This advanced relationship belongs to the Alternative Version Relationship Class.

Description

This indicates that an entity is a cover of another entity. ​ 'Cover' encompasses too many different related concepts to be defined as one single relationship. However, "a new rendition of a previously recorded song" is the meaning generally intended at MusicBrainz.

Link Phrases

• Track is a cover of Track
  
• Track is covered by Track
  
• Release is a cover of Track
  
• Track is covered by Release
  
• Release is a cover of Release
  
• Release is covered by Release
  
• Track is a cover of Release
  
• Track is covered by Release
  

Attributes

“start date”

The Begin Date fields should be left empty.

Also reference: Date Relationship Attribute.

“end date”

The End Date fields should be left empty.

Also reference: Date Relationship Attribute.

“parody”

This indicates that the song is covered with a satirical, ironical or otherwise humorous intention.

Also reference: Parody Relationship Attribute.

“translation”

This indicates that the lyrics are in a different language than the original.

Also reference: Translated Relationship Attribute.

Guidelines

• Always use the earliest released track or release, even if it was obscure, as the target of this relationship.

• This means if the track was released on a single before it appeared on an album, the track on the single should be used as the cover target.

• For the release-track version of this relationship type, such as the Stairways to Heaven:Stairway to Heaven example, the release should be linked as a cover of the track, but the tracks on the covered release should also be linked to the track being covered, using the track-track version of this relationship type.
• When the original artist covers their own material, for example producing an acoustic version of an electric guitar song, then the Other Version Relationship Type should be used, not this relationship type.

• If The Who rerecorded It's a Boy, it would be linked using Other Version Relationship Type.
• If Pete Townshend rerecorded It's a Boy as a solo artist, then this relationship type would be used to link the two tracks, not Other Version Relationship Type.

• When the original artist records a single track consisting of several other songs strung together (covers or not), this is considered a medley. MedleyRelationshipType should be used, not this relationship type.
• Do not use this relationship if either the cover or the original is subject to the ClassicalStyleGuide, even to indicate a parody.
• This relationship type should not be used to indicate that an artist is a cover band.
• Tribute Relationship Type, not this relationship type, should be used to indicate that one release is a tribute album of another.

Examples

• F.F.F. is a cover of Flesh For Fantasy​
• Flesh For Fantasy is covered by F.F.F.​
• Stairways to Heaven is a cover of Stairway to Heaven​
• Stairway to Heaven is covered by Stairways to Heaven​
• We're Not Gonna Take It is a cover of Tommy​
• Tommy is covered by We're Not Gonna Take It