History:Release Type Restructuring Proposal

Status: This page describes an active proposal and is not official.

Proposal number: RFC-49 Champion: BrianFreud, was mo (& others) Current status: In development Trac ticket # 1372

Status: This proposal is currently under development. At the moment, it may be a mess, as the layout is being restructured and updated.

Packaging

NGS' Packaging is a different concept from what it handled in this proposal. Packaging deals with the package containing the media, not the media itself.

Definitions

Format

The 'thing' containing the music. Almost anything could theoretically be considered a Format; for MusicBrainz purposes, Format refers to any Format which is, or could be, used for more than one Release. Whether or not that 2+ Releases were ever released is not important for the definition, though a Format which could be usefully assigned to only 0 or 1 Releases would not be useful to add to the list of Format. The physical container itself (if there even is one) only defines part of the Format; a VCD and a CD both use the same physical media, but use different means of encoding, and a VCD cannot be played on a CD player (and a VCD player, while it can play CDs, advertises that it can play both CD and VCD, itself drawing the distinction). VCD and CD would thus be different types of Format.

Media Category

This is a categorization based upon types of physical media. Most Format types fall into some overall Media Category. Any Format which also defines its own new Media Category likely is also a Format with only a single Release, and thus, perhaps is not useful for MusicBrainz. Media Categories can be members of other Media Categories. Example: VCD and CD both are part of 'Optical Media'

Format Category

The Format Category is based upon generalizations of the content type of a release. All Format types fall into some Format Category. Example: VCD is part of 'Video Formats', CD is part of 'Audio Formats'. Format Categories can be members of other Format Categories.

Attributes

Attributes allow description of the variations which can occur within a single Format. 'Vinyl' would be a Format. 7", picture disc, large center hole, and red would each be attributes.

The Media and Format Categories actually are simply generalized Attributes; they describe 1+ Attributes common to every Format within them. Thus Blu-Ray is part of 'Video Formats', 'Optical Media', and 'High Definition Media'. That really is just setting the Attributes 'video', 'optical media', and 'high definition'.

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Everything below is potentially a mess.

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First a small list with new names, all the new options are in italic, (the option 'I don't know' is implied throughout). After this list follows a list of explanations of their meanings.

Physical Media

Parts of this is now official and is defined by ReleaseFormat.

• CD
  • 8cm
  • 12cm
  • DVD
  • DVD-A

• SACD
• MiniDisc
• Vinyl
  • 7"
  • 10"
  • 12"
  • other

• Cassette
• 8-track
• Digital Media (web releases / stand alone mp3/ogg etc)
• HD Media
• Other

Release Status

Official | Commercial | Bootleg | Promotional

Main Types

• Album (LP)
• EP
• Single
  • Maxi-CD

• Other

...

• Split
• Compilation
  • Highlights

• Remix
• Remaster
• Live
• Soundtrack
• Composer
• Data (when clicked, either option under is possible, but not both)
  • audiofile disc
  • multimedia 2 session disc

• Other
• Demo
• Bonus
• Spokenword
  • Interview
  • Audiobook
  • Radio play
  • other narrative

Description

Physical Media

pretty much says itself, what is the thing you have in your hand? These types have now been partially implemented with the 1.4.2007 server release as part of the LabelSupport (see ReleaseFormat) these are also connected with releasetype+releasedate tables, which is what I said would have to happen from the get go, here we go:

Each releasedate and place can have one Physical Media accociated, as well as a label, #cat and optional barcode. This outline some more detailed subtypes that may be added.

CD

just a regular audio CD, also known as CD-A.

DVD

Comes in both 'DVD' video format and 'DVD-Audio' formats. There are a few thousand DVD-Audio releases according to wikipedia, the same is true for DVD-A.

SACD

separated from DVD because it is a different coding process entirely, hybrid SACD discs that have the capability of being played on regular CD-player should go under this option as well.

MiniDisc

There are not many new releases but a lot of older ones.

Vinyl

finally we have Vinyls! subgroups of 7", 10" & 12" and 'other' for that one nth" type laying in PRAEst76's attic ;)

Cassette

just your average tape

8-track

for really old wonky releases on 8-track tape

Digital Media

(webalbums / stand alone mp3/ogg etc) HD Media: Comes in Blu-ray and HD

Other

random obscure types!

Release Status

the status of the release. These should not be multiple choice as one release conglomeration should only be able to be one of these options at a time. (while per days date, release events and labels are separated from release status.)

Official

exactly like it is today, sanctioned by *both* the artist and the record-company (if applicable). These releases are most likely listed on the artists' own website and most fansites.

Bootleg

same as today. albums not sanctioned by the record company (owner of the licence/copyright) but may or may not be sanctioned by the artist. These albums might be listed on official websites (rare), but most good fansites will have a bootleg section.

Commercial

this a new, confusing type, this is for releases that may be sanctioned by the record-company (or resold/legally pirated by other companies) but *not* necessarily by the artist.

• Wizzcat suggests retail as a name instead. please discuss.

Commercial not sanctioned by the artist (but the licence may be i norder / not illigal in italy/etc)

Promotional

same as today, for releases that are given away (usually free) by sweepstakes. magazines, competitions etc.

Main Types

These are mostly multiple choice per release conglomeration. The exceptions are album, single and EP, as (I think) they are exclusive of each other. (these are per day's date separate from release events and labels)

(One Choice)

Album

same as today, first time releases.

EP

same as today, for releases clearly marked 'EP'

Single

same as today, single releases

Maxi-Single

a suboption for single, basically what EP was to vinyl this is to CD's today? the rules are not as strict though, any Maxi-Single is as explicitly a single, if a release is rather more classified as EP, use that instead.

Other

for releases that do not fit in any other categories, Album, EP or Single.

(Multiple Choice)

Compilation

for compilations, same as today: releases that are selections of tracks from one ore more artists that has been released before.

Split

releases that are re-releases of 2 or more releases on one disc (f.ex No Heavy Petting / Lights Out) or releases where two or more artists share a disc (f.ex Light the Fuse and Run/Hot Cross Split ). both are typically called a "split release".

Remix

same as today, remixes. although they should probably be stored with albums on the 'albums' page in APR?

Remaster

while there is an AR for this, sometimes a release is released as being specifically a "Remaster" rather than a "remastered album", probably some [album] [remaster] combination for this. Other times a release is a collection of "remastered tracks found on several albums" (making them in essence compilations) (see "Remasters" 1 & 2 by Led Zep for an example) [compilation] [remaster] etc.

Live

same as today, a live release. The difference however is that one can now chose [compilation] [live] for releases that aren't of a single live 'session', finally solving this issue.

Soundtrack

same as today, with the addition that one can chose [compilation] [soundtrack] for comps of soundtracks, etc.

Composer

this is a new type for releases that utilise the ClassicalStyleGuide (where the artist in the !track/album is the composer of the work, not the performer). Here [album] [composer] is for your typical "full works" and [compilation] [composer] for releases with several works by the one or more composers on the same release.

Highlights

after discussion with Clutcher I agree. this should be (at least) a subtype in its own right. please use with Composer style or Soundtrack

Data

this is for releases that are either

• a) audiofile discs, cd's full of audio files such as mp3's or ogg
• b) multimedia 2 session disc (bad name please change) cd's that typically have 2 sessions, one which is data and the other which is comprised regular of audiotracks, such discs are typically computer-Game CD's or CD-lens cleaners.

Demo

a new type. a demo is released by an unknown band to promote themselves, usually released in a crude format such as a homeburnt CDR or homemade cassette (f.ex blink-182's Buddha demo). Alternately a demo can be an early version of a song, recorded before the final layout of the song has been... layed out. The demo release type is not for releases that were, either commercially, officially or unofficially, compiled and released after the final cut/album was released.

Bonus

after discussion with Shepard this makes sense. mod #3576131 excellent example of why 'bonus' needs to be added.

Other

ideally this type should now be obsolete, it should however be retained because a) we still lave loads of releases with this type and b) no matter how you try to cater for releases there is going to be the odd one out that breaks the mold.

Spokenword

this is now a heading type. it is still used the same as before. however it is implied that if something is 'audiobook' or 'interview' it is also at the same time 'spokenword'

Interview

same as today, for interview discs

Audiobook

same as today, for audiobooks

Radio play

a new subtype, as requested by Shepard: "At the moment many actual radio plays are stored as Audiobooks in the db - this is wrong. And audiobook is just a book read by one person. A radio play is an audio play with many different characters and background sounds and stuff"

other narrative

other spokenword type releases not already covered.

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