Template:Infobox song/doc

Articles about songs often include an infobox that provides an overview or summary of the song. Generally, Infobox song is oriented more towards recorded music that has been commercially released. Other infoboxes, such as {{Infobox musical composition}} and {{Infobox anthem}} may be better suited to traditional or historical songs. The examples to the right are the infobox filled in with the most commonly used parameters.

An infobox provides key facts as discussed in the article—it should not be too detailed or take up too much of the article space. It should only contain items, such as genres or songwriters, that are discussed in the article (or have citations to reliable sources).

The code below can be copied and completed with information pertaining to particular song articles. The Parameters section provides guidance on using the fields.

Code

The first template code below includes the most commonly used infobox parameters. If there is no information in the article to support the field, leave it blank. Remove the <!-- and --> to use the {{Start date}} and {{Duration}} subtemplates.

The second includes the full set of parameters; most articles will not need many of the fields and they may be left blank or removed. Please note that adding fields other than those listed, such as |arranger= or |recording engineer=, will not be displayed.

If this template is substituted, it will return a cleaned-up copy of itself with unnecessary parameters removed and deprecated parameters replaced. Parameter indentation will also automatically be fixed.

Most commonly used parameters

{{subst:Infobox song
| name          = 
| cover         = <!--just the file name-->
| type          = 
| artist        = 
| album         = 
| B-side        = 
| released      = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}}-->
| format        = 
| recorded      = 
| studio        = 
| genre         = <!--do not add unsourced genres-->
| length        = <!--{{Duration|m=|s=}}-->
| label         = 
| writer        = <!--for both music and lyrics-->
| producer      = 
| prev_title    = <!--for a singles chronology-->
| prev_year     = 
| next_title    = 
| next_year     = 
}}

Full set of parameters

{{subst:Infobox song
| name          = 
| cover         = <!--just the file name-->
| cover_size    = 
| alt           = 
| border        = 
| caption       = 
| type          = 
| artist        = 
| album         = 
| EP            = 
| language      = <!--only if not in English-->
| English_title = 
| A-side        = 
| B-side        = 
| written       = 
| published     = 
| released      = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}}-->
| format        = 
| recorded      = 
| studio        = 
| venue         = 
| genre         = <!--do not add unsourced genres-->
| length        = <!--{{Duration|m=|s=}}-->
| label         = 
| writer        = <!--for both music and lyrics-->
| composer      = 
| lyricist      = 
| producer      = 
| chronology    = 
| prev_title    = <!--for a singles chronology-->
| prev_year     = 
| next_title    = 
| next_year     = 
| tracks        = <!--see "Track listing examples" section for album track listing options-->
| misc          = <!--for use of {{Extra chronology}}, {{Extra track listing}}, {{Extra album cover}}, {{Audio sample}}, {{External music video}}-->
}}

Parameters

name

The title of the song. If not provided, the template uses the {{PAGENAMEBASE}} of the page. Since it is not linked, disambiguation terms, such as "(song)", "(Beyoncé song)", etc., are not needed.

cover

Add an image of a sheet music cover, picture sleeve, or other image appropriate for the song. First, one must be uploaded (see Wikipedia:Uploading images for details). Then, enter the file name (without File:) into the field, such as [Image Name].jpg.

alt

Use this field to provide alternative text or a description of the cover image for visually impaired readers. See WP:ALT.

caption

If there is an image, a suitable caption may be added that follows MOS:CAPTION (begins with a capital letter, no period at end if it is a sentence fragment, etc.) Please note that if the image is unambiguously a picture sleeve or record label for the release that is described in the infobox, then it is "self-captioning", and no caption needs to be entered in this parameter.

type

Specify "single", "instrumental", "composition", "promo", etc., as shown in the code table below. The entry will be automatically linked to the corresponding article, so only the unlinked code is needed (the default is "song"). If an album track was later released as a single, use the most notable or best known. For example, "Stairway to Heaven" was released as a promo single in several markets and as a digital single in 2007, but became best known as a song from Led Zeppelin's fourth album. This field is used to generate the header and color; please note that it is not used for genre or format, which are described in the |genre= and |format= fields.

Code	Color	Link	Display
single	khaki	Single	Single by artist
song	#E6E8FA	Song	Song by artist
promo	#E6E8FA	Promotional single	Promotional single by artist
demo	#E6E8FA	Demo	Demo by artist
remix single	#E6E8FA	Remix	Remix by artist
instrumental	#E6E8FA	Instrumental	Instrumental by artist
composition	#E6E8FA	Composition	Composition by artist
hymn	#E6E8FA	Hymn	Hymn by artist
nursery	#E6E8FA	Nursery rhyme	Nursery rhyme by artist
other	#E6E8FA	other	other by artist

artist

If the article associates the original or primary rendition of the song with one artist, enter the name of the artist and link if they have a WP article. For traditional or historical songs, when the focus is not on a particular rendition, this should be left blank (alternatively, consider using Template:Infobox musical composition).

album

If the song was first released on an album, enter the name of the album and link. The template will italicize the album name and produce "from the album Name" in the header. If the song was originally released as a single well in advance of the album, |album= should not be used, since it is not from the album, but later added to one. For example, "Beck's Bolero" and "Back on the Chain Gang" were released as singles about 16 months before they were added to albums and became well-known before the albums.

EP

If the song was first released on an EP or Extended play, add the EP name in this field. The name will be italicized, etc., and should be used as described in the album subsection above. Please note: only album or EP should be used and depends on which one was issued first.

language

If the song is not in English, indicate the language (common languages should not be linked).

English_title

An English translation of the title may be included in this field.

A-side

If the article is about a song that was released as a B-side of a single, enter the name of the A-side and link as appropriate (do not use B-side). Quote marks will be added automatically. For multiple entries, see Notes for details. For double A-sided singles, refer to the Chronology for double-A-side singles section below.

B-side

If the article is about the song that was issued as the A-side of a single, enter the name of the B-side in this field (do not add A-side). Add a link if it has an article; quote marks will be automatically added. For multiple entries, see Notes for details. Generally, later releases or in secondary markets, reissues, etc., should only be included in the body of the article.

written

The year the song was written or composed may be added, if discussed in the article. This is usually used for historical songs, written before the advent of sheet music publishing or music recording.

published

The year the song was published also may be included, if discussed in the article. This usually refers to sheet music published before the rise of music recording.

released

Indicate the commercial release date, whether it is a single, album, or other. Enter the date using {{Start date}}. For example, use {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} for the complete date, {{Start date|YYYY|MM}} if only year and month are known, or {{Start date|YYYY}} for just a year. For multiple entries, see Notes for details. Generally, later releases or in secondary markets, reissues, on compilations, etc., should only be included in the body of the article.

format

Indicate the way that the song was released, for example: 7-inch single, 12-inch single, CD single, cassette single, digital download (note the piped download link), etc. Generally, later releases or in secondary markets, reissues, on compilations, etc., should only be included in the body of the article. Do not use " or ″ (double quote) for inches, instead use 7-inch rather than 7" (if it is necessary to abbreviate, use 7 in; see WP:Units). Numbers should be expressed in figures rather than spelled out (10-inch instead of ten-inch) and should not be used alone; an additional descriptor, such as 45rpm, single, record, etc., should follow. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

recorded

Enter the date(s) the song was recorded. When there are many dates, it is best to summarize, using the month or range of months (e.g., January–March 2022). For multiple entries, see Notes for details. Add the location of the recording in the |studio= or |venue= field.

studio

If the song was recorded in a recording studio, enter the name and location. Link the studio, but not well-known cities, states, or countries (see WP:OVERLINK). Remove "Studios" if it appears in the name – use [[Sound City Studios|Sound City]] rather than [[Sound City Studios]]. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

venue

For live recordings, include the name of the venue (concert hall, stadium, etc.) and location. Link as appropriate.

genre

The field should include the music genre(s) that best describes the song. It should come from a reliable source and also be stated and referenced in the body of the article; personal opinions or original research must be not be included. Note that most genres are not proper nouns and should not be capitalized. However, the first word in a list of multiple genres should be capitalized. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

length

{{Duration}} is used to enter the length of the song. The timing should be taken from the original album or single release, instead of reissues, downloads, etc. An hAudio microformat is added automatically for the first duration detected. The duration must contain a seconds value, or it will be incorrectly interpreted. For multiple entries, see Notes for details. If there is more than one length specified in the parameter, or the page appears in Category:Duration without hAudio microformat (0), use {{Duration}}.

label

The name of the record company that issued the release may be included here. Generally, add later releases, those from different countries, reissues, etc., in the body of article instead of the infobox. Remove "Records" if it appears in the name – use [[Universal Records|Universal]] instead of [[Universal Records]]. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

writer

Use this field if the music and lyrics were written by one person or, in the case of multiple writers, where a separate lyricist and composer have not been clearly identified by a reliable source. Do not use this field if the |composer= and |lyricist= fields are used. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

composer

The person(s) who composed the song's music, if different than the lyricist. If not differentiated in the article, use the |writer= field instead. For instrumentals, use this field only (in WP song articles, "song" (music with words) is not usually used to describe an "instrumental"). For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

lyricist

The person(s) who wrote the lyrics, if different than the song's composer. If not differentiated in the article, use the |writer= field instead. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

producer

Enter the name of the person(s) credited with the record production. This is someone who oversees the recording process and is usually different than the artist or songwriter. For multiple entries, see Notes for details.

chronology

This field and the following |prev_title= and |next_title= display the artist's immediate singles chronology. By leaving it blank, "The Artist singles chronology" is automatically displayed if any of the following fields are used. An alternative header may be displayed before the automatically produced "chronology", for example, The Artist American, The Artist UK singles, etc., produces "The Artist American chronology", "The Artist UK singles chronology", etc. Please note: if this field is used and a track listing is also wanted, it must be added using {{Extra track listing}}.

prev_title

Enter the name of the artist's previous single. Quote marks will be added automatically; link it if there is a WP article. Leave this blank if the artist has no previous single. For double A-sided singles, refer to the Chronology for double-A-side singles section below.

prev_year

Enter only the year the previous single was released. Following the WP date style guidelines, years should not be linked within the chronology section. Leave this field blank if there is no previous single.

next_title

Enter the name of the artist's next single, if applicable. Quote marks will be added automatically; link it if there is a WP article.

next_year

Enter only the year the next single was issued, if applicable.

tracks

Several track listing options are available. See the Track listing examples section below for explanations and codes.

misc

This is not a space for miscellaneous information or comments. It allows for the use of subtemplates, including {{Extra chronology}}, {{Extra track listing}}, {{Extra album cover}}, {{Audio sample}}, and {{External music video}}. Please refer to the template pages for explanations on their use.

Track listing examples

Not all infoboxes should include album track listings. Articles about traditional or historical songs might not focus on a particular recording, so details about a later rendition, including album releases, are inappropriate for an infobox. Additionally, there may already be an album track listing with links to other songs in a navigation template or navbox at the end of the article. These include an album navbox (for example, {{Thriller (album)}}), an artist song navbox ({{Rihanna songs}}), or an artist navbox that includes songs ({{Robert Johnson}}).

An album track listing may be added to infobox song as long as the following criteria are met: 1) the article does not have a navbox in which the song appears; and 2) a majority of the album's songs are linked to WP articles. Currently, three different approaches to listing album tracks are found in infobox song.

Track listing using a separate sub-template

If a separate album track listing sub-template has been created, it may be added to the |tracks= of the infobox. Using such a template may be more convenient for multi-disc albums or those with many tracks. A header with the album name will be automatically generated, along with the number of tracks. The song title will not be linked, but will appear in bold.

The example to the right uses {{Rumours tracks}} to demonstrate. To see its use in actual song infobox, click on the song links. Please note, if a singles chronology is also used in the infobox (|prev_title=, etc.), {{Extra track listing}} must be used in the |misc= field (refer to that Template:Extra track listing#Usage for the code and explanation).

Track listing using the hidden template

A second option does not require a separate album track listing sub-template to be created. Instead, the {{Hidden}} template is placed directly into the infobox in the |tracks= field, then the tracks are listed. This may be copied and added to other songs infoboxes from the same album.

The example to the right uses this approach. To see its use in actual infoboxes, click on the song titles. Also, please note that if a singles chronology is also used in the infobox (|prev_title=, etc.), {{Extra track listing}} must be used in the |misc= field (refer to that Template:Extra track listing#Usage for the code and explanation).

Code

{{Infobox song
...
| tracks        = {{Hidden
 | title        = 
 | text         = 
# 
# 
# etc.
}}

title

Enter the number of tracks, such as "10 tracks". A header will be generated automatically, for example "That Album track listing".

text

In this field, add the album tracks, using # to generate a sequential numbering. The song titles should be in "quotes", with the article track also in bold. Link any track that has its own WP article, except for when the song is the subject of the article.

For multi-disc CDs, subheadings for "Disc one", "Disc two", etc. may be included. Similarly, subheadings such as "Side one" or "Side A" may be added for LP records and EPs. To ensure that the track numbering continues sequentially after a subheading (rather than starting again at "1"), use <li value="x"> where "x"=the next track number.

Code

{{Infobox song
...
| tracks        = {{Hidden
 | title        = 
 | text         = 
;Disc one
# 
# 
# etc.
;Disc two
#<li value=>
# 
# 
# etc.
}}

Chronology for double-A-side singles

Code

{{Infobox song
...
| A-side        = 
| chronology    = 
| prev_title    = 
| prev_title2   = 
| prev_year     = 
| title2        = 
| next_title    = 
| next_title2   = 
| next_year     = 
}}

A-side

Enter the name of the second- or flip-side of the current or article title.

chronology

Use this field to provide an alternative header to the automatically generated "The Artist singles chronology". Enter The Artist double A-side singles to display "The Artist double A-side singles chronology", etc.

prev_title

Enter the name of the previous single. If it has a WP article, add a link.

prev_title2

If the previous is a double A-side single, enter the name of the previous single second- or flip-side and link as appropriate.

prev_year

Enter only the year the previous single was released.

title2

If it is a double A-side single, enter the name of the second- or flip-side of current or article title. (The current or article title with be automatically generated with quotes and in bold and will appear as the first of the two; the year is also generated from the |released= year date.)

next_title

Enter the name of the next single. If it has a article, add a link.

next_title2

Enter the name of the second-or flip side of next-single, if it is a double-A. Link as appropriate.

next_year

Enter only the year the next single was released.

TemplateData

TemplateData documentation used by VisualEditor and other tools

See the monthly error report for this template. TemplateData for Infobox song An infobox for songs Template parameters Parameter Description Type Status Name name Name title The name or title of the song. Default (PAGENAME) String required Cover cover Cover image An appropriate image, such as a sheet music or single picture sleeve cover. Example A file name, without the File: <NAME.jpg> String optional Cover_size cover_size Cover size cover size no description String optional Alt alt Alt Alternative text for the cover image, to describe it to visually impaired readers. String optional Border border Border Set to yes to put a 1 pixel border around the image. String optional Caption caption Caption Caption for the image; this will overwrite automatically generated <"Song" cover> when a file is added to the "caption" field Example Sheet music cover, 1920. String optional Type type Type Specify "song", "single", "Instrumental", "Composition", etc. This generates the header and color. String suggested Artist artist Artist original_artist The name of the artist. String suggested Album album Album from_album from Album The name of the album on which the song originally appeared. String optional EP EP The name of the EP on which the song originally appeared. Only use album or EP; both will not be displayed. String optional Language language Language Only if the song is not in English, indicate the language. String optional English title English_title english_title The English translation of the name of the song, if it is in another language. String optional A-side A-side a-side For singles: the name of A-side of the current or title single. String optional B-side B-side b-side For singles: the name of the B-side of the current or title single. Only one of the fields 'A-side' or 'B-side' should be used. String optional Written written Written The date the song was written; this is usually used for songs created before music publishing or recording String optional Published published Published The date the song was published; this is usually used for songs created before the rise of music recording String optional Released released Released For recorded music: The earliest known date of commercial release, using a single occurrence, using {{Start date}}. For April 1, 2015, enter {{Start date|2015|04|01}}. String optional Format format Format For recorded music: the way that the song was released, e.g., 7-inch single, LP record, EP, CD, cassette, digital download (note the piped download link), etc. String optional Recorded recorded Recorded The date(s) the song was recorded. String optional Studio studio Studio If the song was recorded in a recording studio, enter the name and location. String optional Venue venue Venue For live recordings, include the name of the venue (concert hall, stadium, etc.) and location. String optional Genre genre Genre The genre(s) that best describes the song. This must not be original research, and should be stated and referenced in the article. String suggested Length length Length The length of the song, using {{Duration}}. To display 3 minutes 45 seconds as 3:45, enter {{Duration|m=3|s=45}}. Number optional Label label Label The record company label which originally released the recording. Releases in other territories, different formats, reissues, etc., should be included in the body of the article, not in this field. String optional Songwriter/Writer writer Writer songwriter Songwriter The name of the person(s) credited with writing both the music and lyrics for the song. Where a separate lyricist and composer have been clearly identified by a reliable source, use the "composer" and "lyricist" fields instead. String suggested Composer composer Composer The name of the person(s) who composed the song's music, if different than the lyricist. If not differentiated in the article, use the "songwriter/writer" field instead. String optional Lyricist lyricist Lyricist The person(s) who wrote the lyrics, if different than the song's composer. If not differentiated in the article, use the "songwiter/writer" field instead. String optional Producer producer Producer The person(s) who is credited with the record production. String optional Chronology chronology Chronology For singles: Header for the chronology section. Default (Artist name) singles chronology String optional Prev_title prev_title The name of the previous single in the artist's chronolgy. String optional Prev_title2 prev_title2 The name of the previous single in the artist's chronolgy. String optional Prev_year prev_year The year of the previous single in the artist's chronology. Number optional Title title The name of the current or subject single. String optional Title2 title2 For a double A-side single: the name of the second or flip-side of the current single in the artist's chronology. String optional Year year To change the automatically generated year: the year of the single in the artist's chronology. Number optional Next_title next_title The name of the next single in the artist's chronology. String optional Next_title2 next_title2 For a double A-side single: the name of the second- or flip-side of the next single. String optional Next_year next_year The year of the next single in the artist's chronology. Number optional Tracks tracks Tracks To add a full-album track listing. String optional Prev_track prev_track no description String deprecated Track_no track_no no description Number deprecated Next_track next_track no description String deprecated Misc misc Misc To add extra subtemplates, such as {{Extra chronology}}, {{Extra track listing}}, {{Extra album cover}}, {{Audio sample}}, etc. String optional ISWC ISWC no description String deprecated Comment comment Comment no description String deprecated Prev prev no description String deprecated Prev_no prev_no no description Number deprecated Next next no description String deprecated Next_no next_no no description Number deprecated

Tracking categories

• Category:Pages using infobox song with deprecated parameters (0)
• Category:Pages using infobox song with unknown parameters (0)
• Category:Infobox song with A-side or B-side quote formatting fix needed (0)
• Category:Song articles with missing songwriters (0)
• Category:Song articles with both composer and songwriter (0)
• Category:Song articles with both lyricist and songwriter (0)
• Category:Song articles with lyricist but not composer (0)
• Category:Music infoboxes with unknown value for type (0)
• Category:Music infoboxes with malformed table placement (0)
• Category:Music infoboxes with Module:String errors (0)

See also

• Wikipedia:WikiProject Songs
• {{Infobox album}}