User:Jacobbrett/Release Event Style: Difference between revisions

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(Majorly edited release styles.)
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#REDIRECT [[User:Jacobbrett/Release Style]]
{{Template:proposal
|proposal=43
|discussion=
|champion=Jacobbrett
|rfc=http://lists.musicbrainz.org/pipermail/musicbrainz-style/2010-March/009022.html
|rfv=
|status=RFC
|ar=
|style=true
|trac=2145
}}

A [[Release Event]] is the event when a [[Release]] is first sold on a market.
A Release Event consists of a [[Release Date|Date]], [[Release Country|Country]], [[Label]], [[Release Catalog Number|Catalog #]], [[Barcode]], and [[Release Format|Format]] field. Each of these fields are optional, though the more complete a release event is, the better. Please note that some independent/unsigned releases may not have a barcode, catalogue number or label.

A standard release event looks like the following:

[http://musicbrainz.org/release-group/ccca11eb-25ec-3063-9e26-1fcfbb5c4a0c.html Frances the Mute] by The Mars Volta
{|
! Release !! Format !! Tracks !! Date !! Country !! Label !! Catalog# !! Barcode
|-
| [http://musicbrainz.org/release/82d66789-3ca5-34bc-b9f3-0a08881f7ef4.html Frances the Mute] || CD || 12 || 2005-02-28 || Australia || '''[http://musicbrainz.org/label/590538e9-b183-4163-ab5a-171fb021ed12.html Universal Records]''' || 2103977 || 075021039773
|}


=Styling Release Fields=
==Date==
The '''[[Release Date|Date]]''' is formatted using the [[wikipedia:ISO_860|ISO 860]] standard ''YYYY-MM-DD''. It may consist of ''year'' only ("1980"), ''year'' and ''month'' ("1980-03"), or a specific day as ''year-month-day'' ("1980-03-20").

==Country==
The '''[[Release Country|Country]]''' list is based upon the [http://www.iso.org/iso/english_country_names_and_code_elements ISO 3166] standard "Country Names and Code Elements". In addition, the Country may be set to "[Unknown Country]" or "[Worldwide]".

==Label==
The '''[[Label]]''' is selectable from a [http://musicbrainz.org/browse/label list of Labels] entered into MusicBrainz' database. If you are sure a label does not exist (sometimes under a similar name), enter a new [[Label Name]].

==Catalog Number==
The '''[[Release Catalog Number|Catalog Number]]''' is a usually alphanumeric code found on the back/spine of a physical release. It should be entered as close as possible to what is printed (this includes, for example, spaces " " hyphens "-", and dots ".").

==Barcode==
The '''[[Barcode]]''' is usually an [[wikipedia:European Article Number|EAN]] or [[wikipedia:Universal Product Code|UPC]] number found on the back of a physical release. It should be entered as a number with no spaces.

==Format==
A release may consist of several '''[[Next Generation Schema#Medium|Mediums]]'''. For each medium added, the format is selectable from a list. For example, a medium could be a CD, cassette or vinyl disc. A Release's mediums may be structured as ''CD (1), CD (2)'' for a two-disc set (displayed as "2xCD"), or in rarer cases as ''CD (1), CD (2), Vinyl (3)'' (displayed as "2xCD + 1xVinyl").

==Packaging==
'''[[Next Generation Schema/Release Packaging|Packaging]]''' refers to the type of container a physical release was available in. It is selectable from a list, similar to the Format. For example, release may have been sold in a "Jewel Case" or a "Digipack".

==Status==

==Language==

==Script==

=Determining the Release Country=

The list of countries you can choose from is taken from [http://www.iso.org/iso/english_country_names_and_code_elements ISO 3166], which is a widely-used standard list of countries. Please do '''not''' use the release country to describe the country in which the release was produced, or from which the artist originates. For each country in which the release was issued, add a new release date, alongside the name of the country.

''A 'Release Country' is '''not''' the same as a country where the physical medium has been manufactured or the cover printed.''

===Composite Release Areas===
Not all record distributors stick to national boundaries when they define the regions in which they issue a release. Releases are often issued in more than one country at the same time. For example, some releases state that they are distributed in "Australasia" (presumably Australia and New Zealand) or the "Benelux" (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg). In these cases it is OK to add one release, and simply choose one of the countries to represent the entire release area:
* Choose the Artist's country of origin. Shihad is a New Zealand band; if they release a release in Australasia, define the [[Release Country|ReleaseCountry]] as New Zealand.
* Where this information is unknown or ambiguous, choose the country with the largest sales.

===Fuzzy Release Areas===
[[MusicBrainz]] also has some fuzzy release areas:
<dl><dt>Unknown Country
<dd>To be used when you do not know the release country, but can add other information about the release event.
<dt>Worldwide
<dd>"Worldwide" is generally used for a release that has been released online on a certain date, available to the worldwide online population.
* It should not be used for releases through services such as iTunes and Napster, as they usually have multiple release dates on their online store which are country-dependant (usually corresponding with retail release dates).
* It should also be used where a global distributor does release in most of the world on the same date (which is extremely rare).
<dt>Europe
<dd>Trade within the European Union is so open that it can be really difficult to figure out in which European country a release was released.
* If a release cannot be pin-pointed to a particular country, use "Europe".
* "Europe" may be used if a release is released in a large proportion of the EU countries on the same date.
* Note that an album might, for example, have one release in the UK, followed by a second wider release that covers the whole of the EU, including the UK.
''Do not use this simply because it says "Produced in the EU" on your CD!''</dl>

===Historical Countries===
Historical countries (countries that may exist on the back of a release, but do not exist anymore) such as "Yugoslavia (historical, 1918-2003)" are also contained within the '''Release Country''' list.

== Notes ==

This proposal, when passed, should replace [[Release_Country_Style|Release Country Style]].

Revision as of 01:31, 24 March 2010