Template:Infobox musical artist
The design and content of all music-related infoboxes should follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy, infobox style guideline and music style guideline. While this document may clarify details of their specific application to the infobox, it is primarily concerned with explaining usage and not with matters of Wikipedia policy and style. |
{{Infobox musical artist}} is the standard infobox for musician articles, and is within the purview of WikiProject Musicians.
This template may also be used as a module (or sub-template) of {{Infobox person}}.
See also Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians/Infobox for more information.
Usage
One of the following two alternatives (one for individuals, one for groups) should be placed in an article at the top of the page, before the introduction.
For articles about individuals
For dancers, use {{Infobox dancer}} instead.
{{Infobox musical artist
| name =
| image =
| image_size =
| landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alt =
| caption =
| background = **Mandatory** Use one: solo_singer, non_vocal_instrumentalist, non_performing_personnel, or temporary
| birth_name =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| alias =
| birth_date = <!-- {{birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| birth_place =
| origin =
| death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) -->
| death_place =
| genre =
| occupation =
| instrument =
| years_active = <!-- YYYY–YYYY (or –present) -->
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| notable_instruments =
}}
For articles about musical groups
Some types of musical groups have their own dedicate infobox, which should be used instead: {{Infobox choir}}, {{Infobox orchestra}}, {{Infobox college marching band}}, {{Infobox school marching band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name =
| image =
| image_size =
| landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alt =
| caption =
| background = **Mandatory** Use one: group_or_band, classical_ensemble, or temporary
| alias =
| origin =
| genre =
| years_active = <!-- {{start date|YYYY}}–{{end date|YYYY}} (or –present) -->
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
Parameters
- Most fields are optional and the row will simply be omitted if no data is supplied.
- See WikiProject Musicians for more information about this template.
name
The name of the group or artist ("the act") in plain text only. Logos and other graphics are to be avoided in this field in accordance with WP:ACCESS, WP:FAIR, and in particular WP:LOGO. This field is mandatory.
image
An image of the act, sufficiently clear for display at 220 pixels' width. Set to only the image name, e.g. Example.png, not Image:Example.png or [[File:Example.png|200px|abc]].
image_size
The image size should only be specified if the image is smaller than 220 pixels width. Enter the width in pixels without "px", for example 150. Size for landscape images should be 250.
landscape
Set to yes when using wide, short images. The image height (rather than width) will be limited to 200 pixels.
alt
Alt text for the image, for visually impaired and other readers who cannot see the image. See WP:ALT.
caption
Caption for the image to be displayed.
background
The musical artist should be placed into one of seven categories by using one of the codes below in the background field. Each category is color-coded to provide a quick indication of the type of group/performer, e.g. solo artist, orchestra, etc. The color scheme is similar to the one used by WikiProject Albums and other projects. Please discuss additional types that need to be accounted for on the template's talk page. This field is mandatory.
| Code | Display | |
|---|---|---|
| solo_singer |
|
|
| non_vocal_instrumentalist |
|
|
| non_performing_personnel |
|
|
| group_or_band |
|
|
| classical_ensemble |
|
|
| temporary |
|
solo_singer- Singular vocal performers (including lead and background singers, singer-songwriters, and singer-instrumentalists). This categorization is for any article about a singer, whether they perform solo, with a group or band, or both.
non_vocal_instrumentalist- Non-vocal instrumentalists.
non_performing_personnel- Composers, producers, songwriters, arrangers, DJs, engineers, and other non-performing personnel.
group_or_band- Groups, bands, crews, or other non-classical music ensembles. This categorization is for articles on group acts only; members of groups should be labeled with one of the codes above.
classical_ensemble- Orchestras and other classical music ensembles.
temporary- Temporary collaborative projects.
Other values (e.g. "jazz trumpeter") must not be used.
Pages with invalid value in |background= can be found in Category:Infobox musical artist with missing or invalid Background field.
birth_name
This field is only relevant for individuals. The person's name at birth
native_name
This field is only relevant for individuals. The artist's name in their own language
native_name_lang
This field is only relevant for individuals.
ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fre" or "fra" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} for |native_name= instead
alias
For listing official stage names for the act or solo artist other than the name in the |name= parameter. Also for the solo artist's legal name(s), or other officially authorized names that differ from their birth name. This field is not for nicknames such as "The Godfather of Soul" (James Brown) or "Nippy" (Whitney Houston), which are not the artists' official names.
birth_date
This field is only relevant for individuals.
The artist's date of birth; it is preferable to use {{Birth date and age}} (for example {{Birth date and age|1949|12|31}}) to display current age. If the artist's age is verified, but the date is not known, then use {{Birth based on age as of date}} (for example {{Birth based on age as of date|63|2012|08|30}}). For dead people, use {{Birth date}} (for example {{Birth date|1949|12|31}}). Also list the place of birth using the birth_place parameter (below).
{{Birth date and age|Year|Month|Day}}
birth_place
This field is only relevant for individuals. The artist's place of birth. Do not add a flag icon. (see field "origin" below).
[[City]], [[State/Province]], [[Country]]
origin
The town, city etc., from which the group or singer originated (that is, the place where the group was founded, or where individual performer started their career, should it not match the location of their birth). If the place is not known, specify at least the country. Do not add a flag icon. Omit the country if it does not differ from that specified at the field "birth_place".
[[City]], [[State/Province]], [[Country]]
death_date
This field is only relevant for individuals. The artist's date of death (same format as birth_date; but use {{Death date and age}}).
death_place
This field is only relevant for individuals. The artist's place of death (same format as birth_place). Do not add a flag icon. Omit the country if it does not differ from that specified at the field "birth_place".
genre
The genre or genres of music performed by the act. Aim for generality (e.g. [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]] rather than [[East Coast hip hop]]). Genres should be separated with a comma delimiter. Genres should be wikilinked. Use piped links where needed, for example: [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Rock music|rock]]. Note: most genres are not proper nouns and should not be capitalized. However, the first word in a list of multiple genres should be capitalized.
occupation
This field is only relevant for individuals. Roles the artist has fulfilled (e.g. musician, songwriter, producer). For artists who have participated in forms of entertainment outside of music (such as acting), these occupations can be included if notable. Please observe sentence case and capitalise only the first letter of the first item (e.g. Musician, actor, singer-songwriter).
instrument
This field is only relevant for individuals.
General class(es) of instrument(s) played by the artist, e.g. guitar or violin. Include singing, rapping, beatboxing and/or scat singing if relevant. Separate multiple entries with commas. Instruments listed in the infobox should be limited to only those that the artist is primarily known for using. The instruments infobox parameter is not intended as a WP:COATRACK for every instrument the subject has ever used.
years_active
Period(s) during which the act was or has been active. Only calendar year ranges or a single calendar year should be listed; for example, do not distinguish between the period Paul McCartney was in the Beatles and his solo career. Use commas to separate non-consecutive periods, and denote ranges with an unspaced en dash (e.g. 1993–2004, 2005–present). See WP:DATE#Longer periods and WP:MOS#En dashes. For groups only use {{Start date}}.
label
The record label or labels to which the act has been signed, as a comma-separated list. Omit parenthetical dates; save that information for the main article. Drop the word "Records" from the end of any label's name (e.g. use [[Universal Records|Universal]] rather than [[Universal Records]].) Separate multiple entries with commas. Start with the oldest first.
associated_acts
This field is for professional relationships with other musicians or bands that are significant and notable to this artist's career.
This field can include, for example, any of the following:
- For individuals: groups of which he or she has been a member
- Other acts with which this act has collaborated on multiple occasions, or on an album, or toured with as a single collaboration act playing together
- Groups which have spun off from this group
- A group from which this group has spun off
Separate multiple entries with commas.
The following uses of this field should be avoided:
- Association of groups with members' solo careers
- Groups with only one member in common
- Association of producers, managers, etc. (who are themselves acts) with other acts (unless the act essentially belongs to the producer, as in the case of a studio orchestra formed by and working exclusively with a producer)
- One-time collaboration for a single, or on a single song
- Groups that are merely similar
website
The single web address for the act's primary official website. Use {{URL}} as {{URL|example.com}}.
current_members
This field is only relevant for active groups. Current members of the group, listed in order of joining with no other notation than names. For multiple members joining concurrently (such as the formation of the band), list them according to alphabetical order. Separate multiple entries using * list markup. For example,
| current_members = * Member 1 * Member 2 * Member 3
past_members
This field is only relevant for groups. Past members of the group, listed in order of joining with no other notation than names. If a group is inactive, all members should be listed here, and none in the "current_members" field. If membership of the group has varied over time, it should not be noted here, but may be discussed in the article body. Separate multiple entries using * list markup. For example,
| past_members = * Member 1 * Member 2 * Member 3
notable_instruments
This field is only relevant for individuals. Particularly noteworthy models or custom musical instruments with which the artist is strongly associated (e.g. Jimi Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Flying V guitars or Tori Amos's Bösendorfer piano). Separate multiple entries with commas.
Examples
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For individual musicians
- The following template code produced the infobox above.
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mariah Carey
| image = Mariah Carey13 Edwards Dec 1998.jpg
| alt = Young woman singing into a hand mike with her eyes closed and a big smile
| caption = Mariah Carey performing in 1998
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Mariah Carey
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|3|27}}
| birth_place = [[Huntington, New York]]
| origin = [[New York City]]
| genre = [[pop music|Pop]], [[contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[dance-pop]]
| associated_acts =
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, record producer, music video director, actress
| years_active = 1990–present
| label = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]], [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[MonarC]]/[[Island Records|Island]]
| website = {{URL|mariahcarey.com}}
}}
For groups or bands
- The following template code produced the infobox above.
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Audioslave
| image = Audioslave_2005.jpg
| landscape = yes
| alt = Four-man rock group performing on stage, spotlit, with row of darkened fans in the foreground
| caption = From left to right: [[Tim Commerford]], [[Chris Cornell]], [[Brad Wilk]] and [[Tom Morello]], performing at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]], 2005.
| background = group_or_band
| origin = [[Los Angeles]], California, United States
| genre = [[Hard rock]], [[alternative rock]], [[post-grunge]]
| years_active = {{Start date|2001}}–2007
| label = [[Epic Records|Epic]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| associated_acts = [[Rage Against the Machine]]
| website = {{URL|www.audioslave.com}}
| current_members =
| past_members =
* [[Chris Cornell]]
* [[Tom Morello]]
* [[Tim Commerford]]
* [[Brad Wilk]]
}}
Examples of the template in use can be found at:
Microformat
The HTML markup produced by this template includes an hCard microformat, which makes the person's details parsable by computers, either acting automatically to catalogue articles across Wikipedia or via a browser tool operated by a reader, to (for example) add the subject to an address book or database. For more information about the use of microformats on Wikipedia, please see the microformat project.
Sub-templates
Date-of-birth ("bday") information will only be included in the microformat if {{birth date}}, or {{birth date and age}} are used in the infobox. (Do not use these if the date is before 1583). Be cautious about using these if the person is still living, per WP:DOB.
To include a URL, use {{URL}}.
Please do not remove instances of these sub-templates.
Classes
hCard uses HTML classes including:
- adr
- agent
- bday
- birthplace
- category
- country-name
- deathdate
- deathplace
- extended-address
- family-name
- fn (required)
- given-name
- honorific-prefix
- honorific-suffix
- label
- locality
- n
- nickname
- note
- org
- role
- url
- vcard
Please do not rename or remove these classes nor collapse nested elements which use them.
The determination between class="fn" (for individuals) and class="fn org" (for groups) and is made by {{Infobox musical artist/hCard class}}.
TemplateData
Infobox musical artist
<templatedata> {
"description": "An infobox for musical artists/groups.",
"params": {
"name": {
"label": "Name",
"description": "Name of group/artist, plain text only.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Name"],
"default": "The page name",
"required": false
},
"background": {
"label": "Background",
"description": "Must be specified, sets to color used. Must be one of 'solo_singer', 'non_vocal_instrumentalist', 'non_performing_personnel', 'group_or_band', 'classical_ensemble', or 'temporary' (for temporary collaborative projects).",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Background"],
"required": true
},
"image": {
"label": "Image",
"description": "Image to use in infobox Set to only the image name e.g. 'ABBA - TopPop 1974 5.png'.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Img"],
"required": false
},
"landscape": {
"label": "Landscape",
"description": "Set to yes when using wide, short images.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Landscape"],
"required": false
},
"image_size": {
"label": "Image size",
"description": "Should only be specified if the image is smaller than 220 pixels width. Enter the width in pixels without 'px', for example '150'. Size for landscape images should be 250.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Img_size"],
"required": false
},
"alt": {
"label": "Image alt text",
"description": "Alt text for the image, for visually impaired and other readers who cannot see the image.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Img_alt"],
"required": false
},
"caption": {
"label": "Image caption",
"description": "Caption for the image.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Img_capt"],
"required": false
},
"native_name": {
"label": "Native name",
"description": "The artist's name in their own language.",
"type": "string",
"required": false
},
"native_name_lang": {
"label": "Native name (language)",
"description": "ISO 639-2 code e.g. 'fr' or 'fra' for French. If more than one, use [undefined] Error: {{Lang}}: no text (help) for native_name instead",
"type": "string",
"required": false
},
"birth_name": {
"label": "Birth name",
"description": "The person's name at birth.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Birth_name"],
"required": false
},
"alias": {
"label": "Alias",
"description": "Official stage names, legal names, or other officially authorized names. Not for nicknames.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Alias"],
"required": false
},
"birth_date": {
"label": "Birth date",
"description": "The artist's date of birth; it is preferable to use Error: Need valid birth date: year, month, day e.g. 'December 31, 1949'.",
"type": "string",
"required": false
},
"birth_place": {
"label": "Birth place",
"description": "The artist's place of birth. e.g. 'Lubbock, Texas, U.S.'.",
"type": "string",
"required": false
},
"origin": {
"label": "Origin",
"description": "The city from which the singer or group originated. e.g. 'Aston, Birmingham, England'",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Origin"],
"required": false
},
"death_date": {
"label": "Death date",
"description": "The artist's date of death use Template:Death date and age",
"type": "string",
"required": false
},
"death_place": {
"label": "Death place",
"description": "Place of death.",
"type": "string",
"required": false
},
"genre": {
"label": "Genre",
"description": "The genre or genres of music performed by the act. Genres should be wikilinked and separated with a comma delimiter. e.g. 'Pop, rock'.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Genre"],
"required": false
},
"occupation": {
"label": "Occupation",
"description": "Roles the artist has fulfilled (e.g. musician, songwriter, producer, etc). For artists who have participated in forms of entertainment outside of music (such as acting), these occupations can be included if notable.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Occupation"],
"required": false
},
"instrument": {
"label": "Instrument",
"description": "General classes of instruments played by the artist, e.g. guitar or violin. Include singing, rapping, beatboxing and/or scat singing if relevant. Separate multiple entries with commas. Instruments listed in the infobox should be limited to only those that the artist is primarily known for using.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Instrument"],
"required": false
},
"years_active": {
"label": "Years active",
"description": "Years artist/group was active e.g. '1993–2004, 2005–present'.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Years_active","yearsactive"],
"required": false
},
"label": {
"label": "Record label",
"description": "The record label or labels to which the act has been signed, as a comma-separated list. Omit dates. e.g. 'Universal'.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Label"],
"required": false
},
"associated_acts": {
"label": "Associated acts",
"description": "Professional relationships with other musicians or bands that are significant and notable to this artist's career.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Associated_acts"],
"required": false
},
"website": {
"label": "Website",
"description": "The single web address for the act's primary official website. e.g. 'Template:Url'.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["URL","url"],
"required": false
},
"current_members": {
"label": "Current members",
"description": "Name of current members of the group, listed in order of joining. Separate multiple entries using * list markup, one per line.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Current_members"],
"required": false
},
"past_members": {
"label": "Past members",
"description": "Past members of the group, listed in order of joining. Separate multiple entries using * list markup, one per line. If a group is inactive, all members should be listed here, and none in the 'current_members' field.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Past_members"],
"required": false
},
"notable_instruments": {
"label": "Notable instruments",
"description": "Particularly noteworthy models or custom musical instruments with which the artist is strongly associated. e.g. Jimi Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Flying V.",
"type": "string",
"aliases": ["Notable_instruments"],
"required": false
},
"embed": {
"label": "Embedded",
"description": "Set to 'yes' if embedded in another infobox template.",
"type": "string",
"required": true
},
"pronunciation": {
"label": "Pronunciation",
"description": "",
"type": "string",
"deprecated": "true",
"required": false
}
}
} </templatedata>