# What is the prefered source for youtube links for recordings? **URL:** \ **Category:** MusicBrainz\ **Tags:** url-relationships, youtube\ **Created:** [January 24, 2025, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-is-the-prefered-source-for-youtube-links-for-recordings/739549 "2025-01-24T15:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RustyNova](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/rustynova/32/123042_2.png) [@RustyNova](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/RustyNova)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-is-the-prefered-source-for-youtube-links-for-recordings/739549/1 "2025-01-24T15:15:59Z")
Often recordings have multiple youtube videos that could be considered official: - Auto generated videos ([exemple](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFYYDHyQXr4)) - Video posted by the artist ([exemple](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_xb_t41Xvs)) - Video posted by the label ([exemple](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ1pQQCgxzc)) So this begs the question, which ones should be preferred? Auto generated videos are the closest to being the pure form of the recording, but they aren’t the usual way people listen to tracks. On the other hand, artist/label tracks may have intros (like the label “CHOMPO” does) or added silence in the outro to display those sweet engagement reminders. ---
**Author:** ![outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/outsidecontext/32/90_2.png) [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-is-the-prefered-source-for-youtube-links-for-recordings/739549/2 "2025-01-24T17:40:55Z")
IMHO if there are different videos for a song those should all be separate video recordings. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-is-the-prefered-source-for-youtube-links-for-recordings/739549/3 "2025-01-24T17:44:18Z")
> [@RustyNova](#): > > So this begs the question, which ones should be preferred? Why not add all? > [@RustyNova](#): > > Auto generated videos are the closest to being the pure form of the recording, but they aren’t the usual way people listen to tracks. These are also known as art tracks and are the same “videos” you listen to on YouTube Music. See also [On Music Automatically Uploaded to Youtube ('Topic' pages) - #6 by chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/on-music-automatically-uploaded-to-youtube-topic-pages/689306/6) A “video” with a still image is [not consdered a video](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/How_to_Add_Standalone_Recordings) > [@RustyNova](#): > > Video posted by the artist This should be a [separate recording](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Style/Recording#Video_recordings) and [not linked to any audio-only recording](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Style/Relationships/URLs#Which_entity_to_link_to) > [@RustyNova](#): > > Video posted by the label Unsure about these. Personally I [don’t bother](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/style-2428-step-by-step-video-releases-guidelines-thread/685754/39) with such unless it’s a more proper video ---
**Author:** ![UltimateRiff](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ultimateriff/32/47799_2.png) [@UltimateRiff](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/UltimateRiff)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-is-the-prefered-source-for-youtube-links-for-recordings/739549/4 "2025-01-24T22:09:06Z")
as long as they’re equivalent (all still-image videos or the exact same _video_ video) I see no reason not to add all three (when they exist). beyond that, I don’t really know where I personally stand at the moment