Information on DisplayArtists, DisplayArtistNames, Contributors and IndirectContributors

Artists play different roles in a recording. Artists also have different contractual entitlements when it comes to being named (and being paid^[1]). In addition, a label may wish to specifically promote certain artists. To support these aspects, DDEX’s Release Notification standards support a variety of fields on Release and Resource level.

The main fields are:

• DisplayArtistName – this is a single string providing how the label wishes the artist name should be displayed. This field may well contain, in one string, multiple artists’ names (e.g. Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia).
  Typically a DSP would be expected to use the string as provided when displaying the Release or Resource. However, there may be circumstances where a DSP wishes to not follow the label’s lead (e.g. when preparing content for a device with limited display capabilities).

• DisplayArtist – For each sound recording^[2] it is possible that there are multiple artists the label wishes the DSP to display when showing the Release or Resource to a consumer.
  In the above example, there would be two such display artists: Coldplay and the Swedish House Mafia. The seven men that make up the two bands are not display artists, though.
  In case of the DisplayArtistName providing a single artist or band, the DisplayArtist composite would repeat the DisplayArtistName information.
  Some DSPs may wish to use the names of the individual display artists to make up their own display artist name. This is, however, not recommended as a normal course of action.
  DSPs who wish to create individual artist pages may also wish make use these display artists to create new artist pages or to augment existing artist pages. To aid DSPs in such endeavours, labels are encouraged to provide party identifiers for each display artist. This will help to ensure that a DSP does not confuse John Williams (the Australian-born classical guitarist) with John Williams (the Welsh musician and songwriter).
  The DisplayArtist field will also be used to communicate “featured artists” (with the role code set to FeaturedArtist).
  The same applies to DisplayConductors.

• ResourceContributor (in ERN-4: Contributor) – For each sound recording^[3] a label may wish to communicate direct contributors, i.e. individuals that were in the studio when the recording or mixing took place. In the above example there would have been seven individuals: Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion from Coldplay, and Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso from the Swedish House Mafia.
  Resource contributors are, however, not limited to the musicians. Studio engineers as well as other studio personnel can also be communicated in this manner. Metadata for the Coldplay/Swedish House Mafia’s recording of “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” thus might include the producers (Markus Dravs, Daniel Green and Rik Simpson). Whether a label will provide such names is, however, up to them.
  Individual artists that are also listed as a DisplayArtist are typically not repeated in the ResourceContributor section, as all the information about their contribution would already have been provided through the DisplayArtist composite.
  While possible, it is normally not recommended that DSPs use ResourceContributor information to create individual artist pages. However, DSPs might want to consider linking to an existing artist page.
  Composers and arrangers are, however, no direct contributor roles. If an individual has contributed to writing the song, that person should be communicated as an indirect contributor.

• IndirectResourceContributor – For each sound recording^[4] a label may wish to also communicate indirect contributors, i.e. the writers of the song(s) that have been recorded. Looking at Coldplay and the Swedish House Mafia’s song “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall”, these would be Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin, Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson.
  While possible, it is normally not recommended that DSPs use IndirectResourceContributor information to create individual artist pages. However, DSPs might want to consider linking to an existing artist page. Of course if it is a famous IndirectResourceContributor composer, this may not apply.
  Note that IndirectResourceContributors only exist in ERN-3. In ERN-4 writers et al are communicated in the ResourceContributor tag.

Sample XML 

Below please find an excerpt of a NewReleaseMessage displaying artist information for “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall”. The snippet below provides an International Standard Name Identifier for each party that has been allocated an ISNI. Not all direct and indirect contributors are listed.

ERN-3

<SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
      <TerritoryCode>Worldwide</TerritoryCode>
      <DisplayArtist>
          <PartyName>
            <FullName>Coldplay</FullName>
          </PartyName>
          <PartyId IsISNI="true">000000011551394X</PartyId>
          <ArtistRole>MainArtist</ArtistRole>
      </DisplayArtist>
      <DisplayArtist>
          <PartyName>
            <FullName>Swedish House Mafia</FullName>
          </PartyName>
          <ArtistRole>MainArtist</ArtistRole>
      </DisplayArtist>     
      <ResourceContributor SequenceNumber="1">
          <PartyName>
            <FullName>Chris Martin</FullName>
          </PartyName>
          <PartyId IsISNI="true">0000000114707136</PartyId>
          <ResourceContributorRole>Member</ResourceContributorRole>
      </ResourceContributor>
      <ResourceContributor SequenceNumber="2">
          <PartyName>
            <FullName>Markus Dravs</FullName>
          </PartyName>
          <ResourceContributorRole>Producer</ResourceContributorRole>
      </ResourceContributor>
      <IndirectResourceContributor SequenceNumber="1">
          <PartyName>
            <FullName>Chris Martin</FullName>
          </PartyName>
          <PartyId IsISNI="true">0000000114707136</PartyId>
          <IndirectResourceContributorRole>ComposerLyricist</IndirectResourceContributorRole>
      </IndirectResourceContributor>     
      <DisplayArtistName>Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia</DisplayArtistName>     
 </SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>

ERN-4 Sample

<DisplayArtistName>Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia</DisplayArtistName>
<DisplayArtist>
	  <ArtistPartyReference>P1</ArtistPartyReference> <!-- Coldplay -->
	  <DisplayArtistRole>MainArtist</DisplayArtistRole>
</DisplayArtist>
<DisplayArtist>
	<ArtistPartyReference>P2</ArtistPartyReference> <!-- Swedish House Mafia -->
	<DisplayArtistRole>MainArtist</DisplayArtistRole>
	<TitleDisplayInformation>
		<IsDisplayedInTitle>false</IsDisplayedInTitle>
		<Prefix>vs.</Prefix>
	</TitleDisplayInformation>
</DisplayArtist>


<Contributor SequenceNumber="1">
	<ContributorPartyReference>P3</ContributorPartyReference> <!-- Chris Martin -->
	<Role>GroupMember</Role>
	<Role>ComposerLyricist</Role>
</Contributor>
<Contributor SequenceNumber="2">
	<ContributorPartyReference>P4</ContributorPartyReference> <!-- Markus Dravs -->
	<Role>StudioProducer</Role>
</Contributor>     

Roles and Sequence Numbers

With the exception of the DisplayArtistName, which is just a string, all other artist and contributor composites need to provide a role code. For the DisplayArtist this is typically MainArtist whereas for the contributors the role can vary greatly.

Direct and indirect contributors are typically sequenced. DSPs are encouraged to honour this order as the artists (and labels) will have agreed to stick to that order when releasing material.

Examples (with role codes being omitted)

Chris Martin

[1] But artist royalties is not what this article is about!

[2] The same is true for Releases as well as other Resource types such as videos etc.

[3] The same is true for other Resource types such as videos etc.

[4] The same is true for other Resource types such as videos etc.