseType]] and the [[Release Status|ReleaseStatus]] of an audio release and provide information about the contents of the release. They are also used to generally categorize albums.
Release attributes define the [[Release Type|ReleaseType]] and the [[Release Status|ReleaseStatus]] of an audio release and provide information about the contents of the release. They are also used to generally categorize releases.


Album attributes should apply to most of the tracks on the album. It's OK to have a couple of tracks that do not fit the album attribute, as long as the attribute applies to the album overall.
Release attributes should apply to most of the tracks on the release. It's OK to have a couple of tracks that do not fit the release attribute, as long as the attribute applies to the release overall.


'''Status:''' This is an [[Official Style Guideline|OfficialStyleGuideline]]. ''(This is also a work in progress and there is a [[Release Type Restructuring Proposal|ReleaseTypeRestructuringProposal]]).''
'''Status:''' This is an [[Official Style Guideline|OfficialStyleGuideline]]. ''(This is also a work in progress and there is a [[Release Type Restructuring Proposal|ReleaseTypeRestructuringProposal]]).''

This page lists just a brief summary of release attributes. Further detail can be found on [[Release Type|ReleaseType]] and [[Release Status|ReleaseStatus]].


==Release Types==
==Release Types==


* '''Album''' - An album, perhaps better defined as a "Long Play" (LP) release, generally consists of previously unreleased material. This includes release re-issues, with or without bonus tracks.
* '''Album''':
* '''Single''' - A single typically has one main song and possibly a handful of additional tracks or remixes of the main track. A single is usually named after its main song. A single has different definitions in different markets, so if you are unsure please check the ReleaseAttributes page.
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">An album, perhaps better defined as a "Long Play" (LP) release, generally consists of previously unreleased material. This includes album re-issues, with or without bonus tracks.
* '''EP''' - An EP is a so-called "Extended Play" release and often contains the letters EP in the title.
</ul>
* '''Compilation''' - A compilation is a collection of previously released tracks by one or more artists. Please note that this is a simplified description of a compilation. If you are unsure, please refer to the full description on the ReleaseAttributes page.
* '''Single''':
* '''Soundtrack''' - A soundtrack is the musical score to a movie, TV series, stage show, computer game etc.
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">A single has different definitions depending on the market it is released for.
* '''Spokenword''' - Non-music spoken word releases.
</ul>
* '''Interview''' - An interview release contains an interview, generally with an Artist.
** In the '''US market''', a single typically has one main song and possibly a handful of additional tracks or remixes of the main track; the single is usually named after its main song; the single is primarily released to get radio play and to promote album sales.
* '''Audiobook''' - An audiobook is a book read by a narrator without music.
** The '''U.K. market''' (also Australia and Europe) is similar to the US market, however singles are often released as a two disc set, with each disc sold seperately. They also sometimes have a longer version of the single (often combining the tracks from the two disc version) which is very similar to the US style single, and this is referred to as a "maxi-single". (In some cases the maxi-single is longer than the album the single comes from!)
* '''Live''' - A release that was recorded live.
** The '''Japanese market''' is much more single driven. The defining factor is typically the length of the single and the price it is sold at. Up until 1995 it was common that these singles would be released using a mini-cd format, which is basically a much smaller CD typically 8 cm in diameter. Around 1995 the 8cm single was phased out, and the standard 12cm CD single is more common now; generally re-releases of singles from pre-1995 will be released on the 12cm format, even if they were originally released on the 8cm format.
* '''Remix''' - A release that primarily contains remixed material.

* '''Other''' - Any release that does not fit or can't decisively be placed in any of the categories above.
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">There are other variations of the single called a "split single" where songs by two different artists are released on the one disc, typically vinyl. The term "B-Side" comes from the era when singles were released on 7 inch (or sometimes 12 inch) vinyl with a song on each side, and so side A is the track that the single is named for, and the other side - side B - would contain a bonus song, or sometimes even the same song.
</ul>
* '''EP''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">An EP is a so-called "Extended Play" release and often contains the letters EP in the title. Generally an EP will be shorter than a full length album (an LP or "Long Play") and the tracks are usually exclusive to the EP, in other words the tracks don't come from a previously released album. EP is fairly difficult to define; usually it should only be assumed that an album is an EP if the artist defines it as such.
</ul>
* '''Compilation''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">A compilation, for the purposes of the [[MusicBrainz]] database, covers the following types of albums:
</ul>
** an anthology, which is defined as being a group of songs from various sources combined together as a "best of" or retrospective type album.
** a various artists song collection, usually based on a general theme ("Songs for Lovers"), a particular year ("Hits of 1998"), or some other kind of grouping ("Songs from the Movies", the "Café del Mar" series, etc).
The [[MusicBrainz]] project does not generally consider the following to be compilations:
** a tribute album containing covers of another artists work.
** a classical album containing new recordings of a classical artists work.
** an album containing two albums (and/or EPs) released together as a single unit.
Note that there is a certain amount of crossover within the definition of compilation and the other types of release, for example a various artists soundtrack could also be considered a compilation. In general, compilation should be superceded by other release attributes when required. In the future I believe that "compilation" will become a distinct attribute that will be seperate from the other release types (so that an album can be simultaneously a Soundtrack and a Compilation, for example).
* '''Soundtrack''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">A soundtrack is the musical score to a movie, TV series, stage show, computer game etc. In the specific cases of computer games, a game CD with audio tracks should be classified as a soundtrack: the musical properties of the CD are more interesting to [[MusicBrainz]] than the data properties.
</ul>
* '''Spokenword''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">Non-music spoken word releases.
</ul>
* '''Interview''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">An interview release contains an interview, generally with an Artist.
</ul>
* '''Audiobook''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">An audiobook is a book read by a narrator without music.
</ul>
* '''Live''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">A release that was recorded live.
</ul>
* '''Remix''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">A release that primarily contains remixed material.
</ul>
* '''Other''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">Any release that does not fit or can't decisively be placed in any of the categories above.
</ul>


==Release Status==
==Release Status==


* '''Official''' - Any release officially sanctioned by the artist and/or their record company. (Most releases will fit into this category.)
* '''Official''':
* '''Promotion''' - A giveaway release or a release intended to promote an upcoming official release. (e.g. prerelease albums or releases included with a magazine, versions supplied to radio DJs for air-play, etc).
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">Any release officially sanctioned by the artist and/or their record company. (Most releases will fit into this category.)
* '''Bootleg''' - An unofficial/underground release that was not sanctioned by the artist and/or the record company.
</ul>
* '''Promotion''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">A giveaway release or a release intended to promote an upcoming official release. (e.g. prerelease albums or releases included with a magazine, versions supplied to radio DJs for air-play, etc).
</ul>
* '''Bootleg''':
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">An unofficial/underground release that was not sanctioned by the artist and/or the record company. This includes unofficial live recordings, pirated albums, and custom burnt compilations. In the latter case, we do not sanction entering custom compilation CDs (homebrews) into [[MusicBrainz]], as this information has little relevance to anyone besides the creator. One of the challenges in this system is to identify the "real" bootlegs from the homebrews.
</ul>

==Discussion==

'''Q:''' What's the status of a [[Bonus Disc|BonusDisc]]?

My take on this is that the release status should be the same as the album it came with. So a bonus disc with an official album should be marked Official. The release type has to be judged from the content - I've seen albums, eps, singles and compilations as bonus discs. --[[User:ZeroGravitas|ZeroGravitas]]
<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">I think it should be determined as if it is a separate entry. Live releases are Live, Remix albums are Remix, bonus discs with just a few tracks, e.g. different versions, are probably best categorised as Other. --[[User:Zout|Zout]]
</ul>


[[Category:To Be Reviewed]] [[Category:Style]] [[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:To Be Reviewed]] [[Category:Style]] [[Category:Terminology]]

Revision as of 22:29, 6 November 2006

Release Attributes

Release attributes define the ReleaseType and the ReleaseStatus of an audio release and provide information about the contents of the release. They are also used to generally categorize releases.

Release attributes should apply to most of the tracks on the release. It's OK to have a couple of tracks that do not fit the release attribute, as long as the attribute applies to the release overall.

Status: This is an OfficialStyleGuideline. (This is also a work in progress and there is a ReleaseTypeRestructuringProposal).

This page lists just a brief summary of release attributes. Further detail can be found on ReleaseType and ReleaseStatus.

Release Types

  • Album - An album, perhaps better defined as a "Long Play" (LP) release, generally consists of previously unreleased material. This includes release re-issues, with or without bonus tracks.
  • Single - A single typically has one main song and possibly a handful of additional tracks or remixes of the main track. A single is usually named after its main song. A single has different definitions in different markets, so if you are unsure please check the ReleaseAttributes page.
  • EP - An EP is a so-called "Extended Play" release and often contains the letters EP in the title.
  • Compilation - A compilation is a collection of previously released tracks by one or more artists. Please note that this is a simplified description of a compilation. If you are unsure, please refer to the full description on the ReleaseAttributes page.
  • Soundtrack - A soundtrack is the musical score to a movie, TV series, stage show, computer game etc.
  • Spokenword - Non-music spoken word releases.
  • Interview - An interview release contains an interview, generally with an Artist.
  • Audiobook - An audiobook is a book read by a narrator without music.
  • Live - A release that was recorded live.
  • Remix - A release that primarily contains remixed material.
  • Other - Any release that does not fit or can't decisively be placed in any of the categories above.

Release Status

  • Official - Any release officially sanctioned by the artist and/or their record company. (Most releases will fit into this category.)
  • Promotion - A giveaway release or a release intended to promote an upcoming official release. (e.g. prerelease albums or releases included with a magazine, versions supplied to radio DJs for air-play, etc).
  • Bootleg - An unofficial/underground release that was not sanctioned by the artist and/or the record company.