Artists, also known as acts or musicians, are people who compose, conduct, or perform music. They can be categorized into a wide range of occupations, such as singers, songwriters, and record producers. In the past, we had a request an artist page that featured mostly wanted pages. However, it was discontinued due to high demand, and we now support every artist who creates their own content. To maintain the quality of our ever-growing database of artists, contributors must follow the specific manual of style for artists outlined below:
Requirements[]
To protect against artist pages that have little relevance to our wiki, we have set minimum requirements that every artist page must meet for inclusion in our database. The minimum requirements are as follows:
1a) A Discography section is mandatory. Every artist page must have at least one release (regardless of the release type), and it must be stated on the page.
1b) If there are no primary releases, the artist must be credited on at least one release, which must be stated on the page.
2) If the artist is part of a group or band, please state the group or band in the 'associated acts' parameter provided in the infobox artist template.
3) Article content is restricted to music-related topics only, even if the artist works in or comes from other occupations.
If these requirements are not met, the page will be deleted by an admin without further explanation.
First Things First[]
All pages about people must begin with {{Infobox artist}}; do not create your own separate template. Also, ignore other existing templates such as infobox soloist, infobox musician, etc., as these will be deleted in the near future to streamline our templates.
We encourage you to read the infobox artist page before creating any artist pages. This will help you understand the parameters in the template. If unsure, you may check the preview on the right side of the page for available parameters. Please ensure that you use the template correctly and fill in as many parameters as possible, staying on topic.
Contents[]
Introduction[]
Like other pages, every article must begin with a brief introduction. In this case, start with the full birth name in bold, e.g., Dominic Richard Harrison (birth name for Yungblud). If the musician is known by a stage name, link it with ", better known by his/her stage name (stage name)"; or if using their real name without a middle name, you may link it with ", known professionally as (name)". Note that names stylized in all caps or lowercase, or containing symbols, should be described as "stylized". This is followed by nationality and occupation(s). Example:
- Dominic Richard Harrison, better known by his stage name Yungblud, stylized in all caps, is an English singer and songwriter.
For musical groups, the introduction should begin with the current group name in bold. If there are former names, link them with "formerly known as (old name)". Note any stylized names. This is followed by nationality, primary genre (optional), and "band" or "male/girl group", depending on the group's style. For duos or trios, use "duo" or "trio" respectively. Then, state the year the group was formed and, if possible, the origin. Example:
- Coldplay are an English rock band formed in 1996 in London.
These are just the beginnings. Below explanations are optional but recommended for comprehensive articles. Include a short description of the individual/group's musical career.
Individuals Only Headings[]
Early Life[]
Include birth date, birth place, and a short description of the individual's early days under "Early life". Start with "(name) was born on (date) in (birth place)", omitting the country, as it's indicated in the infobox and introduction.
Career[]
For a brief career history, add a "Career" heading. This should focus primarily on the musical career, although it may include other relevant details.
Musical Group Only Headings[]
History[]
For a brief history of a group or band, add a "History" heading. This should cover the group's formation, peak, and possibly break-up or disbandment.
Members[]
List group or band members, preferably in a table format. See examples:
- Table format: Everglow
- Bullet list: (currently no examples; will be added soon)
Mandatory Headings[]
Discography[]
This section is mandatory for all musicians and musical groups. List all releases succinctly.
- Italicize album titles (e.g., Album name) and quote singles and songs (e.g., "Song/single name").
- List deluxe or repackaged releases under the corresponding album.
- Organize releases in order of importance.
- If there are many releases, create a separate "(artist/group name) discography" article. In the "Discography" section, link to this with ":Main article: [[(artist/group name) discography]]" and do not list releases.
Other Headings[]
Optional headings can follow the layout suggested by Wikipedia.
A notable optional heading is Gallery. Upload at least one image for the infobox. For additional images, create a separate (artist/group name)/Gallery page. In the Gallery section, link to this with ":Main article: [[(artist/group name)/Gallery]]", and do not include images directly.
Categories[]
Categorizing is crucial for all pages, including those for artists/groups. For individuals, start with:
Birth and Death Year
[[Category:(year) births]] (if no birth year, use [[Category:Year of birth unknown]])
[[Category:(year) deaths]] (if applicable)
Nationality and Specific Occupations
[[Category:(nationality) (pluralized occupation)]]
[[Category:(nationality) musicians]] (if no specific occupation is listed)
Origin
[[Category:Musicians from (state/province)]]
For musical groups, begin with:
Year of Establishment, Disestablishment, Reestablishment
[[Category:Musical groups established in (year)]] (if no establishment year, use [[Category:Year of establishment unknown]])
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in (year)]] (if applicable)
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in (year)]] (if applicable)
Nationality and Specific Genres
[[Category:(nationality) (specified genre) groups]]
[[Category:(nationality) musical groups]] (if no genres specified)
Origin
[[Category:Musicial groups from (state/province)]]
Avoid upper-tier categories like Artists, Bands, etc., and irrelevant categories.
Other Restrictions[]
Note the following prohibitions, some of which are reiterated from guidelines:
- Be prepared with a list of releases and basic content. Blank pages will be deleted immediately.
- Do not create pages for promotion or advertising.
- Avoid mentioning streaming services in content, unless necessary.
- Occupations listed in the first sentence must match those in the infobox. Exclude non-music-related occupations.