Style/Unknown and untitled/Special purpose artist: Difference between revisions

From MusicBrainz Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
m (→‎Subsets of [unknown]: Fix christmas music)
(19 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{official style guideline}}
{{Official style}}

{{DocumentationHeader}} {{ArtistHeader}}


== Purpose of the Special Purpose Artists ==
== Purpose of the Special Purpose Artists ==


Several special artists exist in the database to deal with unusual cases. There always are some unnoticed bogus artists, but those Special Purpose Artists (SPAs) listed here exist officially, used to handle each of these various types of special case artists.
Several special artists exist in the database to deal with unusual cases. There always are some unnoticed bogus artists, but those Special Purpose Artists (SPAs) listed here exist officially, used to handle each of these various types of special case artists.

Before using any of these artists, please familiarize yourself with the [[Release Artist|Release Artist]] and [[Track Artist|Track Artist]] pages.


== List of official SPAs ==
== List of official SPAs ==

''Note: "artist" here refers to either the performer or composer, whichever would be the correct artist-type to normally be used for the particular release-type.''


* [[Artist:f731ccc4-e22a-43af-a747-64213329e088|[anonymous]]] - The track artist is both unknown and unknowable. If you are not sure whether to use [[Artist:f731ccc4-e22a-43af-a747-64213329e088|[anonymous]]] or [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]], use [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]].
* [[Artist:f731ccc4-e22a-43af-a747-64213329e088|[anonymous]]] - The track artist is both unknown and unknowable. If you are not sure whether to use [[Artist:f731ccc4-e22a-43af-a747-64213329e088|[anonymous]]] or [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]], use [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]].


* [[Artist:33cf029c-63b0-41a0-9855-be2a3665fb3b|[data]]] - Used for data CDs and data tracks (additional tracks on audio CDs that contain data other than standard CD audio). Note that [[Data Track Style|DataTrackStyle]] should also be used to title data tracks.
* [[Artist:33cf029c-63b0-41a0-9855-be2a3665fb3b|[data]]] - Used for data CDs and data tracks (additional tracks on audio CDs that contain data other than standard CD audio). Note that [[Data Track Style|data track style]] should also be used to title data tracks.


* [[Artist:314e1c25-dde7-4e4d-b2f4-0a7b9f7c56dc|[dialogue]]] - Used for soundtrack tracks which consist solely of excerpted dialogue. Example: the "Royale with Cheese" discussion from Pulp Fiction would be correctly assigned to [dialogue], not to "John Travolta & Samuel L. Jackson". Their performances within the track should instead be indicated by [[Vocal_Relationship_Attribute|advanced relationships]].
* [[Artist:314e1c25-dde7-4e4d-b2f4-0a7b9f7c56dc|[dialogue]]] - Used for tracks which consist solely of dialogue, and which aren't credited to anyone on the release tracklist. For example, the [[recording:1220c6aa-41a5-47b4-99e1-9dd586e491cc|"Royale With Cheese"]] discussion from Pulp Fiction would be correctly assigned to [dialogue], not to "John Travolta & Samuel L. Jackson", since the tracklist has no artists for that track. Their performances within the track should instead be indicated by a [[rt:0fdbe3c6-7700-4a31-ae54-b53f06ae1cfa|vocals relationship]] (generally ''spoken vocals'').


* [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]] - There is no artist. (Recorded silence or noise, if it is attributed to any artist, should be assigned to that artist and ''not'' to [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]].)
* [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]] - There is no artist. (Recorded silence or noise, if it is attributed to any artist, should be assigned to that artist and ''not'' to [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]].)


* [[artist:9be7f096-97ec-4615-8957-8d40b5dcbc41|[traditional]]] - Used for writer/composer (and related) credits when the work in question pre-dates any written or recorded version(s), having originally been passed down from musician to musician. Rather than being attributable to one [anonymous] or [unknown] artist/collaboration, this work is better described as having emerged from a musical tradition.
* [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]] - The artist is unknown, but is potentially discoverable with further research. '''Please do some research before using this artist'''; this artist should '''not''' be used simply as a "lazy easy solution" to an artist you don't happen to know offhand.


* [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]] - Used when a particular artist is unknown, but is potentially discoverable with further research. '''Please do some research before using this artist'''; this artist should '''not''' be used simply as a "lazy easy solution" to an artist you don't happen to know offhand.
* [[Artist:89ad4ac3-39f7-470e-963a-56509c546377|Various Artists]] - Used only for compilation-type releases or release groups containing tracks by multiple different artists. This artist should '''not''' be used for tracks or works. (If a track consists of multiple songs by multiple independent artists, [[Tracks With Multiple Artists|Tracks With Multiple Artists]] should be used, not this artist.)


* [[Artist:89ad4ac3-39f7-470e-963a-56509c546377|Various Artists]] - Used only for compilation-type releases or release groups containing tracks by multiple different artists. This artist shouldn't generally be used for recordings, tracks or works.
=== Exception for Various Artists ===


== Subsets ==
''The following is only valid until the NGS server release.''

[[Artist:89ad4ac3-39f7-470e-963a-56509c546377|Various Artists]] '''may''' be used for a track artist ''only if'' the combined workaround artist's name would exceed current server limitations (255 or more characters in length). In such cases, the artist should be set to [[Artist:89ad4ac3-39f7-470e-963a-56509c546377|Various Artists]], and the full workaround artist name should be stored in that track's annotation. Any such track should be added to the list on the discussion page so that it can be corrected once the NGS release occurs.

== Internal-use-only SPAs ==

''The following Special Purpose Artists are for internal use only, and should never be assigned to any track, release, release group, or work. Please do not attempt to "clean up" these artists.''

* [[Artist:7e84f845-ac16-41fe-9ff8-df12eb32af55|MusicBrainz Test Artist]]
* [[Artist:635c89c7-e2a6-4c92-b67e-aa19e6da2de3|MusicBrainz Test Artist]]
* [[Artist:07b103f2-9c93-4ef7-a035-6fd1c2b71878|MusicBrainz Data Testing Artist]]

== Fictitious Artists ==

These should not have a new Special Purpose Artist created; where needed, [[Fictitious_Artist|Fictitious Artists]] should be created.

== Placeholder SPAs ==


=== Subsets of [unknown] ===
=== Subsets of [unknown] ===


These artists are subsets of [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]]. As with [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]], they should only be used as a last resort, pending further research.
Sometimes it is useful to be a bit more specific when using [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]]. You can use one of the following as the artist credit if applicable:


* [[Artist:0187fe48-c87d-4dd8-beca-9c07ef535603|[christmas music]]]
* [[Artist:0187fe48-c87d-4dd8-beca-9c07ef535603|[christmas music]]]
* [[Artist:9e44f539-f3fc-4120-bce2-94c8716437fa|[classical music]]]
* [[Artist:66ea0139-149f-4a0c-8fbf-5ea9ec4a6e49|[Disney]]]
* [[Artist:66ea0139-149f-4a0c-8fbf-5ea9ec4a6e49|[Disney]]]
* [[Artist:a0ef7e1d-44ff-4039-9435-7d5fefdeecc9|[musical theater]]]
* [[Artist:a0ef7e1d-44ff-4039-9435-7d5fefdeecc9|[theatre]]]
* [classical music]
* [[Artist:ae636985-40e8-4010-ae02-0f35930f8017|[religious music]]]
* [[Artist:d6bd72bc-b1e2-4525-92aa-0f853cbb41bf|[soundtrack]]]
* [soundtrack]

Always include the square brackets ([]) to indicate that this is not the artist as credited.

As with regular use of [[Artist:125ec42a-7229-4250-afc5-e057484327fe|[unknown]]], these should only be used as a last resort, pending further research.


=== Subsets of [no artist] ===
=== Subsets of [no artist] ===


These artists are subsets of [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]]. They should only be used if the category is applicable, and if they would otherwise be assigned to [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]].
Similarly, it may be useful to be more specific when using [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]]. You can use one of the following as the artist credit if applicable:


* [[Artist:90068d37-bae7-4292-be4a-704c145bd616|[church chimes]]]
* [[Artist:80a8851f-444c-4539-892b-ad2a49292aa9|[language instruction]]]
* [[Artist:80a8851f-444c-4539-892b-ad2a49292aa9|[language instruction]]]
* [[Artist:51118c9d-965d-4f9f-89a1-0091837ccf54|[nature sounds]]]
* [nature sounds]
* [[Artist:49e713ce-c3be-4697-8983-ee7cd0a11ea1|[news report]]]
* [news report]

(All of this section should be removed once all merges, with retained AC, have taken place after the NGS release occurs.)

== Adding new SPAs ==

Please note that '''you should not create any new Special Purpose Artist''' without prior discussion about it on the style [[Mailing List|MailingList]].


They should only be used if the category is applicable, and if you would otherwise use [[Artist:eec63d3c-3b81-4ad4-b1e4-7c147d4d2b61|[no artist]]].
Any Special Purpose Artist that is created should be named in all lower-case, and surrounded by square brackets, such as '''[example]'''. It also should be added to this page, with explanation for its use. The only exception to this naming style is the "Various Artists" artist.


{{StyleBox}}
[[Category:Metadata]] [[Category:Artist]]
[[Category:WikiDocs Page]]

Revision as of 04:22, 27 September 2020

Status: This is an official style guideline.

Purpose of the Special Purpose Artists

Several special artists exist in the database to deal with unusual cases. There always are some unnoticed bogus artists, but those Special Purpose Artists (SPAs) listed here exist officially, used to handle each of these various types of special case artists.

List of official SPAs

  • [data] - Used for data CDs and data tracks (additional tracks on audio CDs that contain data other than standard CD audio). Note that data track style should also be used to title data tracks.
  • [dialogue] - Used for tracks which consist solely of dialogue, and which aren't credited to anyone on the release tracklist. For example, the "Royale With Cheese" discussion from Pulp Fiction would be correctly assigned to [dialogue], not to "John Travolta & Samuel L. Jackson", since the tracklist has no artists for that track. Their performances within the track should instead be indicated by a vocals relationship (generally spoken vocals).
  • [no artist] - There is no artist. (Recorded silence or noise, if it is attributed to any artist, should be assigned to that artist and not to [no artist].)
  • [traditional] - Used for writer/composer (and related) credits when the work in question pre-dates any written or recorded version(s), having originally been passed down from musician to musician. Rather than being attributable to one [anonymous] or [unknown] artist/collaboration, this work is better described as having emerged from a musical tradition.
  • [unknown] - Used when a particular artist is unknown, but is potentially discoverable with further research. Please do some research before using this artist; this artist should not be used simply as a "lazy easy solution" to an artist you don't happen to know offhand.
  • Various Artists - Used only for compilation-type releases or release groups containing tracks by multiple different artists. This artist shouldn't generally be used for recordings, tracks or works.

Subsets

Subsets of [unknown]

Sometimes it is useful to be a bit more specific when using [unknown]. You can use one of the following as the artist credit if applicable:

Always include the square brackets ([]) to indicate that this is not the artist as credited.

As with regular use of [unknown], these should only be used as a last resort, pending further research.

Subsets of [no artist]

Similarly, it may be useful to be more specific when using [no artist]. You can use one of the following as the artist credit if applicable:

They should only be used if the category is applicable, and if you would otherwise use [no artist].

Style
Overview
Title Style
Entities
Relationships
Classical
Special Cases/Misc.
Languages