Earliest Release Relationship Type

This relationship type belongs to the Alternative Version Relationship Class.

Description

This links together different releases of the same audio.

Link Phrases

• Release is the earliest release of Release
• Release is a later release of Release
• Track is the earliest release of Track
• Track is a later release of Track

Attributes

“start date”

This field should be left blank.

“end date”

This field should be left blank.

Guidelines

• Two tracks linked with this relationship type must be the same audio. No remastering has been applied and the track lengths are the same (within 5 seconds, due to media pressing differences). Otherwise, either Other Version Relationship Type or Remaster Relationship Type should be used, not this relationship type.
• Two releases linked with this relationship type must be essentially the same. The releases should be identifiably the same, but with minor differences which prevent them from being merged. Such minor differences may include:

• Bonus tracks may have been added to one release.
• The tracks might be in a different order.
• The releases could each be credited to a different artist.

However, while this is not a complete listing, the following should not be considered minor differences:

• One release is a DJ mix of the other. Use DJ Mix Relationship Type instead.
• One release is a live performance of the other. Use Live Performance Relationship Type instead.
• One release is a mash-up of the other. Use Mash-up Relationship Type instead.
• One release is a remaster of the other. Use Remaster Relationship Type instead.
• One release is a remix of the other. Use Remix Relationship Type instead.
• One release is a transliteration of the other. Use Translation Transliteration Relationship Type instead.
• One release is a translation of the other. Use Translation Transliteration Relationship Type instead.

• All versions of a track which are linked with the track-track version of this relationship type should be linked to the same earliest release of the track.
• All versions of a release which are linked with the release-release version of this relationship type should be in the same release group.
• In any release group, only one release should ever be linked to as the earliest release of the release.

Examples

• Light Speed Collision is the earliest release of Light Speed Collision
  • Light Speed Collision is a later release of Light Speed Collision​
  • Where the Wild Roses Grow is the earliest release of Where the Wild Roses Grow​
  • Where the Wild Roses Grow is a later release of Where the Wild Roses Grow