And since we're speculating, what could have been Prince's criteria for crediting a project to the New Power Generation?

Him not being on lead vocals? It wouldn't work for "Newpower Soul", "The War", and the last track on "C-Note".

A more band-oriented project? That would work especially for "The War" and "C-Note", since they're live recordings. "Gold Nigga" also sounds like a "live in the studio" album. It wouldn't work for "Newpower Soul", though.

databank said:

Kares said:

.

I didn't mean to imply that original credits (such as Madhouse or NPG or whatever) should be forgotten or erased. I'm just saying there should be an official Prince catalog that includes all albums made by Prince, regardless of original artist credit and regardless of lead vocalists (so yes, I mean the first three Time albums, A6, V6, Sheila E, Family, JJones, Mayte etc albums too).
.
Just as the official Frank Zappa catalog includes everything originally credited to 'The Mothers Of Invention', 'The Abnuceals Emuuka Electric Symphony Orchestra & Chorus', 'The Mothers', 'Zappa & The Mothers', 'Francesco Zappa' or the 'Ensemble Intercontemporain & The Barking Pumpkin Digital Gratification Consort' – or in fact to Ensemble Modern or the London Symphony Orchestra.

It's not official, but there is one: it's called Princevault (and of course, there's my website as well ).

.
PrinceVault's discography section is far too fragmented for casual fans or journalists who'd want to use it as a quick reference. There's not ONE page that shows all the P-albums together regardless of original artist credit.
.
Your site is great, I truly respect all the hard work you put into it – and your quick album discography page is in fact close to my list, with not many exceptions. (One example: I regard 'The War' to be an EP, not an album, although it's clearly an important one.)

databank said:

bizzie said:

.

The center of the Nude Tour tourbook had a list of compositions for others and that list had plenty of errors.

Really? I used to have that tour book but I sold it long ago and I don't remember mistakes. Just out of curiosity, what were they? (or if someone can post a scan?)

You can find the whole tour book here.

(Or here you have the full page.)

The only strange thing I notice is: songs by "Christopher Tracy" ?

I don't see the "plenty of errors" that Bart is referring to.

He probably will find one, and throw it in my face, but "I'm ready gurl!"

Thanks for the link/scan, Vannormal. It's "The Dance Electric", not "Dance Electric". "Mind Bells", not "Mindbells". "Baby Go-Go", not "Baby Go Go". I'm probably missing other mistakes as well.

It's probably not full of errors, but a bit confusing to list those songs with their original Library of Congress credits, e.g. some songs from the Jill Jones album credited to Joey Coco and others to Prince.

[Edited 4/2/25 8:32am]

olb99 said:

And since we're speculating, what could have been Prince's criteria for crediting a project to the New Power Generation?

Him not being on lead vocals? It wouldn't work for "Newpower Soul", "The War", and the last track on "C-Note".

A more band-oriented project? That would work especially for "The War" and "C-Note", since they're live recordings. "Gold Nigga" also sounds like a "live in the studio" album. It wouldn't work for "Newpower Soul", though.

.
I think he was being fair and right. C-Note is mainly jamming, therefore it is only fair to recognise the bandmembers' contribution by crediting the album to them.

databank said:

Kares said:

Sadly I don't have answers to your questions, Databank, but I find this to be a more important issue than what perhaps most would think so.
.
The fact that Prince issued records under several different artist credits is one of the main reason behind the common misconception that his catalog consists of only 36 or so albums, something that has always bothered me greatly. It is why most casual Prince fans aren't even aware of Madhouse, The War, Exodus etc, etc., even though they are clearly Prince records.

.

I agree. Many other artists released albums under monikers or credited to other (real, yet "puppet") artists as side projects, though. Getting into their work necessitates a little interest and research, it's part of the game.

.
The game is only fun until it starts seriuosly hurting a great artist's legacy. Omitting Purple Rain, ATWIAD and Parade from Prince's discography (as Discogs do) is the stupidest thing ever.

Vannormal said:

(Or here you have the full page.)

The only strange thing I notice is: songs by "Christopher Tracy" ?

I don't see the "plenty of errors" that Bart is referring to.

He probably will find one, and throw it in my face, but "I'm ready gurl!"

Thanks. It's insane, it's not AT ALL what I thought I remembered in terms of layouts

Wasn't there another one in the D&P tourbook or something? Or did I dream what I remembered?

Either way yeah, there are some tiny titles and artist' names issues as noted olb99, and it's also amusing that he'd include Chaka's and Sinead's covers (I can see why, but it's kinda cheating). There may be a few omissions too (I don't see Madhouse, for example) but yeah, I wouldn't say "full of mistakes".

Kares said:

databank said:

It's not official, but there is one: it's called Princevault (and of course, there's my website as well ).

.
PrinceVault's discography section is far too fragmented for casual fans or journalists who'd want to use it as a quick reference. There's not ONE page that shows all the P-albums together regardless of original artist credit.

Fair enough
.
Your site is great, I truly respect all the hard work you put into it – and your quick album discography page is in fact close to my list, with not many exceptions. (One example: I regard 'The War' to be an EP, not an album, although it's clearly an important one.)

Thanks

olb99 said:

And since we're speculating, what could have been Prince's criteria for crediting a project to the New Power Generation?

Him not being on lead vocals? It wouldn't work for "Newpower Soul", "The War", and the last track on "C-Note".

A more band-oriented project? That would work especially for "The War" and "C-Note", since they're live recordings. "Gold Nigga" also sounds like a "live in the studio" album. It wouldn't work for "Newpower Soul", though.

Regarding Newpower Soul, my hypothesis was always that it was a playful thing with Larry since the New Power Pak was a trilogy: Larry would be GCS and Prince would be NPG instead of using their solo names. But that's pure speculation of course.

.

Ragarding Prince losing interest for the NPG moniker IDK, but it must be kept in mind that Peace was planned as a NPG record in 2001, C-Note was obviously planned as one in 2003, and there was that Hot Comb project as late as 2007, so IDK.

.

Again, it may have just been a playful thing to use NPG for The War and C-Note, IDK. After all, the 2 other ONA tour audio albums were "Prince & the NPG" while the ONA tour video album was just "Prince", so why not a 4th ONA tour album credited to just the NPG?

Kares said:

databank said:

I agree. Many other artists released albums under monikers or credited to other (real, yet "puppet") artists as side projects, though. Getting into their work necessitates a little interest and research, it's part of the game.

.
The game is only fun until it starts seriuosly hurting a great artist's legacy. Omitting Purple Rain, ATWIAD and Parade from Prince's discography (as Discogs do) is the stupidest thing ever.

I may be wrong, but I don't think casual fans use (or even know of) Discogs. I think most people would more check Wikipedia or maybe even Allmusic (or, simply, just Spotify or Deezer) for a discography. I always assumed Discogs was a nerds thing.

.

That said, it is indeed stupid to have filed Prince and Prince And The revolution separately, particularly since many other artists are filed under the same page even with names variations. But it's a usermade website, so I guess you could actually try and change it if you wanted?

.

[Edited 4/2/25 10:18am]

If you're talking about Discogs, when you only look for 'Prince', you get all this first :

-

, paisleypark.com , princevault.com , Facebook , Instagram , Soundcloud , X , mnmusichalloffame.org , Who Sampled , Wikipedia , YouTube , Imdb

Vannormal said:

If you're talking about Discogs, when you only look for 'Prince', you get all this first :

-

Real Name:

Prince Rogers Nelson

Profile:

American singer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, sound engineer, producer, actor, dancer. Frontman of Prince And The Revolution (from 1984 to 1986). And from 1991 onwards he was Leader of the New Power Generation (which evolved the line-up almost every year) until his passing in 2016. Prince was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Born: 7 June 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Died: 21 April 2016 in Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA. From 1986 to 1994 he ran Paisley Park and subsequently NPG Records resulting from his high profile disputes with Warner Bros. Records. Prince also had distribution of his music via various websites like NPG Music Club, lotusflow3r.com, 3rdeyegirl.com, and 3rdeyetunes.com. He was also supporter of Tidal (3), with exclusives being made available on the platform sporadically. Son of pianist and songwriter John L. Nelson, brother of Tyka Nelson (sister) & Sharon Nelson (half-sister) was famous additionally for his work in the band Prince And The Revolution. Prince was married to Mayte (from 1996 to 2000) and to Manuela Testolini (from 2001 to 2006). He owned Paisley Park Studios where he spent so much time that it can be said that he lived in it, the doves Divinity And Majesty were his fellow residents.

Sites:	prince.com

, paisleypark.com , princevault.com , Facebook , Instagram , Soundcloud , X , mnmusichalloffame.org , Who Sampled , Wikipedia , YouTube , Imdb

Aliases:	@3RDEYEGIRL, @PRINCE3EG, Alexander Nevermind, Austra Chanel, Azifwekaré, Bill Lewis (15), Camille (3), Christopher, Crucial (7), Ecnirp, Evolsidog, Freddie "The Phantom", Gemini (90), H Man (2), His Royal Badness, Jamie Starr, Joey Coco, John Lewis (23), King (34), Majesty (33)

Variations:	Viewing All | Prince Ecnirp, Extra Prince, His Majesty Prince, Nelson, P. Rince, Patman, Price, Princ, Prince & Prince, Prince Jackson, Prince Of Thieves, Princes, Принс, פרינס, プリンス, 普林斯, 王子, 프린스

.

See their clear distinction between 'Prince' as a solo artist – and a band called 'Prince And The Revolution' that according to Discogs, Prince was only a member of. That is nonsense of course. Yet they don't apply the same "logic" to the NPG, as they claim it was a collaboration between 'Prince' the solo artist and a band called 'The NPG'.

databank said:

Er... By the way it just hit me, I mean I had literally forgotten about it, but isn't this more or less exactly what y'all are talking about? An official list of main releases? https://discography.prince.com/ I mean ok it's not perfect, a few inconsistencies, no video albums and a few blatant omissions (do I read a Carmen Electra denial syndrome there? , ), but it's still, overall, what we were talking about, no?

.
No, sorry, this is exactly what I'm against. (And let's try to forget about the atrocious web design for a min.) It's not ONE catalog but several different lists.
.
This is what I'm talking about:
https://www.zappa.com/mus...ography/#/

A clear, complete and official and numbered(!) album catalog (with artwork) that includes everything the man ever released under whatever artist credit.

Kares said:

databank said:

Er... By the way it just hit me, I mean I had literally forgotten about it, but isn't this more or less exactly what y'all are talking about? An official list of main releases? https://discography.prince.com/ I mean ok it's not perfect, a few inconsistencies, no video albums and a few blatant omissions (do I read a Carmen Electra denial syndrome there? , ), but it's still, overall, what we were talking about, no?

.
No, sorry, this is exactly what I'm against. (And let's try to forget about the atrocious web design for a min.) It's not ONE catalog but several different lists.

Haven't been on that page for a long time.

They're listing "Newpower Soul" as as Prince album, and "Goldnigga" and "Exodus" as NPG albums.

olb99 said:

Kares said:

.
No, sorry, this is exactly what I'm against. (And let's try to forget about the atrocious web design for a min.) It's not ONE catalog but several different lists.

Haven't been on that page for a long time.

They're listing "Newpower Soul" as as Prince album, and "Goldnigga" and "Exodus" as NPG albums.

.

And they still can't find the front image of Parade. Perhaps the most iconic photo of P ever taken...

Yeah I saw this Newpower Soul thing, it's a little crazy, so is Parade... Ans this website is indeed harsh to navigate.

I see what you mean Kares. I'd thay they're close, but not quite there yet. But in the end what I meant is if you go there you still get a good overview of his main albums discography, side projects included (despite the absence of Times Squared, Carmen Electra and Child Of The Sun — and The War which I consider an album even if it's subject to debate).

I think maybe the problem in establishing something exactly like Zappa's is that there's a some grey area material with Prince: the 2 Mavis Staples albums, Pandemonium, Ingrid Chavez (and I guess I Am, too even if we tend to exlude it as a side project because he didn't initiate it)... Even Times Squared has one track that Prince had nothing to do with. It's a bit of an issue, because it could be argued they're albums with strong Prince contributions, not pure Prince albums like the other side projects where he composed and/or at the very least produced and/or played on each and every track.

databank said:

Yeah I saw this Newpower Soul thing, it's a little crazy, so is Parade... Ans this website is indeed harsh to navigate.

I see what you mean Kares. I'd thay they're close, but not quite there yet. But in the end what I meant is if you go there you still get a good overview of his main albums discography, side projects included (despite the absence of Times Squared, Carmen Electra and Child Of The Sun — and The War which I consider an album even if it's subject to debate).

I think maybe the problem in establishing something exactly like Zappa's is that there's a some grey area material with Prince: the 2 Mavis Staples albums, Pandemonium, Ingrid Chavez (and I guess I Am, too even if we tend to exlude it as a side project because he didn't initiate it)... Even Times Squared has one track that Prince had nothing to do with. It's a bit of an issue, because it could be argued they're albums with strong Prince contributions, not pure Prince albums like the other side projects where he composed and/or at the very least produced and/or played on each and every track.

.
I hear you, but then is Graffiti Bridge a 'various artists' compilation or a Prince album? Wouldn't Dream Factory be a Prince album despite having a song (Lisa's 'Minneapolis') that P has nothing to do with?

.
Another thing: we can surely find a reason or two for not including a release in Prince's core catalog, but it's the sheer amount of them that makes it impossible for me to exclude them, otherwise we'd end up disregarding almost half of P's official output – and sadly, that's exactly what's happening today. Anytime a journalist mentions P's output it's the usual "released 36 albums in his lifetime" bs and that's what's sticking to the mind of the casual fans and listeners. But no, he has released 2x as much, and that other half of his material is almost as important part of his legacy as those "36" (or whatever) records.
.
When people hear about "associated artist releases" they will think "oh, Prince must've sang some backing vocals or played some guitar on those records" – they are not going to think "those must've been fully written and concieved by Prince just as his main albums were". So that is my main issue with the current separation of his output into different categories and that's why I'm positive an official, numbered catalog that includes everything with at least 50% P-content would drive people to those currently ignored works.

.

[Edited 4/3/25 16:23pm]

Kares said:

Speaking of the page on my website, I'll have to update it.

I just got the info some days ago by a reliable source (IDK if they wanna be named, so in doubt I won't) that some, if not most of the slight changes and overdubs on certain songs from TCI and TS were not, as I had so far assumed for lack of evidence proving the contrary, previously unreleased alt. edits from 1997-2001, but later adjustments made by Prince, most likely when he worked on the albums in 2003.

So basically those records now go between N.E.W.S. and Musicology.

Kares said:

djThunderfunk said:

Black Album should be between SOTT & Lovesexy and not after Come because that is where you would want to hear it if following the evolution of Prince's sound.

.
I agree, but then if The Rebels or any other previously unreleased album would come out tomorrow, would you put it where it originally belongs, or would you respect the 2025 release date?
I can't even make up my mind about "dating" the SDEs, but I think I'm more inclined to keep them at the official, recent release dates due to the modern day technical fuckups they contain.

I get that but I prefer a chronology of creation over one of release date.

djThunderfunk said:

Kares said:

.
I agree, but then if The Rebels or any other previously unreleased album would come out tomorrow, would you put it where it originally belongs, or would you respect the 2025 release date?
I can't even make up my mind about "dating" the SDEs, but I think I'm more inclined to keep them at the official, recent release dates due to the modern day technical fuckups they contain.

I get that but I prefer a chronology of creation over one of release date.

When it comes to online discographies, I think it's sensible to have one with only the lifetime releases, even if you'll have another one with posthumous releases.

.

I think it's important because an artist also defines a canon by choosing to release certain things over others. And this canon says something important about them, their vision and their work. Like, Prince wouldn't ever, ever have released Piano & A Microphone 1983 in 1983 (if ever at all).

.

And even with more "finished" products, like Welcome 2 America, it turned out that for any reason he did choose not to release it. I mean he could just have dropped it on his website and sold it to the fans, it wouldn't have cost him a dime, but no, he chose to keep it for himself period. It says something. What? I'm not sure, but it says something.

.

(Following this logic it also says something that he'd choose to release TBA in 1994 not 1987, admitedly, but at least he did choose to release it).

.

Not to mention potential posthumous tinkering, like, W2A isn't even the last config came-up with before abandoning the project. Hell, it's not even a proper earlier config, the tracklist was tampered with, so that's not even exactly what he considered releasing as such at any point (which is a hell of a pity if you ask me: to this day I still don't understand what they were thinking).

.

That said, I agree that, major tampering aside (like posthumous overdubs), it would also be interesting to have a chronology with posthumous releases retconned into it.

.

Maybe a system like Wookiepedia where you can pick categories to show and hide and decide what to see. Then you could even have categories for side projects, video albums, etc. https://starwars.fandom.c...ends_media

And while we're at it I'm sure you could also devise a website where you can choose between recording dates order or release date order.

Kares said:

Vannormal said:

If you're talking about Discogs, when you only look for 'Prince', you get all this first :

-

Real Name:

Prince Rogers Nelson

Profile:

American singer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, sound engineer, producer, actor, dancer. Frontman of Prince And The Revolution (from 1984 to 1986). And from 1991 onwards he was Leader of the New Power Generation (which evolved the line-up almost every year) until his passing in 2016. Prince was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Born: 7 June 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Died: 21 April 2016 in Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA. From 1986 to 1994 he ran Paisley Park and subsequently NPG Records resulting from his high profile disputes with Warner Bros. Records. Prince also had distribution of his music via various websites like NPG Music Club, lotusflow3r.com, 3rdeyegirl.com, and 3rdeyetunes.com. He was also supporter of Tidal (3), with exclusives being made available on the platform sporadically. Son of pianist and songwriter John L. Nelson, brother of Tyka Nelson (sister) & Sharon Nelson (half-sister) was famous additionally for his work in the band Prince And The Revolution. Prince was married to Mayte (from 1996 to 2000) and to Manuela Testolini (from 2001 to 2006). He owned Paisley Park Studios where he spent so much time that it can be said that he lived in it, the doves Divinity And Majesty were his fellow residents.

Sites:	prince.com

, paisleypark.com , princevault.com , Facebook , Instagram , Soundcloud , X , mnmusichalloffame.org , Who Sampled , Wikipedia , YouTube , Imdb

Aliases:	@3RDEYEGIRL, @PRINCE3EG, Alexander Nevermind, Austra Chanel, Azifwekaré, Bill Lewis (15), Camille (3), Christopher, Crucial (7), Ecnirp, Evolsidog, Freddie "The Phantom", Gemini (90), H Man (2), His Royal Badness, Jamie Starr, Joey Coco, John Lewis (23), King (34), Majesty (33)

Variations:	Viewing All | Prince Ecnirp, Extra Prince, His Majesty Prince, Nelson, P. Rince, Patman, Price, Princ, Prince & Prince, Prince Jackson, Prince Of Thieves, Princes, Принс, פרינס, プリンス, 普林斯, 王子, 프린스

.

See their clear distinction between 'Prince' as a solo artist – and a band called 'Prince And The Revolution' that according to Discogs, Prince was only a member of. That is nonsense of course. Yet they don't apply the same "logic" to the NPG, as they claim it was a collaboration between 'Prince' the solo artist and a band called 'The NPG'.

Wrong interpretation.

'Frontman' or 'leader', or 'collaborative' member, doesn't necessarily mean he is a part of that band.

By the way, 'leader' is more clear even.

And before these words were used it states : "American singer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, sound engineer, producer, actor, dancer."

That says enough.

But, true, it is interpretable if you want to see it wrong/different.

Kares said:

databank said:

.
I hear you, but then is Graffiti Bridge a 'various artists' compilation or a Prince album? Wouldn't Dream Factory be a Prince album despite having a song (Lisa's 'Minneapolis') that P has nothing to do with?

???

Am I missing something here?

Vannormal said:

Kares said:

.
I hear you, but then is Graffiti Bridge a 'various artists' compilation or a Prince album? Wouldn't Dream Factory be a Prince album despite having a song (Lisa's 'Minneapolis') that P has nothing to do with?

???

Am I missing something here?

Ah. I think you mean 'Visions'.

Sorry for that.

Vannormal said:

Kares said:

.

See their clear distinction between 'Prince' as a solo artist – and a band called 'Prince And The Revolution' that according to Discogs, Prince was only a member of. That is nonsense of course. Yet they don't apply the same "logic" to the NPG, as they claim it was a collaboration between 'Prince' the solo artist and a band called 'The NPG'.

Wrong interpretation.

'Frontman' or 'leader', or 'collaborative' member, doesn't necessarily mean he is a part of that band.

By the way, 'leader' is more clear even.

And before these words were used it states : "American singer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, sound engineer, producer, actor, dancer."

That says enough.

But, true, it is interpretable if you want to see it wrong/different.

.
It's not my interpretation, it is clearly what they say: "P was famous additionally for his work in the band Prince And The Revolution." Notice "IN the band". Also, that 'Prince And The Revolution' is ONE link, and it links to a separate discography, with releases (PR, ATWIAD, P) that are EXCLUDED from the catalog of solo artist 'Prince'..
.
But 'Prince' and 'The New Power Generation' are two separate links on discogs so they don't regard P to have been a member of The NPG. In other words, they treat them as a collaboration between a solo artist and a band and they do include 'Prince And The NPG' releases in the catalog of 'Prince'.
.
I see no other possible interpretation here.
.
It is as if they would treat 'Bob Dylan And The Band' as merely a band name, with Dylan being a member of that band, and they would exclude all releases with this credit from the catalog of solo artist 'Bob Dylan'. It is stupid.

[Edited 4/4/25 8:05am]

databank said:

djThunderfunk said:

I get that but I prefer a chronology of creation over one of release date.

When it comes to online discographies, I think it's sensible to have one with only the lifetime releases, even if you'll have another one with posthumous releases.

.

I think it's important because an artist also defines a canon by choosing to release certain things over others. And this canon says something important about them, their vision and their work. Like, Prince wouldn't ever, ever have released Piano & A Microphone 1983 in 1983 (if ever at all).

.

And even with more "finished" products, like Welcome 2 America, it turned out that for any reason he did choose not to release it. I mean he could just have dropped it on his website and sold it to the fans, it wouldn't have cost him a dime, but no, he chose to keep it for himself period. It says something. What? I'm not sure, but it says something.

.

(Following this logic it also says something that he'd choose to release TBA in 1994 not 1987, admitedly, but at least he did choose to release it).

.

Not to mention potential posthumous tinkering, like, W2A isn't even the last config came-up with before abandoning the project. Hell, it's not even a proper earlier config, the tracklist was tampered with, so that's not even exactly what he considered releasing as such at any point (which is a hell of a pity if you ask me: to this day I still don't understand what they were thinking).

.

That said, I agree that, major tampering aside (like posthumous overdubs), it would also be interesting to have a chronology with posthumous releases retconned into it.

.

Maybe a system like Wookiepedia where you can pick categories to show and hide and decide what to see. Then you could even have categories for side projects, video albums, etc. https://starwars.fandom.c...ends_media

And while we're at it I'm sure you could also devise a website where you can choose between recording dates order or release date order.

.
I don't think we should read too much into what P decided to release or put aside. There can be many different reasons for an artist to put something aside. I believe when he really didn't want a recording to be heard by the public he destroyed it instead of putting it on the vault shelves. (Just take 'Wally' as an example: he clearly didn't want the original to be heard, so he erased it. Yet, he was back at it the next day and he rerecorded it in a different way, and put that one on the shelf. He didn't release it, but he wanted it on the shelf. Why?...)
.
There might have been several masters he deemed TOO important to be released immediately, so he put it aside for a later, better occasion – when, for example, he could combine it with an also planned new movie or other project, or simply when he would be able to promote it etc, etc. We don't know. He was also quoted saying in regards to an unreleased master that 'it is for my children'. I think he planned a much longer life so who knows what his intentions were regarding all those tapes. Regardless though, he is sadly gone, so the vast body of work he left behind should be studied and made available just as it happens to all genius artists after their passing.

.
I totally share your ill feelings towards the many issues with the posthumous releases though, even though I understand the many possible obstacles producers must be facing. (Morris Hayes's studio burning down was one that definitely affected how W2A turned out, for example.) But we all agree they should be more transparent and explain the decisions they make.

.

Ordering releases on recording date base could be impossible in many cases, as some releases could have recordings made decades apart – or in other cases we have no idea of the real recording dates. (Also: recording date based sorting would make numbering impossible, and it might be just me but I do consider numbering releases a very effective marketing tool that greatly encourages collecting.) So while it does hurt my eyes to see the Black Album after 'Come', I accept that in the long run, release-date based sorting is our only possible consistent choice.

[Edited 4/4/25 9:07am]

Kares said:

Ordering releases on recording date base could be impossible in many cases, as some releases could have recordings made decades apart – or in other cases we have no idea of the real recording dates. (Also: recording date based sorting would make numbering impossible, and it might be just me but I do consider numbering releases a very effective marketing tool that greatly encourages collecting.) So while it does hurt my eyes to see the Black Album after 'Come', I accept that in the long run, release-date based sorting is our only possible consistent choice.

This is a hard problem. When you want to sort sets of items, do you choose the minimum value? The maximum value? The average value? Something else?

For albums, do you choose the latest recording date? The sequencing date? The mastering date?

And for a single song, what's a recording date? Do you choose the date of first tracking? Overdubs? Mixing? Remixing? Something else again?

And for albums, do you choose the first release date? Even if there was an early, limited release?

olb99 said:

Kares said:

Ordering releases on recording date base could be impossible in many cases, as some releases could have recordings made decades apart – or in other cases we have no idea of the real recording dates. (Also: recording date based sorting would make numbering impossible, and it might be just me but I do consider numbering releases a very effective marketing tool that greatly encourages collecting.) So while it does hurt my eyes to see the Black Album after 'Come', I accept that in the long run, release-date based sorting is our only possible consistent choice.

This is a hard problem. When you want to sort sets of items, do you choose the minimum value? The maximum value? The average value? Something else?

For albums, do you choose the latest recording date? The sequencing date? The mastering date?

And for a single song, what's a recording date? Do you choose the date of first tracking? Overdubs? Mixing? Remixing? Something else again?

And for albums, do you choose the first release date? Even if there was an early, limited release?

.
Release dates are fairly easy to determine. Even if there's an early, limited release, that is the first release. Recording dates, on the other hand, are almost impossible to know in many cases and trying to use them for sorting leads to a ton of issues, as mentioned above.