Can you explain what is a compilation album over a regular album?
Do compilation albums have to have various artists?
Simple questions for a simple mind. Sorry.
Robert
Can you explain what is a compilation
Well, sometimes this can be subjective. Yes, mostly VA albums are compilations, but greatest hits, live, and soundtracks (even of the same artist) are also usually compilations. I don’t think there’s a hard rule, but you kinda get a feel for it. I guess a way to look at it is: There’s sit-down-and-lay-down-tracks studio albums, and then there’s mixtures of stuff from different releases, same artist or not. Maybe it depends on if someone else produced/mixed the album. The real grey area comes in at live albums, some are considered an official release, some are comps.
Example:
DJ Quik - Greatest Hits Live at the House of Blues (allmusic)
Which I would consider a release, but it’s classified as a comp.
Pantera - Official Live: 101 Proof (allmusic)
Which we agree on, which is an official release.
Of course this may differ from discogs, MB, last.fm, etc.
Jaikoz sets the compilation flag if the songs are matched to a Musicbrainz release that has been marked as a Compilation in Musicbrainz, and dkoh is right about what normally constittues a compilation In Musicbrainz.
Confusing iTunes only consider Various Artist releases to be a compilation.