Since there is a “{work} is a medley of {work1}, {work2}…” relationship, I assume there are situations where the medley itself needs a work entity to be created. But there’s also a “{recording} is a medley including a recording of {work1}, {work2}…” relationship. So when do I need to create a medley work, and when is it good enough to link a medley recording with the works it includes?
I have roughly been going by the “rule of thumb” that is also used for when to put arrangers on works vs. putting them on recordings: if the medley is performed multiple times by multiple different people, I would make it its own work to indicate that it is indeed the same. If it’s “just” a “one-off” thing, then I’d just link the original works to the recording instead of making a new medley work.
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Or even if it’s only performed by one artist (albeit multiple times). That’s the reason I started adding works for “Weird Al” Yankovic’s polka medleys: he incorporated them into his live sets.
Another reason to put in the Work would be if you need it for a relationship (e.g., someone made a medley of a medley, or any of the many other relationships that can only go on Works). Or if it’s otherwise confusing what relates to what without the Work.
I’m not sure if there is a good reason not to put in the Work entry, other than it’s more work (and entering data in MB shouldn’t be made harder without good reason).
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