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Annotations > Overview | How annotations work? | Artist annotations | Release annotations | Label annotations | Track annotations | FAQ

Contents 1 Purpose 2 FAQ 2.1 What is an annotation? 2.2 How do I add an annotation? 2.3 What can I use it for? 2.4 What should be avoided in annotations? 2.5 What text formatting can I use in an annotation? 2.6 Can I use links to other websites or MB releases or artists? 2.7 This release/label/artist/track already has an annotation, what should I do? 2.8 What is this 'Show history' thing? How does it work? 2.9 What does clicking 'diff' do? 2.10 How do I delete an annotation? 2.11 What does "Warning: this is not the most recent annotation for this artist/label/release/track." mean? 2.12 Why does it say that someone else is editing this annotation? 2.13 In what form should I write annotations in? 3 Annotations suggested readings

Purpose

This page answers some basic questions about Release Annotations, Artist Annotations, Label Annotations and Track Annotations. If you need more in-depth information you might want to read How Annotations Work.

If that still doesn't help, please find us in one of the MusicBrainz Forums, IRC, one of the Mailing List, or via the contact page. If you would like to update the content of this page on the wiki, feel free to do so but please do not add questions without answers (you might want to use the annotations talk page for that).

FAQ

What is an annotation?

Annotations are text boxes that function quite a lot like a miniature wiki. This feature enables anyone, to add and edit informational notes on artist pages, label pages, and individual release and track pages.

Annotations can be used to add information that usually doesn't fit into the strict structural data schema of MusicBrainz. Examples are general information, miniature artist biographies, additional release data, information about Box Sets, media type such as vinyl or release info such as remaster... etc, the ideas are limitless.

You can find out more starting with annotation overview.

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How do I add an annotation?

On every artist, label, track or release page, there is a text box that says:

• This artist/label/release/track doesn't yet have an annotation. Add an annotation >>

Just click Add an annotation and start editing.

How Annotations Work has detailed explanations and screenshots about the annotations editing mechanism.

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What can I use it for?

Annotations can:

• provide information that is relevant to track times, bonus tracks, artist names; and you can combine this with links, for example 'the last three tracks on this release are bonus tracks, the original release is at _link_'
• explain why releases that seem identical are not.
• convey that a release needs to be worked on, (in which case it would be a good idea to use a change log text, as this is what people see when people search for annotation edits)
• confirm information for releases that otherwise seem erroneous
• be used to identify specific releases (see Release Annotation Style for more information)
• link translated releases to their their original entry, for example:
  • This is the transliterated/translated version of Release Title (link)
  • This is the original version of link. please do not merge these two versions or change the capitalization or halfwidth etc. of this one. That is what the transliterated/translated version is for.

Depending on the context, Artist Annotation, Release Annotation, Label Annotation and Track Annotation all have further annotation content suggestion.

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What should be avoided in annotations?

Annotations must avoid:

• copy/paste of copyrighted content (especially from commercial databases)
• links to sites that illegally distribute copyrighted material

Annotations should avoid:

• discussions of any kind, use Edit Notes for discussions about edits, Mailing Lists for general questions and discussion, many pages in this wiki also have a section for discussion about the page topic, etc.
• copy/paste of material coming from resources that could be linked to using relationships (like Wikipedia)
• copy/paste in general...

You can also use either Talk:Annotation or Annotation Future for general questions/discussions about the annotation system.

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What text formatting can I use in an annotation?

You can use a simple wiki style formatting, that supports links, lists and simple font styles. A short help on the syntax can be found below the annotation edit text field.

HowAnnotationsWork also has a summary.

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Can I use links to other websites or MB releases or artists?

Yes and no, most links should use Advanced Relationships: links to specific pages like Wikipedia, MusicMoz, Discogs.com, official artist pages and others should be added using Advanced Relationships.

If a MusicBrainz link is put in an annotation, remember to use the 'permanent link', as merging and deleting can change other links.

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This release/label/artist/track already has an annotation, what should I do?

You can still edit this annotation! just click the 'Edit' link in the blue bar at the bottom. You will be presented with a textarea as usual but this has contents of the current annotation, simply edit (or just add) the necessary things.

For screenshots, see HowAnnotationsWork

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What is this 'Show history' thing? How does it work?

Show History gives a detailed list of edits done to this specific annotation, from the first to the last (and current) this way spam or malicious edits (edits done to remove or destroy data) can be rectified easily.

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What does clicking 'diff' do?

The 'diff' link shows differences between the current revision of the annotation and the last one in the history. It gives you a quick overview of the parts that have been changed with the last modification.

Notice that the first initial annotation does not have a 'diff' link.

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How do I delete an annotation?

Currently, all you can do to delete an annotation is to delete all the text in it.

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What does "Warning: this is not the most recent annotation for this artist/label/release/track." mean?

I am editing an annotation but at the top of the page there is a warning in yellow that says "Warning: this is not the most recent annotation for this artist/label/release." what does that really mean?

Exactly what it says, you are editing one of the annotations on the history page. If you save your changes they will replace the current annotation.

That way you can easily undo spam.

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Why does it say that someone else is editing this annotation?

This message appears, when somebody else was editing the annotation within the last 20 minutes and it should help to avoid problems, when two people are trying to edit the text at the same time.

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In what form should I write annotations in?

There is no official style guideline for annotations, but please consult the specific pages Release Annotations, Artist Annotations, Label Annotations, Track Annotations for more information and style suggestions.

Annotations suggested readings

You can consult:

• for suggestions and recommendations about annotations content, depending on the context:
  • Artist Annotation
  • Release Annotation
  • Label Annotation
  • Track Annotation

• How Annotations Work for details about the annotations mechanism, and how to edit them.
• Annotation FAQ, for some quick answers to common questions.
• The Users Mailing List, the MusicBrainz Forum, the IRC channel, or the annotation discussion page, to discuss the current system or documentation, ask new questions, or suggest style enhancements.

If you're interested in either the future or the past, you may additionally consult/contribute to Annotation Future (suggest enhancements, list problems and limitations, or propose a new masterplan), or Annotation History (for a list of fixed tickets and some interesting insight into the old days)