User:Tommycrock/proposal/Release Group/Primary Type: Difference between revisions
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==Description== |
==Description== |
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The type of a [[Release Group|release group]] describes what ''kind'' of release group it is. It is divided in two: a release group can have a |
The type of a [[Release Group|release group]] describes what ''kind'' of release group it is. It is divided in two: a release group can have a primary (main) type and an unspecified number of extra types. |
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==Primary types== |
==Primary types== |
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===Album=== |
===Album=== |
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An album |
An album is perhaps better defined as a "Long Play" (LP) release. Typically albums have more than 25 minutes of play time (often much more), and more than four tracks, though this will not always be the case. If the release group is fairly long and not a single, EP or broadcast, it is probably an album. |
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===Single=== |
===Single=== |
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| ⚫ | A single typically has one main song and possibly a handful of additional tracks or remixes of the main track. The single is usually named after its main song. There are also sometimes longer versions of a single (in some cases longer than the release the single comes from!) but as it's all alternate versions of the same 2-3 songs it is still classified as a single. |
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A single has different definitions depending on the market it is released for. |
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* The '''U.K. market''' (also Australia and Europe) is similar to the US market, however singles are often released as a two disc set, with each disc sold separately. They also sometimes have a longer version of the single (often combining the tracks from the two disc version) which is very similar to the US style single, and this is referred to as a "maxi-single". (In some cases the maxi-single is longer than the release the single comes from!) |
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* The '''Japanese market''' is much more single driven. The defining factor is typically the length of the single and the price it is sold at. Up until 1995 it was common that these singles would be released using a mini-cd format, which is basically a much smaller CD typically 8 cm in diameter. Around 1995 the 8cm single was phased out, and the standard 12cm CD single is more common now; generally re-releases of singles from pre-1995 will be released on the 12cm format, even if they were originally released on the 8cm format. Japanese singles often come with instrumental versions of the songs and also have maxi-singles like the UK with remixed versions of the songs. Sometimes a maxi-single will have more tracks than an EP but as it's all alternate versions of the same 2-3 songs it is still classified as a single. |
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There are other variations of the single |
There are other variations of the single, including a "double A-side" single, where two songs are given equal prominence. There is also a "split single" where songs by two different artists are released on the one disc, typically vinyl. In both these cases the single is usually named after the two main songs. The term "B-Side" comes from the era when singles were released on 7 inch (or sometimes 12 inch) vinyl with a song on each side, and so side A is the track that the single is named for, and the other side - side B - would contain a bonus song, or sometimes even the same song. |
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===EP=== |
===EP=== |
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Revision as of 06:52, 31 March 2014
Description
The type of a release group describes what kind of release group it is. It is divided in two: a release group can have a primary (main) type and an unspecified number of extra types.
Primary types
Album
An album is perhaps better defined as a "Long Play" (LP) release. Typically albums have more than 25 minutes of play time (often much more), and more than four tracks, though this will not always be the case. If the release group is fairly long and not a single, EP or broadcast, it is probably an album.
Single
A single typically has one main song and possibly a handful of additional tracks or remixes of the main track. The single is usually named after its main song. There are also sometimes longer versions of a single (in some cases longer than the release the single comes from!) but as it's all alternate versions of the same 2-3 songs it is still classified as a single.
There are other variations of the single, including a "double A-side" single, where two songs are given equal prominence. There is also a "split single" where songs by two different artists are released on the one disc, typically vinyl. In both these cases the single is usually named after the two main songs. The term "B-Side" comes from the era when singles were released on 7 inch (or sometimes 12 inch) vinyl with a song on each side, and so side A is the track that the single is named for, and the other side - side B - would contain a bonus song, or sometimes even the same song.
EP
An EP is a so-called "Extended Play" release and often contains the letters EP in the title. Generally an EP will be shorter than a full length release (an LP or "Long Play") and the tracks are usually exclusive to the EP, in other words the tracks don't come from a previously issued release. EP is fairly difficult to define; usually it should only be assumed that a release is an EP if the artist defines it as such.
Broadcast
An episodic release that was originally broadcast via radio, television, or the Internet, including podcasts.
Other
Any release that does not fit or can't decisively be placed in any of the categories above.
