History:Release Status

The Release Status is a ReleaseAttribute that describes how 'official' a Release is. The following status are available:

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Guidelines for Release Status

The tpye 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 type, as long as the type applies to the release overall.

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

List of possible 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 versions 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. This includes unofficial live recordings, pirated releases, 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.

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Discussion

Q: What's the status of a BonusDisc?

My take on this is that the release status should be the same as the release it came with. So a bonus disc with an official release should be marked Official. The release type has to be judged from the content - I've seen releases, eps, singles and compilations as bonus discs. --ZeroGravitas

• I think it should be determined as if it is a separate entry. Live releases are Live, Remix releases are Remix, bonus discs with just a few tracks, e.g. different versions, are probably best categorised as Other. --Zout