Artists with Identical Names

sebcat Bastien Mathieu

Apple, Amazon & Allmusic have a lot of artists listed on their sites with no artist information. You can do a Google search and still not find a website for a certain artist. That I never understood, why put out music if you don't want people to find you?

My question is, if you have an artist with the same name that is used on SHS, what code do you use to make them separate?

Made up example:

SHS has Dash Board as an artist, and you have some info listed.

You find an artist on Apple with the name Dash Board. You are a 100% sure it is not the same one listed on SHS.

How would you set up the new artist?

Dash Board [UN] UN meaning unknown, since you can't find any info.

Or does SHS prefer not to have the artist set up at all?

I read the Guidelines for Artists, but don't see anything listed, unless I missed it?

Last edit: 2025-04-03 12:15:05 UTC by Bastien

Had this situation several times and just gave up using those covers. Didn't feel good about that.

"[US1]," "[US2,"], etc.? (With explanatory notes if/as needed?)

JeffC

I don't know what country the artist is from, I have no info on him. That is why I am asking if there is there is a rule or standard for unknown when there is a duplicate artist's name. What should I use in the brackets [ ? ]. ?

Can you give an example of a submission where this use case applies?

Bastien

Artist on SHS - Mark Davies

Artist on Apple that I want to add - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mark-davies/264968455

He appears on someone else's release in Austraiia, https://music.apple.com/us/album/blood-is-feat-mark-davies-single/1549068263 , but that doesn't mean that is where he is located. It would be a guess. He could be from New Zealand or the Ununited States, who knows.

Plus as Tunesmith has said, he has ran into this situation a few times, and didn't add those artists. So I believe some sort of guideline or code should be set up for future situations.

I often use [X] for such submissions. Sometimes an "assuming same artist on site".

Sorry I misunderstood, Wayne. On submissions where I wanted to distinguish the reported artist/performer from a data base entry I was not sure about, I used to place an asterisk next to the performer's name and then make a note in the body of the submission outlining what I knew or didn't know about the performer, with the hope that an editor would be able to sort it out.

There seem to be different views about how much information one should have about an artist to qualify him/her/them for entry into the database. Some editors think that unless we can actually identify an artist they should not be entered. I'm of the opposite view, and would permit an "unknown" artist provided there was sufficient identifying information about the cover itself otherwise, but I don't know if this has ever been directly addressed by The Powers That Be.

JeffC

No problem Jeff, I know my wording can sometimes be misleading, even to the point of me being accused of alienating people, but that is not my intent at all.

I'm with you on the subject of unknown artists should be included. It's a shame that Apple, Amazon, & Allmusic doesn't give any artist info. I can understand artists not being able to afford putting up a website, but Facebook/META is free and can be a good way to stay in touch with their base of followers.

I'm still disappointed that SHS doesn't think that their members would be appreciative to have Facebook or the artist's website available to them as a source of information.

C'est la vie.

Quote from DashBoardDJ856

Bastien

Artist on SHS - Mark Davies

Artist on Apple that I want to add - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mark-davies/264968455

He appears on someone else's release in Austraiia, https://music.apple.com/us/album/blood-is-feat-mark-davies-single/1549068263 , but that doesn't mean that is where he is located. It would be a guess. He could be from New Zealand or the Ununited States, who knows.

Plus as Tunesmith has said, he has ran into this situation a few times, and didn't add those artists. So I believe some sort of guideline or code should be set up for future situations.

So you want to add a submission by one Mark Davies, possibly Mark Davies , possibly another Mark Davies?

I guess you should research the cover more thoroughly before submitting it then.

And if you do submit it without knowing the answer, I guess it's better NOT to select Mark Davies , as that could induce the editor in conflating two distinct artists.

I guess you should research the cover more thoroughly before submitting it then.

An odd reply for a number of reasons. One being that you have evidenced that bios are not that important to the site, though that's not exactly the same thing as the same artist or not.

Bastien

Odd indeed! I already have explained that I have researched the artist and have not found any concrete evidence of his nationality. So the question that needs to be answered is how should I set the artist up for SHS. Mark Davies [X]. and then write a brief description in the notes.

Also should there be any setup of a guideline or rule to be added for future problems.

I won't (of course) speak for Wayne or Tar, but isn't the question (or at least a related question) whether there are rules or guidelines about how to handle artists about which we know little or nothing (despite "research")?

I have asked this question before without response. Missing Bios

Quote from DashBoardDJ856

So the question that needs to be answered is how should I set the artist up for SHS. Mark Davies [X]. and then write a brief description in the notes.

Since you don't create the artist in the SHS database, it doesn't really matter how you identify this new Mark Davies in the submission. The most important thing is not to conflate it with the existing Mark Davies.

So sure, if you want to add [X], fine. If you add something else between square brackets, also fine.

Last edit: 2025-04-03 13:25:56 UTC by Bastien

We now have an answer to my earlier question (thanks Bastien): It's OK to make an entry if we don't have information about the artist after researching to try to find the same (and if I've misunderstood please correct....).