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Topic: Who decided about id3 genres? (Read 5501 times) previous topic - next topic
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Who decided about id3 genres?

I've been wondering about the strange genres found in id3. Many are not really useful at all, and others are like a bad joke. To me it seems like they weren't picked for being useful, but more like the first ones found or sent in to some database were used. "Primus" is a rather specific genre, and who on earth are tagging their songs with "Negerpunk" (Negro/Nigger punk)? 

Does anyone know the story behind how all these genres where picked? And if those responsible have been properly punished, or at least acknowledged their mistake?

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #1 –
Most of my music is tagged as Negerpunk...
[span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%']or not[/span]

Indeed it is curious, though I don't usually bother with setting the genre, there is weird stuff on that list

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #2 –
AFAIK 'NegerPunk' was a 'propper' music genre way back in... a long time back.

while I don't know the history of the picking of the genres, I'm also interested in that.

another thing is (though I don't feel the urge to categorize my music via tags) the lack of quite a few subgenres, namly concerning metall, classic and techno/trance etc.

[span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%']edit: spelling (hopefully)[/span]
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #3 –
My girlfriend used to complain there is no "Romantic" genre

Now she uses ID3v2... 

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #4 –
http://www.id3.org/id3v1.html
Quote
... was introduced with the program "Studio3" by Eric Kemp alias NamkraD in 1996. By adding a small chunk of extra data in the end of the file one could get the MP3 file to carry information about the audio and not just the audio itself ... You might also think that you cannot write that much in the genre field, being one byte big, but it is more clever than that. The byte value you enter in the genre field corresponds to a value in a predefined list. The list that Eric Kemp created had 80 entries, ranging from 0 to 79.
I don't have a source to quote, but from memory Winamp added genres 80 through ~125 at one time, and then the rest up to genre #147 a few versions later. The SCMPX player added 16 more genres (Japanese or bad English translation) at some other point in history, but I'm not sure how often they're used, or if any program outside SCMPX supports them. Genre #255 as "unknown" seems to be standardized as well, but I'm not sure who invented the standard.

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #5 –
Quote
My girlfriend used to complain there is no "Romantic" genre

Now she uses ID3v2... 



  Roberto, that's one of the funniest lines I've heard all week.

    - M.

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #6 –
Quote
The SCMPX player added 16 more genres (Japanese or bad English translation) at some other point in history, but I'm not sure how often they're used, or if any program outside SCMPX supports them. Genre #255 as "unknown" seems to be standardized as well, but I'm not sure who invented the standard.

Well, mp3infp has an option to handle some of SCMPX's extensions.

I personally never use "JPop" even for Japanese songs because I think "Pop" is just enough for them, otherwise I rather use "歌謡曲".

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #7 –
I think the "genre" tagfield is the one field that was invented by facists.... I've spend my life since I was 12 to fight mind-limiting stuff like this. I only tag this field in like ape2, where I can invent new genres, like: ukulele electronica or splATTER-country- surf-core
"ONLY THOSE WHO ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE WILL ACHIEVE THE ABSURD"
        - Oceania Association of Autonomous Astronauts

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #8 –
Quote
I think the "genre" tagfield is the one field that was invented by facists....

It was invented by people that needed to fit the maximum amount of information in 128 bytes. Because that doesn't fit your needs is no reason to claim they are something you obviously have no clue about.

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #9 –
Quote
Quote
I think the "genre" tagfield is the one field that was invented by facists....

It was invented by people that needed to fit the maximum amount of information in 128 bytes. Because that doesn't fit your needs is no reason to claim they are something you obviously have no clue about.

I was only trying to be funnny, sort-of. Sorry if I failed. And I know about the bit limits of the day. Still, I'm old enough to remember the end of the seventhees, and the musical berlin-walls we had to encounter all over the world back then. I apologize if I stepped on your toes regarding real facists, I did not grow up in south america, only under the cold war in Europa... but I sometimes use this term on stuff that is limiting to the mind, and as I am currently drunk, my words gets harsher,,, but the ideas of "genres" as far as I can see, is only beneficary for capitalist interests, and will never reflect on the true nature of free spirit, music or mind....
"ONLY THOSE WHO ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE WILL ACHIEVE THE ABSURD"
        - Oceania Association of Autonomous Astronauts

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #10 –
Actually, back in those days liking BOTH jazz AND punk made you a Judas in most camps, not speaking about being a fan of Iannis Xenakis  and Jonny Cash simultaneously, and expanding from there... Regarding my experiences of  how generally limiting and destructive "ideas" of music are for the "experience" of music, I choose too only use the "genre" field when I can cause some mild and gentle havoc....
"ONLY THOSE WHO ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE WILL ACHIEVE THE ABSURD"
        - Oceania Association of Autonomous Astronauts

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #11 –
Quote
I've been wondering about the strange genres found in id3. Many are not really useful at all, and others are like a bad joke. To me it seems like they weren't picked for being useful, but more like the first ones found or sent in to some database were used. "Primus" is a rather specific genre, and who on earth are tagging their songs with "Negerpunk" (Negro/Nigger punk)? 

Does anyone know the story behind how all these genres where picked? And if those responsible have been properly punished, or at least acknowledged their mistake?

The whole concept of ID3v1 is a bad joke.
Dimitris
 

Who decided about id3 genres?

Reply #12 –
Quote
The whole concept of ID3v1 is a bad joke.

very usefull comment (same as mine now).
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)