Trackloaded General Notability Guidelines (GNG)

For Artists and Record Labels

Purpose

Trackloaded publishes music-related profiles as structured, machine-readable entities within a public knowledge graph.

The General Notability Guidelines (GNG) define the minimum criteria required for an artist or record label to qualify for a standalone profile.

These guidelines ensure:

• Data quality and consistency
• Verifiable identity resolution
• Long-term stability of the knowledge graph
• Alignment with global open knowledge standards

Core Principles (Applies to All Profiles)

A subject is considered notable on Trackloaded if it satisfies all of the following:

1. Independent Verification

The subject must be identifiable in at least two independent, authoritative external sources, such as:

• Wikidata
• MusicBrainz
• Discogs
• ISNI
• Major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer)
• Official websites or verified social channels

Internal content alone is not sufficient.

2. Stable Public Identity

The subject must have:

• A consistent, commonly recognized name
• A stable public presence (not a temporary or anonymous entity)
• No ambiguity with unrelated subjects (identity disambiguation)

3. Machine-Readable Representation

Every notable profile must support structured metadata, including:

• Schema.org types (Person, MusicGroup)
• Unique identifiers (sameAs, PropertyValue)
• Canonical URLs
• Interlinked relationships (e.g., artist ↔ label)

4. Neutral, Verifiable Description

Descriptions must be:

• Fact-based
• Neutral in tone
• Supported by external references
• Free from promotional or speculative language

Artist Notability Criteria

An artist qualifies for a standalone profile if at least 4 of the following is met:

A. Discography or Public Releases

• Officially released music on recognized platforms
• Presence in MusicBrainz or Discogs catalogs

B. External Recognition

• Wikidata item or encyclopedic reference
• Coverage by reputable music publications or databases

C. Industry Participation

• Affiliation with a notable record label
• Credits as performer, songwriter, or producer on recognized releases

Required Artist Metadata

A complete artist profile includes:

• Legal or commonly accepted stage name
• Biography (concise, factual)
• Birth date (if publicly available)
• One or more verified identifiers
• sameAs links to external authorities

Record Label Notability Criteria

A record label qualifies for a standalone profile if at least one of the following is met:

A. Catalog or Distribution Activity

• Releases registered in Discogs or MusicBrainz
• Digital distribution of artists on major platforms

B. Organizational Identity

• Verifiable founding details
• Official website or registered business presence

C. Artist Representation

• Association with one or more notable artists
• Documented role in music production, publishing, or distribution

Required Label Metadata

A complete label profile includes:

• Official name
• Founding year
• Headquarters or primary location
• Associated artists (where applicable)
• External identifiers and sameAs links

Interlinking & Directory Inclusion

• Artist and label profiles may be interlinked bidirectionally
• Inclusion in Trackloaded directories requires GNG compliance
• Directory listings link back to these guidelines for transparency and consistency

Verification Status

Trackloaded may assign a verification status to profiles that meet higher confidence thresholds, such as:

• Multiple authoritative identifiers
• Consistent cross-dataset alignment
• Stable historical data

Verification reflects data confidence, not endorsement or popularity.

Maintenance & Evolution

• Notability is evaluated on an ongoing basis
• Profiles may be updated as new information becomes available
• The guidelines evolve alongside global knowledge graph standards

Relationship to External Knowledge Graphs

Trackloaded aligns with:

• Wikidata notability principles
• DBpedia identity resolution
• Linked Open Data (LOD) best practices

These guidelines are designed to be compatible, not conflicting.

Summary (Plain Language)

If a person or label:

• Exists publicly
• Can be verified independently
• Can be linked to global identifiers
• Can be described neutrally

They are notable enough to be represented.