Second Hand Songs - Wiki - Guidelines

We are currently rewriting the guidelines. Please read also the New Guidelines (work in process).

A medium is the physical carrier of a song.

Example: The medium Aftermath by The Rolling Stones contains the song Mother's Little Helper.

Criteria to be included in the database

A medium must be released.
- This implies we don't include bootlegs, unofficial live recordings and demo's. A medium is usually released on a label.
- This also implies mediums must be the commercial entities as they were released. A box set is a medium, not the individual CDs ?.

Example: The medium Aftermath by The Rolling Stones was released on the Decca label in 1966.

A medium must be solely meant to listen to or among others meant to listen to, but the music must be the essential part of the release. This implies a DVD concert is considered a valid medium, but a DVD movie containing a cover song isn't.

Medium types

Audio single

Cylinder - Earliest method of recording and reproducing sound. Beginning of the 20th century.
78 RPM - one of the oldest media, used mainly before the 1950s. Usually contains 2 songs, but we also use this type for 78RPM albums.
7" - mainly used between the 1950s and the 1980s. Usually contains 2 songs.
12" - mainly used in the 1970s and 1980s. Usually contains more than 2 songs.
Tape - mainly used in the 1970s and 1980s. Usually contains 2 songs.
Single CD - commonly used since the 1980s. Contains upto 2 songs.
Maxi CD - commonly used since the 1980s. Contains more than 2 songs.

Example: The song Gypsy Woman by Muddy Waters was originally released in 1947 on 78 RPM.

Example: The song Hung Up by Madonna was originally released in 2005 on Maxi CD.

Note: Vinyl singles usually don't have a title. In that case we choose the title of the song on the A-side as title.

Video

VHS - commonly used in the 1980s and 1990s.
DVD - commonly used since the 1990s.

Example: The Song Over the Rainbow by Kylie Minogue was originally released in 2005 on DVD.

Internet

Although this could sound pretty abstract, we also consider the internet as a medium.

Example: The song Pink Moon by Beck was originally released in 2005 on his website. In this case the medium type is the internet.

Medium releases

First release

Media are often released on different labels. When choosing an edition we always choose the first released edition. However, if this isn't a criterion that distincts both editions, we choose the label who owns the copyright. This is often the label of the country the artist originates from.

Re-releases and special editions

Media are often re-released with bonus tracks. We always create a new medium for this and specify the difference with the original medium.

Example: The song Paint it Black by The Feelies was released on the 1990 reissue of their album Crazy Rhythms, originally released in 1980.

Different media types for the same medium

If there are releases on different physical media at the same time, one must let:

Stereo Vinyl prevail over mono and quadraphonic vinyl
Vinyl prevail over cassette
CD prevail over vinyl

Catalogue numbers

Catalogue numbers are important since they usually identify a certain release on a label. How to add a catalogue number.

< What is a credit? | Guidelines index | What is a label? >

What is a medium?