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Understanding Release Pages

To experienced record collectors the release pages on this site will probably seem fairly straightforward as it’s to a degree inspired by the data found on sites such as Discogs.

However, new collectors or simply people who are curious might need a little extra explanation so I’ll break down all the release page info you can find on blip blop below.

Composer(s)
Here you’ll find a taxonomy link to all composers involved with a specific release. You can click a composer’s name to see all titles he or she’s been involved with  in the blip blop database.

Performer(s)
Here you’ll find a taxonomy link to all musicians, singers, arrangers and lyricists involved with a specific release. You can click a composer’s name to see all titles he or she’s been involved with  in the blip blop database.
Often a composer will also function as a performer, but composer’s who is already being credited as such on a release page is not given a performer credit as well.

Label(s)
Here you’ll find a taxonomy link to all record labels involved with publishing and releasing the specific release. You can click on a label name to see other releases published by this label in the blip blop database.
Most releases only have one label involved, but sometimes a release is a result of a collaborative effort between labels and other times both a parent label and a sublabel is credited on a release in which case both are credited on the release page.

Game(s)
Here you’ll find a taxonomy link to all games whose music is represented on the specific release. You can click on a game name to see other releases containing music from this game in the blip blop database.
As a rule we’ll be using the Western (English) release title of a game if one exists, and if not we’ll show the title in its original language.

Platform(s)
Here you’ll find a taxonomy link to all gaming platforms the music on the specific release have been used on. You can click on a platform name to see other releases with music used on this platform in the blip blop database.
Many game titles have been released on several platforms and if the music on a release is only relevant to one of those platforms we’ll only list that platform.

Catalag No.
Almost all music releases (including vinyl records) have a (more or less) unique catalog number that can help identify the specific release. On vinyl records these are most commonly found on the spine on the record jacket, the center label on the record and sometimes on the back cover.
To make searching for specific titles easier we’ve added catalog numbers to all release pages if available.

Release Year
The year the specific release was released in. For reissues and repressings this will be the year that the specific reissue or repress was released in and not the year the original release was released in.

Release Date
This is only visible on release pages for Upcoming Releases. This is the date on which a specific release is set to come out or be able to order.
If no specific date has been added the release date will display the latest date within the given time frame. I.e. if a release has been given a release date of Q2, 2016 the release date will be set to June 30, 2016 (as it is the last date in the second quarter of 2016) and will be changed once a more specific date is announced.

Release Country
The country which is the intended market for a release. This definition is a little tricky in a globalized world as almost everything can be bought online and shipped worldwide, but typically if a US label releases something from their own US store or webstore, then it’s considered a US release even if they have a European distributor.
Most commonly the release country will be the country the label is based in.

Classification

  • Original Soundtrack
    • The original music used in the game(s) listed
  • Arrangement / Covers
    • This covers cover versions and adaptations of video game music by orchestras and by regular bands
  • Drama
    • Narrated stories related to video games
  • Live Recording
  • Remix
    • Remixes made of original video game music. Related to “Arrangement / Covers”, but are most commonly related to electronic music by DJs and credited as being remixes or edits.
  • Inspired By
    • Music about video games or original music by video game composers, which has not (or is not intended) for use in any video games. Also covers music played on video game consoles.
  • Sound Effect
    • Includes sounds from video games. Often for use as DJ breaks.
  • Film / Animation / TV
    • Music used in film, animation or TV adaptations of video games (i.e. Street Fighter or Tomb Raider)
  • Commercial / Advertisement
    • Music used in advertisements for video games or video game consoles.
  • Mock Vinyl
    • A vinyl record without any actual music or grooves in it. Mainly used for promotion of a video game title.
  • Vinyl Data
    • Data in sound form which has been pressed on a vinyl record (typically a flexi disc), which, if transferred to a compatible tape, can be played as a video game on the approriate platform.

Vinyl Color
Fairly self-explanatory. Many new vinyl records come on colored vinyl and here you can see the color of the specific record. If a record is a picture disc then it will also be noted here even though that’s not technically a color.

Format

  • LP
  • 12″
  • 10″
  • 7″
  • Album
  • EP
  • Single
  • Compilation
    • A release containing music from several different video games
  • 33 RPM
  • 45 RPM
  • 78 RPM
    • To my knowledge no video game music titles have been pressed at this speed.
  • Shaped
    • Some records come in special shapes such as a hexagon or as a specific object (like a car or a dinosaur)

The number of records included in a release is also noted here.

Additional Format Info

  • Reissue
    • A new pressing of a title typically. Typically released either long time after the original sold out, by a new label, or in a new region/country
  • Repress
    • A new pressing a title by the same label and for the same region as the original release. Often not long after the original sold out
  • Promo
    • Early-release copies that are typically shipped out to distributors, industry people or friends of a label or artist. Items that have never been intended for commercial sale
  • White Label
    • The standard definition is simply that the label on the record needs to be blank (typically white hence the name). Most commonly used for promos or test pressings
  • Test Pressing
    • Before a full pressing of a release is commenced the artist and/or label will commonly receive a few test pressings to hear if everything sounds like intended. If so, they can give the green light for the full pressing to begin. Typically only 3-5 copies of these are pressed for a release (although most labels allow for more to be ordered).
  • Unofficial Release
    • Illegal bootleg, pirate or counterfeit releases that have been pressed and sold without the license or agreement from the official rightsholders.
  • Flexi Disc
    • Flimsy thin and flexible vinyl format that is most commonly given away with magazines or as postcards. Usually cheap to make, but they don’t sound particularly well.

Links
We’re operating with 3 types of links:

  • Database links
    • Links to the Discogs or VGMDB databases
  • Store links
    • The site currently allows for up to 3 store links per release. Official label stores are given first priority, but official distributor pages are also allowed. No auction sites.
  • Source links
    • Typically leftover sources from their announcement, but sometimes simply sources for obscure releases to prove that they actually exist. There’s not a strict rule to the sources, but they just have to be related to the vinyl release in some way.