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edtop40
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| Posted: 02 June 2022 at 1:27pm | IP Logged
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I'm not a big fan of current music, but as some of you
know, I still update my spreadsheet every week reflecting
all the new weeks' songs, artists', peak positions and
chart length. The question I have is, what is everyone's
thoughts on how to alphabetize some of the artist that
are current or recently on the Billboard Hot 100.
The artists that go by one name, like Lizzo (Melissa
Viviane Jefferson) is easy. Catalog under L.
But what about someone that goes by two names, which
could be, at first glance, a first and last name, but
maybe not, such as Tory Lanez (Daystar Peterson). Would
one catalog him under L, Lanez, Tory or as T, Tory Lanez?
Or someone like Tanna Leone (Avante Ramone Brown)
featured on a recent Kendrick Lamar song "Mr. Morale." Do
you list her under L, Leone, Tanna or under T, Tanna
Leone?
Then you have someone like Post Malone (Austin Post)
which uses half his real name and have manufactured?
There must be some sort of consistent methodology for
handling such situations.
Everyone's thoughts are welcomed.
Thanks, Edtop40
Edited by edtop40 on 02 June 2022 at 1:28pm
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aaronk
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Whenever I've organized my physical CDs, I've always alphabetized by last name for a solo artist, even if the artist uses a stage name. The one exception is when the artist uses only a last initial.
Examples:
Wonder, Stevie (real name Stevland Hardaway Morris)
Rock, Pete (real name Peter O. Phillips)
For artists with a last initial:
Stevie B. under "S"
Kenny G. under "K"
(This is probably contrary to what others do, but it works for me.)
If it sounds like a person's name but is really a band, it goes under the first name's letter, but even that has exceptions. For example, I file Alice Cooper under "C" (even though nobody in the band has that name), but I know there are other examples of bands that sound like a person but don't have anyone by that name in the band. I just can't think of an example offhand, other than maybe Molly Hatchet, which would go under "M."
In other words, it's a little inconsistent over here!
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Aaron Kannowski
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AdvprosD
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I don't know the formatting to create hot links here in the forum, but I know if you search for "alphabetization" you'll find this has been discussed before. Maybe not as specifically as the question
of many of the more current artists are listed though. I'm with you on the personal preference to older music as well. I have to rely on others to tell me what's good these days. I know that's not fair
to the artists of today, but I am more and more turned off by that ringing sound so often made by autotune. It's really unpleasant.
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crapfromthepast
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I'm actually in 100% agreement with Aaron on how I organize the physical CDs. The band Danny Wilson goes under "D". Sheila E goes under "S". Organizing this way keeps the artists fairly close to what in the Whitburn books.
I'd heard that the only time to alphabetize under a last name is if that person would sign his/her checks with that name. I don't know if that's a real thing, but I've used it as a guiding principle for years.
As for organizing digital files in folders, all bets are off. I set up my files and folders as the artist name is written, but deleting all instances of a leading "The". The Beatles are under "B". Donald Fagen is under "D". My logic here is that it's infinitely easier to type an artist name into a search bar than to scroll down to the artist in a HUGE list (thousands of entries).
I'm sure this is all duplicated in the other thread, too.
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eriejwg
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In my database for my wedding and event clients, I have the
artists listed as:
Post Malone
Tory Lanez
Stevie Wonder
Tanna Leone
etc.
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John Gallagher
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eriejwg
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For my CD cases, Stevie Wonder is under W, Post Malone
would be under M, Tory Lanez would be L etc.
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John Gallagher
John Gallagher Wedding & Special Event Entertainment
Snapblast Photo Booth
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aaronk
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It sounds like we all do the same thing. I also agree with Ron that organizing digitally is different. I've never been a fan of file names that have the last name listed first, so I don't have files that read "Malone, Post" but rather "Post Malone," even though I'd file a CD of his under "M."
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Aaron Kannowski
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AdvprosD
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aaronk wrote:
If it sounds like a person's name but is really a band, it goes under the first name's letter, but even that has exceptions. For example, I file Alice Cooper under "C" (even though nobody in the band has that name),
but I know there are other examples of bands that sound like a person but don't have anyone by that name in the band. I just can't think of an example offhand, other than maybe Molly Hatchet, which would go under "M."
In other words, it's a little inconsistent over here! |
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I never knew that Alice Cooper was only a band name. Geeeez! And I even grew up with the band. At the age of 12 how could I not enjoy "School's Out."
Sounds like a good new topic for the forum. Things have been quiet'ish lately. "Bands the sound like formal names."
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Santi Paradoa
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Maybe Jethro Tull and Dr. Hook are two others (nobody in
either band with that name).
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Santi Paradoa
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aaronk
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AdvprosD wrote:
I never knew that Alice Cooper was only a band name.
Geeeez! |
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I think it started out as a band name, but the lead singer (real name
Vincent) took on the name Alice Cooper as a stage name for himself. At
least that’s the way I understand it. And for that reason, it gets filed under
“C.”
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Aaron Kannowski
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MikeM
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I used to alphabeticalize mine by the last name but the
past few years, I've been doing them by first name.
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MikeM
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aaronk wrote:
AdvprosD wrote:
I never knew that
Alice Cooper was only a band name.
Geeeez! |
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I think it started out as a band name, but the lead
singer (real name
Vincent) took on the name Alice Cooper as a stage name
for himself. At
least that’s the way I understand it. And for that
reason, it gets filed under
“C.” |
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The band was first named Nazz but they learned that Todd
Rundgren had a band named Nazz so they chose Alice Cooper
as their name. Does anyone know how they came up with the
name Alice Cooper?
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Hykker
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aaronk wrote:
I think it started out as a band name, but the lead singer (real name
Vincent) took on the name Alice Cooper as a stage name for himself. At
least that痴 the way I understand it. |
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Well, given that he uses Alice Cooper on his syndicated radio show, that's the way I'd go too.
As far as filing, physical media is lastname, firstname (ie-Cooper, Alice). Digital would be Alice Cooper.
In a case of an initial for last name, I still go initial, name (S, Robin). A stage name is always treated as the
artist's real name.
It's last name first on any database entries.
Some artists I just kind of wing it...for example LL Cool J would be filed under L. "Little" somebody would be under L.
What really throws a curve is when an artist changes their name mid-career...Young Rascals/Rascals, etc or if an act
incorporates the lead singer's name into the name of the act. For example the Miracles or Supremes...the act continued
after the lead singer left. In those cases I'll file all their songs under the group name only.
Edited by Hykker on 03 June 2022 at 5:28am
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LunarLaugh
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Case-by-case is usally how I handle it. Usually, I'm always
going by last name of the artist or first letter (not
including articles like "The" or "a") of the band name.
Personally, I feel like Post Malone is more of a "brand"-
type name that he chose for himself and I treat that like I
treat the same as a band name so I file it under P.
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music4life75
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I have always gone by how Joel Whitburn does it. It just irks me that Spotify
puts people like John Lennon and John Mellencamp for example under J. It
can be confusing also when you have group names to consider that are
more than one word. There are exceptions tho when Wham! is under M fit
George Michael, J for regular Starship, E for Miami Sound Machine, etc.
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Scanner
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| Posted: 03 June 2022 at 8:12pm | IP Logged
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Alphabetize by group name or artist's last name?
* Kenny Rogers And The First Edition
* Alison Krauss And Union Station
* Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band
* Bruce Hornsby And The Range
* Gloria Estefan And Miami Sound Machine
How to alphabetize when the artist's name is the group's
name?
* Zac Brown Band
* The Band Perry
How to group all songs together by an artist or group
when the name changes?
* The Dixie Chicks --> The Chicks
* Lady Antebellum --> Lady A
* Nitty Gritty Dirt Band --> The Dirt Band
* Wynonna Judd --> Wynonna
How to alphabetize abbreviations?
* Dr. Hook - Dr or Doctor
* Mr. Mister - Mr or Mister
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The Hits Man
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I do it the way Aaron does it for all media except various
artists comps.
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The Hits Man
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AdvprosD wrote:
I never knew that Alice Cooper was only a band name.
Geeeez! And I even grew up with the band.
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It was both. Alice Cooper was the band's name at first.
Then, around 1975 (i'm not sure exactly when), Vincent
Fournier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper.
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Paul Haney
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The rapper names have always been an issue for us at Record Research. Our rule of thumb is that
if it sounds like first/last name, say Tory Lanez, then it's Lanez, Tory. If it doesn't, say
Snoop Dogg, then it's Snoop Dogg. There can be exceptions and I guess it comes down to personal
preference. Heck, we've gone back and forth on Adam Ant and Manfred Mann a few times over the
years, LOL!
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AndrewChouffi
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The Hits Man wrote:
It was both. Alice Cooper was the band's name at first.
Then, around 1975 (i'm not sure exactly when), Vincent
Fournier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper.
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Correct Grant, but it was a *confusing* BOTH for a while.
For example, on my early 1972 pressing of their third
album 'Love It To Death' the words 'INCLUDING THEIR HIT
"I'M EIGHTEEN"'are emblazoned on the front cover;
songwriter credits are to individuals (including Alice
Cooper), and arrangements are credited to "Alice Cooper
group and Bob Ezrin" so the public could differentiate.
The group even addresses this a little on their hit "Be
My Lover" (written by band member Michael Bruce but of
course sung by Alice).
Andy
Edited by AndrewChouffi on 04 June 2022 at 3:33am
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Topic: Alphabetizing artists by name
