[mb-style] Clarification about release type: album or compilation

[Chris Bransden]

On 12/12/06, Olivier <viapanda at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> There has been some discussion lately about the proper release type to
> be added to "bundled" stuff (twofers and such) (eg: album or
> compilation).
>
> It seems that http://wiki.musicbrainz.org/ReleaseType holds some
> ambiguity, especially this part:
>
> "The MusicBrainz project does not generally consider the following to
> be compilations:
>      a release containing two releases (and/or EPs) released together
> as a single unit."
>
> (the "single unit" being the ambiguous part)


i believe the intent was the 'single unit' is a MBz 'release'

Moreover, this seems to be at odds with the general style guide,
> http://musicbrainz.org/style.html which includes the following line.
>
> "Compilation. A compilation is a collection of previously released
> tracks by one or more artists."


tracks != EP/Album/Single, etc :) basically IMO the logic is that calling a
compilation of 2 EPs a 'compilation' doesn't tell you anything useful. if
you call it an 'EP' you can at least normally figure out from the title (eg
"EP 1 / EP 2") the nature of the whole release, yet you retain the release
type of the individual releases. an album with an EP or single bolted on the
end, should retain the release type of the 'main' part.

As a first attempt at trying to sort this out, we would like your
> opinions (eg: album or compilation) on the following examples. We'd
> also like to know how most people have read this so far, and if
> possible, what was the initial intent of
> http://wiki.musicbrainz.org/ReleaseType
>
> (i) - two discs (vinyl or cds), identical to two previously released
> albums, with no alterations of the cover art, bundled together in some
> way


both albums. of course they wouldn't be entered separately as per
BoxSetNameStyle :)

(ii) - two discs, identical to two previously released albums, bundled
> in a new packaging, under a new release title


both albums.

(iii) - one disc, containing exactly two previously released albums,
> under a new name of type "Release A / Release B"


album

(iv) - one disc, containing exactly two previously released albums,
> under a new name *not* of type "Release A / Release B"


album

(v) - one disc, containing one previously issued release, with
> additional (previously unissued) tracks


album (or whatever the previously released release type was)

(vi) - a set of discs, containing previously issued releases (possibly
> with "additional" tracks), stacking tracks on discs with no respect
> for the separation "one disc = one original release" (eg: "complete"
> edition/anthology boxset).


could you give an example? in my experience this would in the real world be
made up of different combinations of the previous scenarios (eg, joy
divison's box set). i'd say there's normally one main release that you can
inherit a releasetype from, for each disc.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.musicbrainz.org/pipermail/musicbrainz-style/attachments/20061212/a07badcb/attachment.htm