# Digital releases: Merging? / Long country list? / Just \[Worldwide\]? **URL:** \ **Category:** MusicBrainz\ **Tags:** digital-media, release-country, musicbrainz\ **Created:** [August 21, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381 "2019-08-21T23:23:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/1 "2019-08-21T23:23:21Z")
this is the main version [https://musicbrainz.org/release/b5da5293-47ab-45be-adcf-f88fd08fb48d](https://musicbrainz.org/release/b5da5293-47ab-45be-adcf-f88fd08fb48d) mine ended up here [https://musicbrainz.org/release/f0124685-5999-4d17-89e2-72e615f0bff1](https://musicbrainz.org/release/f0124685-5999-4d17-89e2-72e615f0bff1) can i have some help correcting my mistake its something I almost always seem to do with existing releases ☹ can someone with more Knowledge correct my error ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Yank](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/billy_yank/32/1585_2.png) [@Billy\_Yank](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Billy_Yank)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/2 "2019-08-22T00:58:14Z")
What you want to do is merge release groups. Go here: [https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/d30ca680-3683-455d-b5fe-4107c8695d59](https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/d30ca680-3683-455d-b5fe-4107c8695d59) Click “Merge” down on the lower right. Go here: [https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/a76f4b36-eef9-43eb-9b09-d537a5b6370c](https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/a76f4b36-eef9-43eb-9b09-d537a5b6370c) Click “Merge” there also. This should take you to a page that lets you choose the target. I would choose the one with the accent on the “e” so you don’t have to correct that later. To avoid this in the future, search for the existing release, go to it’s release group page and click on the “Add release” link in the right sidebar. ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/3 "2019-08-22T01:44:10Z")
@Billy_Yank awesome i think i did it can you confirm and up vote? im trying to get it added before i rip to flac actually ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_lover](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/llama_lover/32/12639_2.png) [@Llama\_lover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Llama_lover)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 10:48am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/4 "2019-08-22T10:48:22Z")
@MJmusicguy Off hand I don’t see a problem with what has been done. In looking at your edit(s) It is always helpful when adding cover art to reference the source of the art. Such as; "scanned from my cd cover or from discogs, from a digipak, Amazon, etc… It doesn’t require a lengthy treatise, just enough to let others know where it came from. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 11:09am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/5 "2019-08-22T11:09:36Z")
Making mistakes is the only way to learn anything. 🙂 I guess you are missing a step when adding your release. You can select the Release Group to put your new release in to. ![image](https://community.metabrainz.org/uploads/default/original/3X/b/f/bfec43015670fe6b7994652ea343d2b5865b84c5.png) When nothing is selected, it will automatically create a new one. ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/6 "2019-08-22T14:26:11Z")
ok so it seems after I added the Japanese release that I have someone went ahead and added the digital release listing every country absolutely saturating the page [https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/a76f4b36-eef9-43eb-9b09-d537a5b6370c](https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/a76f4b36-eef9-43eb-9b09-d537a5b6370c) thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/jesus2099/32/36_2.png) [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/7 "2019-08-22T19:08:23Z")
I have asked the editor of they found this country list explicitly cited somewhere: [Edit #63362413 - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/63362413) Which I guess so. ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/8 "2019-08-22T19:57:49Z")
This does not matter as its a digital release is cited which 95% is considered global in the necessity countries so there for digital should simply say worldwide may have only contributed 3 releases in my membership here and I openly make errors and ask for help I dont agree with nonsensical information we need to logical about submissions it sets a gangrous and messy president. ---
**Author:** ![jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/jesus2099/32/36_2.png) [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/9 "2019-08-22T21:21:09Z")
I don’t understand what you mean but if a country list is confirmed I prefer that than just [worldwide] as those sites don’t sell outside of those they operate in, I believe. The fact that it “breaks” the pages layout is a matter of how to display our data. I thought there was a ticket about that but could not find any, eventually. ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/10 "2019-08-22T21:50:52Z")
Worldwide makes more sense for digital and if it breaks the layout even worse i wanna fight this @Bitmap can this crazy multi country digital release edit be overturned or can we atlest fix the layout ? @IvanDobsky thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![highstrung](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/highstrung/32/15259_2.png) [@highstrung](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/highstrung)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:13am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/11 "2019-08-23T03:13:53Z")
Related discussion thread: [Release country for digital media: What stores are international?](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/release-country-for-digital-media-what-stores-are-international/5842/33) I agree that the layout looks bad, but that in itself isn’t a reason to change the data. ---
**Author:** ![Fabe56](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/fabe56/32/9164_2.png) [@Fabe56](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Fabe56)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/12 "2019-08-23T04:06:04Z")
Yop, I just saw the discussion and I’m the one who did the edit. IMHO I think “this crazy multi-country digital release edit” is more accurate than a special-purpose entries like _[Worldwide]_ or _Europe_… And yes the layout could be annoying but do we need to adapt data to looks more beautiful? The purpose of MB is to build a database, I quote “the ultimate source of music information”, not to make a beautiful website. Other like BBC can use that DB and make some wonderful stunning pages, but MB needs to provide the most accurate data possible! So yes when we have the information, it’s better to add it. We also need to think about the future, when it will be difficult to find that kind of information, like a physical release. I also see that information important because as streaming service are used by more and more people, we can imagine others using this to provide the right link to stream the right album from the country you live. Maybe even LB can use it 😉 _[Worldwide]_ or _Europe_ should be used only when we didn’t know the real or complete countries list… Do you think something is really Worldwide? I mean without VPN or other artifacts? ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 8:26am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/13 "2019-08-23T08:26:59Z")
@Fabe56 well I do not disagree and in fact agree with your major point here the fact you did so knowing it would break layout is both disgustingly inconsiderate and irresponsible doing so on a release just to prove a point also irks me if you really wanted to help you could have done so through other channels @Bitmap again about this? ---
**Author:** ![jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/jesus2099/32/36_2.png) [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 9:44am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/14 "2019-08-23T09:44:21Z")
Seriously @MJmusicguy, please understand that there is absolutely no problem with @Fabe56’s edit. ---
**Author:** ![elomatreb](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/elomatreb/32/44009_2.png) [@elomatreb](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/elomatreb)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 9:47am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/15 "2019-08-23T09:47:44Z")
Does the data given by the tool for the edit that sparked this actually report where a release was _released_? I suspect it’s only where Spotify has been given a license for it, which doesn’t necessarily have to be every country on Earth (e.g. countries sanctioned by the US will not appear there, like Iran or Syria, not necessarily because it wasn’t released there but because Spotify is not allowed to do business with them). ---
**Author:** ![jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/jesus2099/32/36_2.png) [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 10:03am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/16 "2019-08-23T10:03:11Z")
Not allowed to make business with, which means not sold to, which means not released at. So even if it is _only where Spotify has been given a licence for it_, it corresponds to release countries. ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 10:13am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/17 "2019-08-23T10:13:20Z")
@jesus2099 there is actually this level of overstated Nonsensical data which is of no benefit to anyone and based on a digital release has dangerous precedent for the entire community and undermines the stability and maintenance of this database in its current format so two options either remove it for stability or fix the layout And require this level of citation for digital releases in all entries Look at the edit not as a contributor but as a user reading it thank you @elomatreb I think you kinda see my view ---
**Author:** ![chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/chaban/32/111349_2.png) [@chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/chaban)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 10:38am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/18 "2019-08-23T10:38:17Z")
Licensed territories can change at any time. Also licensing happens at track level. I’ve seen releases on Spotify of which only a handful are available at my location. ---
**Author:** ![culinko](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@culinko](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/culinko)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 10:51am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/19 "2019-08-23T10:51:47Z")
I do agree that we should accurately represent the data. I also agree that we shouldn’t compromise the data in order to fit it into the layout, instead we should try to fix the layout to better display the data. However, I think there might be an issue in regards to worldwide digital media releases and how iTunes/Spotify licensing to territories works. Let’s take this example: A label is releasing stuff worldwide. Their releases also have links to iTunes/Spotify (the label lists all the stores, etc. on their page for each release) and they share the same barcode with iTunes/Spotify. I am pretty sure iTunes/Spotify doesn’t license these releases to all territories on the planet. So let’s say a label like this has 1500 worldwide releases. I think it would be ridiculous to create another 1500 releases just for iTunes and another 1500 releases just for Spotify because they aren’t “true worldwide” and don’t license to all territories. ---
**Author:** ![MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@MJmusicguy](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/MJmusicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 11:52am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381/20 "2019-08-23T11:52:13Z")
Exactly @culinko all I am trying to express there is a fine line between necessary accurate information and whats logical and common sense the current iteration of the base was not built for this mass entry of non hard copy entries that won’t change overnight and yes visually its unappealing so we need a community agreed compromise bur i think this is also of note > [@Release country for digital media: What stores are international?](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/release-country-for-digital-media-what-stores-are-international/5842/42): > > In Kernel Records Oy v. Mosley the court decided that every digital release anywhere in the world, regardless of the nationality of the label and/or artists is a US release. [Next page](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/digital-releases-merging-long-country-list-just-worldwide/440381.md?page=2)