Template talk:Infobox album

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Template:Infobox album is permanently protected from editing as it is a heavily used or highly visible template. Substantial changes should first be proposed and discussed here on this page. If the proposal is uncontroversial or has been discussed and is supported by consensus, editors may use {{edit template-protected}} to notify an administrator or template editor to make the requested edit. Usually, any contributor may edit the template's documentation to add usage notes or categories.

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Infoboxes

This template is within the scope of WikiProject Infoboxes, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Infoboxes on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.InfoboxesWikipedia:WikiProject InfoboxesTemplate:WikiProject InfoboxesInfoboxes

Albums

This template is within the scope of WikiProject Albums, an attempt at building a useful resource on recordings from a variety of genres. If you would like to participate, visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.AlbumsWikipedia:WikiProject AlbumsTemplate:WikiProject AlbumsAlbum

"distributor"

I believe that there should be a parametre for distributors, so as to not confuse readers as to who is the label(s) and the distributor(s) of a release. ValenciaThunderbolt (talk) 15:29, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Disagree, distributors are superfluous information. Independent artists might release an album straight to a platform so there wouldn't be a distributor anyway. The distributor simply helps the album/song get to the chosen channel (store or streaming). Other than that, they don't do very much. Many distributors are owned by the big three record companies anyway. Record companies can also behave as distributors e.g. BMG Records is often a distributor for an artist's independent label, but they also release music themselves as a record label in their own rights. >> Lil-unique1 (talk) — 21:05, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

You make a good point, but it isn't always the case when it comes to distributors in, say, South Korea, where the label doesn't own the distributor (unless you're Hybe and YG, who are shareholders in the one who distributes for them). ValenciaThunderbolt (talk) 21:34, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

introducing a separate field will likely just confuse things further as there will be arguments over when a company is a distributor versus label. The infobox is a summary of the most relevant information. Distributor is nowhere near as important as the record label, its the latter that pays for the marketing and arranges distribution. Happy to see what others think. >> Lil-unique1 (talk) — 21:57, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

I just found out at Origin (Evanescence demo album) where it says "Bigwig Enterprises (distribution)". 183.171.121.115 (talk) 07:48, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

get short description year from |year=

The automatic short description should also look at |year= instead of just |released= for cases like Rock 'n' Rave where the release date isn't clean data. ~ฅ(ↀωↀ=)neko-chan^nyan 06:04, 12 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Template-protected edit request on 12 July 2025

This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= parameter to no to reactivate your request.

In the Advanced usage section, in the infobox, the artist name should be changed from Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations to Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, so as to conform to MOS:THEBAND. Tkbrett (✉) 13:15, 12 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Not done: {{edit template-protected}} is usually not required for edits to the documentation or categories of templates using a documentation subpage. Use the 'edit' link at the top of the green "Template documentation" box to edit the documentation subpage. * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 15:15, 12 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, I see now. D'oh. Tkbrett (✉) 15:37, 12 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the note. I completed the request. Binksternet (talk) 15:25, 12 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. Tkbrett (✉) 15:37, 12 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Information on the "type" parameter being "suggested" or "required"

Hi. Yesterday I read in the template page that the "type" parameter is "suggested", not "required" (here: Template:Infobox album#TemplateData). Today I learnt that that doesn't seem to be the case (here: [1]).

If I understood this right, shouldn't the documentation page be changed accordingly? AwerDiWeGo (talk) 14:05, 23 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

There does not appear to be anything in the template code that will break if |type= is not populated correctly, but there are two tracking categories that will be applied to articles that do not populate the parameter, or populate it with a non-standard value. Before the edit linked above, the article was in Category:Pages using infobox album with empty type parameter and Category:Album articles with non-standard infoboxes. The former category appears to be redundant to the latter, but I may be missing something. – Jonesey95 (talk) 18:41, 26 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Future albums "released"

I noticed while reading The Mountain (Gorillaz album), it says "Released 20 March 2026", and is the same with other notable standalone 2026 album articles and upcoming 2025 albums. Infoboxes for other 2026 works like the video game Bubsy 4D or film Avengers: Doomsday just say "Release" or "Release date" respectively (despite their internal parameter being "released" as well).

Would it be possible to modify the parameter so it says "release" until the album is released, perhaps as an alternate parameter for future releases? Then again, one might just parse future dates with an implied "to be released 2026" as to not give more work to editors updating tenses on release days. 9³ (talk) 11:31, 7 October 2025 (UTC)[reply]

All of these future dates violate WP:CRYSTAL: Individual scheduled or expected future events should be included only if the event is notable and almost certain to take place. Dates are not definite until the event actually takes place, as even otherwise-notable events can be cancelled or postponed at the last minute by a major incident. The dates should be removed, IMO. – Jonesey95 (talk) 23:01, 9 October 2025 (UTC)[reply]