https://musicbrainz.org/edit/112120950
I made the above edits, but they were rewritten.
Sony Music Labels Inc. is not an imprint, but since there is no clear imprint for Kenshi Yonezu’s work, could Sony Music Labels Inc. be used as the label?
REISSUE RECORDS inc. is Yonezu Kenshi’s office, not an imprint within the Sony Music Group.
As I see REISSUE RECORDS logo printed on the back cover, I would put label = REISSUE RECORDS on the MB release.
Otherwise I would not recognise the release, visually.
I do not agree with your opinion. As I have said many times, REISSUE RECORDS inc. is not imprint. It is an office belonging to Kenshi Yonezu and has nothing to do with Sony Music Group.
Sony Music Labels inc. imprints always have the imprint mark on the Obi and the text “(imprint) is a Trademark.” on the back cover.
I agree with @jesus2099 . The logo is clearly printed on the back cover. In addition to that, other sites, including Discogs and RateYourMusic, “Reissue Records” is the label. RateYourMusic explicitly identifies it as an imprint of Sony Records.
https://rateyourmusic.com/label/reissue_records/
If you still believe otherwise, you need to provide solid evidence to support your assertion.
I know that the REISSUE RECORDS inc. logo is on it, but that’s not what I meant.
As stated in Wikipedia, REISSUE RECORDS inc. is the personal production of Kenshi Yonezu. There are only three CDs released by REISSUE RECORDS inc.: “花束と水葬”, “OFFICIAL ORENGE”, and “diorama”. These three CDs have the imprint of REISSUE RECORDS inc. on the obi.
Also, this back cover is from Yojiro Noda’s CD and shows various “logos”.
Holding: UNIVERSAL MUSIC LLC
Label: EMI Records
Production: voque ting.
Imprint: Muzinto Records
I am not aware of examples outside of Japan, but there are many examples of private production logos, such as voque ting. on RADWIMPS and LONGFELLOW on BUMP OF CHICKEN. Similarly, REISSUE RECORDS is not listed as an IMPRINT, but as a PRODUCTION.
Discogs and RateYourMusic are examples, but I don’t know the sources of information within these sites, so I can’t agree with them.
I don’t know private life of all artists and labels by heart.
When I have a release in hands with REISSUE RECORDS (not inc.) label logo printed on it, I expect to find an MB release with that label, along with other labels, if needed (if they are printed on the spine, for example).
This is for identification purpose.
Now all the things we may know additionally, can be set as smart relationships.
I think that REISSUE RECORDS, as an imprint should be a separate label than REISSUE RECORDS inc… Sony Music Labels Inc. is not an imprint. I’m not sure how to handle releases that have no imprint on the cover art or digital releases that use Sony Music Labels Inc. as a label. Maybe [no label]? Currently, there is a Reissue Records that is his publisher as well, listed as リイシューレコーズ. Can that also be used as the imprint instead of the production company? Or should it be that for publishing and REISSUE RECORDS for imprint.
https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Label
An imprint is (strictly, and nothing more than) a brand (and trademark) associated with the marketing of sound recordings (an imprint is not a company).
Given this, REISSUE RECORDS (not inc.) is not an imprint because it is not a brand associated with the sale of recordings within a record company (in this case Sony Music Labels Inc.).
Sony Music Labels is not an imprint, but we believe it can be used as a release label, just not recommended, as it says “Specifically, you should favor using names as they are represented on the imprint, rather than using a company name”.
Sony Music Labels, Inc. is not an imprint. On MB, release labels should use imprints only. So, either [no label] or just blank. REISSUE RECORDS is definitely an imprint. An imprint is just whatever logo is used on the back.
You said “On MB, release labels should use imprints only.”
Where is the above statement stated as a clear guideline?
If there is no suitable imprint, then setting the record company as the release label should be allowed.
I have said repeatedly that REISSUE RECORDS is not an imprint within Sony Music Labels.
Do you recognize all logos on the back cover as imprints?
The official site shows more than 50 releases.
I believe that RateYourMusic is a source that MB trusts. I see it referred to frequently. You saying repeatedly that it isn’t an imprint doesn’t make it so.
So far, the best info I’ve seen tells me that it is an imprint.
And keeps re-adding Sony Music Labels Inc. as an imprint every time I remove it. Stuck on it. It’s not an imprint.
As you can see in this image, the release from Sony Music Labels Inc. has an imprint on the obi. In this case, the imprint is gr8! records. Also, the back cover states (gr8!) is a Trademark. CDs released by Sony Music Labels Inc. are thus identified as imprints.
This is also the case for Nogizaka46 and others that have private labels within Sony Music Labels Inc…
For Kenshi Yonezu’s works released by Sony Music Labels Inc. do not have imprint on the obi and the phrase (REISSUE RECORDS) is a Trademark. on the back cover.
Some CDs have the REISSUE RECORDS imprint on the obi. These are only three works: “bouquet and water burial”, “OFFICIAL ORANGE”, and “diorama”. The common feature of these three is that they are reissues of independent or self-produced items.
If the REISSUE RECORDS imprint were also placed on CDs released by Sony Music Labels Inc. it would be difficult to distinguish them from these three CDs.
For these reasons, the REISSUE RECORDS imprint should not be placed on CDs released by Sony Music Labels Inc.
The relationship between Sony Music and Reissue Records is not pertinent. If a release displays the Reissue Records logo, then it should be recognized as an imprint for that particular release. For instance, the Diorama image you provided clearly indicates Reissue Records as the imprint. However, as you mentioned it’s a non-Sony release. It’s just a logo; Sony Music Labels Inc. is not. My point is simply not to use that as a release label, in line with the precedent set before my time at MB. I’ve observed editors leaving the label field empty. Perhaps releases by Sony Music Labels Inc. without the Reissue Records logo could also have no label specified. Your observations about releases lacking the logo and Sony Music Labels Inc.'s digital releases are valid. Yet, I’m unconvinced that every release requires a label, and I concur that it’s peculiar to list [no label] for a release distributed by Sony. Lastly, on Sony Music Labels Inc. releases I’ve been told by yindesu in the past that typically the imprint on Sony Music Labels, Inc. in addition to a logo on the spine may be identified by " (Imprint) is a Trademark". So, that’s usually the imprint, not publisher of the works.
According to Wikipedia, artists without a specific imprint within Sony Music Labels include
*米津玄師
*SixTONES
*Reol
*Awkmiu
*Vaundy
*≒JOY
How about creating a new “Sony Music Labels” (not Inc.) imprint?