Style/Artist/Sort Name
Style for artist sort names
The sort name is the name that will be used when the artist is listed in a sorted list with other artists.
- Sort names contain all the accented characters that are present in the artist name.
- If an ArtistName consists of two or more collaborating artists, each individual name is sorted following the rules below. The 'separator' (e.g. "&", "and" or "with") stays the same. Examples: "Bob Dylan and The Band" have sort name "Dylan, Bob and Band, The". "B.B. King & Eric Clapton" have sort name "King, B.B. & Clapton, Eric". This rule does not apply for artist names that seem to consist of more than one artist, but do not. Example: sort name for "Hootie & the Blowfish" is the same, because the Blowfish are not are separate band.
- All parts of a sort name are separated by ", " (comma and space). How to distinguishing parts is explained below.
- For artist names that are regular names, the sort name will be "Last Name, First Name". Example: "Eric Clapton" 's sort name is "Clapton, Eric". (Note that this does not apply to icelandic artists, as those sort on their first name.)
- For artist names that are ficticious names, the sort name is the same as the artist name. Examples: "Franz Ferdinand" and "Cypress Hill".
- For artist names that start with "The", that word is treated as is it were a first name of a regular name. Examples: "The Beatles" have sort name "Beatles, The".
- Non-english articles like La, El, Los and Le are treated as the English article The. Example: "Los Lobos" have sort name "Lobos, Los".
- For artist names that start with a title like "Dr.", "DJ" or "MC", that title is treated as is it were a first name of a regular name. Example: "DJ Tiësto" has sort name "Tiësto, DJ".
- For artist names that end with a title like "Jr." or "Sr.", that title is always put at the end of the sort name, preceded by ", ". Example: "Harry Connick, Jr." has sort name "Connick, Harry, Jr.".
- For artist names with a nickname between the first name and last name, the nickname is treated as if it's part of the first name of the artist. Example: "Jean 'Toots' Thielemans" has sort name "Thielemans, Jean 'Toots'".
- For artists whose last names start with an abbreviation, the last names are unabbreviated in the sort name. Example: "Rebecca St. James" has sort name "Saint James, Rebecca".
More examples:
- "A Perfect Circle" has sort name "A Perfect Circle".
Discussion
There is another SortnameDiscussion, though that page should probably be merged into this. --ZeroGravitas
Sort names for non-English artist names are not discussed yet. Please help out. --Zout
Suggestion for sorting artists with an adjective (is that the right word?): Originally an idea by Zout when moderating the sortname for the Dutch artist "Boudewijn de Groot" to "Groot, de, Boudewijn". This seems to me the most clear and logically correct way to sort these artists. Since "de" is not part of the first name ("De Groot" is the last name), and since we want to sort these persons under "Groot" the best option is "Groot, de, Boudewijn". Better than "Groot, Boudewijn de" where "de" seems to be part of the first name, which it is incorrect. --prupert
!BibTeX has a pretty complete sorting algorithm and that one defines a "von-part" of the Name, Thus IIRC Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (The 'Red Baron') is sorted: Richthofen, Frieherr von, Manfred Albrecht. I assume that is what you mean by 'adjective'. The correct desciption is either "von-part" or aristocratic title or something like that. I think most sorting practices agree that this is a special part that has to be treated by itself. --DonRedman
After about an hour and half of thought on the subject of van names, I concluded that the best way to do it was "[Last Name], van, [First Name]" as well. However, I had no proof to back my conclusion up. In less words, I agree. --SenRepus
another example: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and just Alex Harvey, how to sort this? ~mo
- As resp. "Sensational Alex Harvey Band, The" and "Harvey, Alex" I think. -- Zout
Does anyone actually use the 'An' and 'A' sorting rule that's just been added? The reason for ignoring 'The' is because otherwise the T section would be rediculous. Personally I'd look under A in a record shop/book index for these artists.
- probably not. perhaps it's better to remove it again. --Zout Agreed... moving the A or An to the end is just ugly and unneeded IMO. --SenRepus removed. --Zout
Authors: Zout ZeroGravitas
