Style/Artist/With multiple names: Difference between revisions
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#REDIRECT [[Style/Artist#Performance_names_and_legal_names]] |
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{{WorkInProgressHeader|dmppanda|3585}} {{DocumentationHeader}} {{ArtistHeader}} |
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=Artists performing under different names= |
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Some musicians perform using an "alias" which is different from their "real-life" name. The reasons for that vary - usually marketing, or to hide their actual identity (as to workaround legal issues when they signed exclusive contracts), etc... |
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In [[MusicBrainz]], we refer to such monikers as [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s, as opposed to [[Legal Name|LegalName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s. Note that [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s don't apply to groups. |
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[[Image:Attention.png]] Please also pay attention to the fact that "[[Artist Alias|ArtistAlias]]" in [[MusicBrainz]] has a different meaning! (unlike what is done, for example, in Discogs). |
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==Style== |
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===So, what name should I use for a musician: performance or legal name?=== |
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The simple answer is: [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]] - when entering a new release into the database, you should just use whatever name is credited as the [[Primary Artist|PrimaryArtist]]. |
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In some cases obviously (if the artist is also performing under other [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s which already exist in the database), that indeed means creating a ''new distinct artist entry'' for the ''same person''. |
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===I just added a new (PerformanceName) artist to the database. Should I go ahead and create another entry for the LegalName as well?=== |
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Usually, no - you may just add that information to the [[Artist Annotation|ArtistAnnotation]]. |
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===What to do if a musician uses multiple different PerformanceNames on various different releases?=== |
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You should create one artist entry for each different [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]] - though, please read the section below about cases when it doesn't make sense to create such new entries. |
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===Should I also create artist entries for "other" nicknames?=== |
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[[MusicBrainz]] focuses mainly on documenting releases: if the nickname in question is not used on any release (but only by the artist relatives for example), then this is not relevant and you shouldn't create an artist entry for it (though you may add the detail to the [[Artist Annotation|ArtistAnnotation]]). |
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===If a musician has multiple different performance names, how will these multiple entries be related?=== |
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Various different [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s for a given artist may be related using a [[Performance Name Relationship Type|PerformanceNameRelationshipType]]. As to avoid making circular relations and other linking nightmare (see [[Don't Make Relationship Clusters|DontMakeRelationshipClusters]]), we relate all [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s to the artist [[Legal Name|LegalName]], instead of linking each [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]] to each other. |
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Specifically, this is were [[Legal Name|LegalName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s are useful, and you may now create a new artist entry using the artist [[Legal Name|LegalName]] as a name, then relate all the artist's [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s to this new entry. |
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===But, what to do if the musician had multiple different LegalNames?=== |
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The concept of [[Legal Name|LegalName]] itself is a quite debated one, and this was the subject of many discussions and various suggestions. Our policy at that time is simple: use only one [[Legal Name|LegalName]] for the artist (pick the birth name, usually found on birth certificates). If no one knows for sure, just pick the most probable one, and write an annotation mentioning all that. |
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===Does it always make sense to create distinct entries?=== |
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No. In a lot of cases, the name variation (either between different [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>s, or between the [[Legal Name|LegalName]] and a given [[Performance Name|PerformanceName]]) is minor enough to make the splitting not worth the effort. In such cases, you should not create distinct entries (you may still use the [[Artist Annotation|ArtistAnnotation]] to provide additional details, and possibly use [[Artist Alias|ArtistAlias]]<code><nowiki></nowiki></code>es to enhance search results). |
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A few examples of when there is little benefit in creating distinct artist entries: |
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* common use abbreviations for first names (Robert Marley vs [[Artist:ed2ac1e9-d51d-4eff-a2c2-85e81abd6360|Bob Marley]]) |
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* first names shortened to initials (Kate Tunstall vs [[Artist:951d2103-9c7d-4849-ae60-88bf6aa4790b|K.T. Tunstall]]) |
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* middle names added/omitted (Elvin Ray Jones vs [[Artist:d5ac66e4-ea5d-4ebb-9e0d-bed4063208e7|Elvin Jones]]) |
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* additional nicknames (''"Baron" Charles Mingus'' vs [[Artist:f3b8e107-abe8-4743-b6a3-4a4ee995e71f|Charles Mingus]]) |
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Remember, though, that [[Artist Intent|ArtistIntent]] may come into play - and some artists may put a lot of meaning into a minor name variation. Ultimately, reasonable judgment, common sense and knowledge about the artist production should prevail in choosing which name differences are significant or not. |
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===Should I duplicate the artist birth and death dates between the Legal and Performance names?=== |
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Though this issue was debated in the past, it's now agreed that the duplication is not essentially bad, so, yes, you may add birth and death dates to both the Legal and Performance names. |
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===What about personal relationships? Should I duplicate them as well?=== |
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No, [[Personal Association Relationship Class|personal relationships]] should not be duplicated, and you should favor using the [[Legal Name|LegalName]] to hold them. |
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==Examples== |
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<ul><li style="list-style-type:none">[[Artist:4d3924ac-7dc4-4632-9058-553119d6b951|Declan Patrick MacManus]] is the Legal Name of [[Artist:8a338e06-d182-46f2-bd16-30a09bc840ba|Elvis Costello]]. [[Artist:ce8cbced-8719-47b9-b728-6024e8b19b15|Abbey Lincoln]] is a performance name for the person Anna Marie Wooldridge (who later changed her legal name to Animata Moseka). Though, as she only performs as ''Abbey Lincoln'', only this entry was created in the database. [[Artist:f22942a1-6f70-4f48-866e-238cb2308fbd|Aphex Twin]], [[Artist:87225a21-c925-41cd-852f-be4b052d0824|AFX]] and [[Artist:bc1fd2f7-1ecf-46d1-9ca6-47b7d7880c4d|Caustic Window]] are all Performance Names of [[Artist:79a09151-f6cc-48f9-9907-3fdd0b68373f|Richard David James]]. |
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</ul> |
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==History and advanced readings== |
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There were for a long time a number of issues surrounding these problems. If you're interested in the various discussions and solutions that were raised, you may take a look at [[Date Of Birth Style|DateOfBirthStyle]] and [[Linking Different Artist Names|LinkingDifferentArtistNames]]. |
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{{ArtistFooter}} |
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----{{DocumentationFooter|1.0|dmppanda}} |
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[[Category:To Be Reviewed]] [[Category:Terminology]] [[Category:Artist]] [[Category:WikiDocs Page]] |
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Latest revision as of 09:32, 2 June 2015
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