How to Use Artist Credits

Use of Artist Credits

This page describes the use of Artist Credits (or ACs for short), and gives examples. It is not a style guideline.

That said, there are better and worse uses for Artist Credits.

1. Use to indicate collaborations (when possible)
2. Use to indicate variations in an Artist's name

   Name variations should not be

   • Performance Names that are considered separate Artists
   • Variations based on graphic design choices rather than on Artist Intent

How to Edit

While the examples below are for Releases, Artist Credits can also be added to Tracks, Recordings and Release Groups. The process is similar for each. Note: to add ACs to Tracks, the "Artist" checkbox above the Tracklist must be checked.

Name Variation

To change how an Artist is credited on a particular release

• Enter the Release Editor
• Access the Artist Credit tool by clicking the ">>" arrow beside the Artist's name
• Edit only the "Artist as credited" field (not the green "Artist" field)
  • Reminder: be careful not to include leading or trailing "white spaces"
  • A preview will be generated by the Artist Credit tool. Check carefully before submitting your edit

Collaborations

To create a collaboration Artist Credit for a whole Release

• Enter the Release Editor
• Access the Artist Credit tool by clicking the ">>" arrow beside the Artist's name
• To add additional Artists to the collaboration, use the "Add Artist Credit" button
  • you can (of course) use "name variations" (see above) for the artists in a collaboration
  • "join phrases" might include words and/or punctuation as they appear on the release, but note: the style guidelines include specific guidelines for "featured" artists in popular music.
  • as you add Artists and "join phrases", a preview will be generated by the Artist Credit tool. Check carefully for correct spacing before submitting your edit
  • adding a "join phrase" after the last Artist can be done by adding an additional "empty" artist field to the collaboration

To create a collaboration Artist Credit for a single Track in a Release

• Go to the Tracklist tab in the Release Editor
• Press "credits" by the Artist for a Track to open the Artist Credit tool
• To add additional Artists to the collaboration, use the "Add Artist Credit" button
  • you can (of course) use "name variations" (see above) for the artists in a collaboration
  • "join phrases" might include words and/or punctuation as they appear on the release, but note: the style guidelines include specific guidelines for "featured" artists in popular music.
  • as you add Artists and "join phrases", a preview will be generated by the Artist Credit tool. Check carefully for correct spacing before submitting your edit
  • adding a "join phrase" after the last Artist can be done by just writing it in the "Join phrase" field in the last line
• If you want to change a Track Artist which has been modified via the Artist Credit tool, you'll have to open the tool again

"Splitting" Existing Collaboration Artists

Prior to NGS, collaborations were often entered using the Collaboration Relationship. If you find an existing collaboration that you feel would be better represented as an Artist Credit, see How to Split Artists.

Examples

Name Variations

Simple Name Variation

Alex Band / Alex Max Band

Name Variations including character and voice-actor credits (controversial)

Macross Frontier O.S.T. II: Nyan Tora

Collaborations

Simple Collaboration

Bert Jansch & John Renbourn

Simple Collaborations in a language that inflects nouns to indicate association

2010LP

More complex Collaborations

DJ Muggs vs. Ill Bill

Simple "featured" Artist in popular music

Pearl

Other Uses

Simple Split Release

Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age

Use of "join phrases" to more closely match the "as on cover" credits (controversial)

The Quintet of The Hot Club of France with Django Reinhardt (Guitar) & Stephane Grappelly (Violin)