Album level
- Primary artists. Ensembles, choirs, soloists, and orchestras can be primary artists. A conductor can be a primary artist too as long as he is also the composer of the pieces. Please, do not include composers as primary artists unless the specified genre is “Classical/Modern Compositions”. Unless composers have a participant role in a release they cannot be mentioned as primary artists, nor the rest of the given roles but composers.
- Composers. It is mandatory to indicate at least one composer at the album level. If there are four or more composers at the album level, it is mandatory to use the expression “Various Composers”. Please, do not use this tag at the track level, nor in non-Classical releases.
- Titles. Titles of the albums must follow the following formula: “Surname(s) of the composer(s): Name(s) of the piece(s) [or] Name of the release”. If there are four or more composers, composers must not be indicated in the title of the release, nor the titles of the pieces included. In those cases, it is highly recommendable to use an original title. See some examples below:
- Casals: Easy Classica
- Rossini: Ouvertures
- Mozart: The Complete Piano Concertos
Track level
- Composers. It is mandatory to indicate a composer for each piece. If the release features an only composer, the name of this composer must not be indicated in the title of the track. If there are two or more, the surname(s) of the composer(s) must be introduced at the beginning of the title. If the composer of the piece is unknown, please, indicate as a composer “Anonymous” - this name can be adapted depending on the language of the metadata. It is also mandatory to indicate the expression “Anonymous” at the start of the title if there are two or more composers in the release.
- Titles. Titles should follow the following formula; please, notice this formula is a standard and its application will depend on each specific case. If the official title does not include some of these tags do not include them. Try to adapt this formula as much as it is possible respecting the essence of the original piece: “Surname(s) of the composer(s): Official name of the piece, Genre of the piece [and/or] Key of the piece, Catalogue number [or] Opus: Number of the movement. Name of the movement [and/or] Dynamics of the movement”. See some examples below:
- Bach: Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 562
- Schoenberg: Ode to Napoleon Bounaparte
- Albéniz: España, Op. 165: III. Malagueña
- Further considerations:
- The use of this formula is meant to be used for standard Classical repertoires. The application of this is more flexible in Modern and Contemporary compositions.
- It is important that the use of the numbers, abbreviations and slang - such as “Arr.”, “Op.”, “BWV” etc. - remains consistent all along the release. Please, keep in mind it is the same for European - Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si - and American - C, D, E, F, G, A, B - notation systems.
- Please, in case the use of “flat” and “sharp” is mandatory in the use of the piece, write down the word instead of their symbols - “♭” and “#”.
- Even if the tonality of a piece is minor, please, write down the word with the first letter in capital letters - “Minor” instead of “minor”. Language rules are applied the same way in all the releases.
- Instrumental pieces still have to include the tag “no linguistic content” at the language field of each track - if it is required.
Arrangements, variations and homages
- Arrangements. If an arrangement of a preexisting piece is done, it must be indicated as an arrangement at the track version level and define which instrument(s) execute it. In case there is a specific arranger for that piece, they must be mentioned with their corresponding role in the metadata of the track.
- Variations. Unless the original piece is by itself a variation, variations done by the own artist must be named at the track version level.
- Tributes. Hommages and the use of the corresponding expressions for that purpose are allowed only for Classical music and its subgenres.
Cover art
Requirements for cover images are the same as for current releases. Check the “Cover art requirements” block for further information. As an exception for Classical Music, we accept the name of the instrument of the performer or the name of the role in the cover; this is also valid for conductors, arrangers, and other related roles.