MusicBrainz Release Groups API

openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: MusicBrainz Web Service v2 Areas Release Groups API
  version: '2.0'
  description: 'The MusicBrainz Web Service v2 is the free public REST API to the MusicBrainz open music encyclopedia,

    operated by the MetaBrainz Foundation (a US 501(c)(3) non-profit).


    The API supports three primary access patterns over twelve core entity types

    (artist, release, release-group, recording, work, label, place, area, event, instrument, series, url, genre):


    - **Lookup** — fetch one entity by its MBID with configurable sub-resource includes.

    - **Browse** — list entities linked to a given parent entity, with pagination.

    - **Search** — full Lucene query syntax across the indexed catalog.


    Non-MBID lookups are available for ISRC (recordings), ISWC (works), DiscID (releases), and URL.


    Responses are returned in MMD-2 XML by default or JSON via the `fmt=json` query parameter.


    The API enforces a strict rate limit of **one request per IP per second** and requires a meaningful

    **User-Agent** header on every request (e.g. `MyApp/1.0.0 ( contact@example.com )`).

    Submission and user-specific endpoints require HTTP Basic or OAuth 2.0 authentication.

    '
  contact:
    name: MetaBrainz Foundation
    url: https://metabrainz.org/
    email: support@metabrainz.org
  license:
    name: API access is free; data licensed CC0 (core) and CC-BY-NC-SA (supplemental)
    url: https://musicbrainz.org/doc/About/Data_License
  termsOfService: https://metabrainz.org/social-contract
  x-generated-from: documentation
  x-last-validated: '2026-05-29'
servers:
- url: https://musicbrainz.org/ws/2
  description: Production MusicBrainz Web Service v2
- url: https://beta.musicbrainz.org/ws/2
  description: Beta MusicBrainz Web Service v2 (pre-release schema changes)
tags:
- name: Release Groups
  description: Lookup, browse, and search for release groups (logical grouping of releases).
paths:
  /release-group/{mbid}:
    get:
      operationId: lookupReleaseGroup
      summary: Lookup Release Group
      description: Look up a release group by MBID.
      tags:
      - Release Groups
      x-microcks-operation:
        delay: 0
        dispatcher: FALLBACK
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/MBID'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Inc'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Format'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Release group found
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ReleaseGroup'
        '404':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/TooManyRequests'
  /release-group:
    get:
      operationId: browseOrSearchReleaseGroups
      summary: Browse Or Search Release Groups
      description: Browse release groups linked to an artist, collection, or release; or search with a Lucene query.
      tags:
      - Release Groups
      x-microcks-operation:
        delay: 0
        dispatcher: FALLBACK
      parameters:
      - name: query
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: artist
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          format: uuid
      - name: collection
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          format: uuid
      - name: release
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          format: uuid
      - name: type
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Limit'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Offset'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Inc'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Format'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Browse or search results
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/TooManyRequests'
components:
  schemas:
    Artist:
      type: object
      description: A person, group, orchestra, choir, character, or other artistic entity.
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        name:
          type: string
          example: Nirvana
        sort-name:
          type: string
          example: Nirvana
        type:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          enum:
          - Person
          - Group
          - Orchestra
          - Choir
          - Character
          - Other
          example: Group
        type-id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        gender:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          enum:
          - Male
          - Female
          - Other
          - Not applicable
        gender-id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        country:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code
          example: US
        area:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Area'
        begin-area:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Area'
        end-area:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Area'
        disambiguation:
          type: string
          example: 90s US grunge band
        isnis:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          description: International Standard Name Identifiers
        ipis:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          description: Interested Parties Information codes
        life-span:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/LifeSpan'
        aliases:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Alias'
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tag'
        rating:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rating'
        relations:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Relation'
    Error:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          type: string
        help:
          type: string
    Recording:
      type: object
      description: A distinct audio capture of a performance.
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        title:
          type: string
          example: Smells Like Teen Spirit
        length:
          type: integer
          description: Length in milliseconds
          example: 301920
        video:
          type: boolean
        disambiguation:
          type: string
        first-release-date:
          type: string
        isrcs:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          example:
          - USGF19102751
        artist-credit:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
        releases:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Release'
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tag'
        rating:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rating'
        relations:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Relation'
    Alias:
      type: object
      description: Alternative name for an entity.
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          example: Nirvana
        sort-name:
          type: string
          example: Nirvana
        locale:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: en
        type:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: Artist name
        primary:
          type: boolean
          nullable: true
        begin:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        end:
          type: string
          nullable: true
    Release:
      type: object
      description: A specific issue of a release-group, with packaging, label, country, and barcode.
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        title:
          type: string
          example: Nevermind
        status:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          enum:
          - Official
          - Promotion
          - Bootleg
          - Pseudo-Release
          - Withdrawn
          - Cancelled
        status-id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        quality:
          type: string
          enum:
          - low
          - normal
          - high
        packaging:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: Jewel Case
        packaging-id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        language:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: ISO 639-3 code
          example: eng
        script:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: ISO 15924 code
          example: Latn
        date:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: '1991-09-24'
        country:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: US
        barcode:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: '720642442524'
        asin:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Amazon Standard Identification Number
        disambiguation:
          type: string
        artist-credit:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
            properties:
              name:
                type: string
              joinphrase:
                type: string
              artist:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Artist'
        release-group:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/ReleaseGroup'
        label-info:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
            properties:
              catalog-number:
                type: string
                nullable: true
              label:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Label'
        media:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
            properties:
              position:
                type: integer
              format:
                type: string
                example: CD
              format-id:
                type: string
              title:
                type: string
              track-count:
                type: integer
              tracks:
                type: array
                items:
                  $ref: '#/components/schemas/Track'
              discs:
                type: array
                items:
                  type: object
                  properties:
                    id:
                      type: string
                      description: Disc ID
                    sectors:
                      type: integer
                    offsets:
                      type: array
                      items:
                        type: integer
        cover-art-archive:
          type: object
          properties:
            artwork:
              type: boolean
            count:
              type: integer
            front:
              type: boolean
            back:
              type: boolean
            darkened:
              type: boolean
        text-representation:
          type: object
          properties:
            language:
              type: string
            script:
              type: string
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tag'
        rating:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rating'
        relations:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Relation'
    Area:
      type: object
      description: A geographic area (country, subdivision, city, etc.).
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        name:
          type: string
          example: United States
        sort-name:
          type: string
        type:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          enum:
          - Country
          - Subdivision
          - County
          - Municipality
          - City
          - District
          - Island
        type-id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        iso-3166-1-codes:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          example:
          - US
        iso-3166-2-codes:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        iso-3166-3-codes:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        disambiguation:
          type: string
        life-span:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/LifeSpan'
    Tag:
      type: object
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          example: grunge
        count:
          type: integer
          example: 42
    Rating:
      type: object
      properties:
        value:
          type: number
          format: float
          minimum: 0
          maximum: 5
          example: 4.5
        votes-count:
          type: integer
          example: 123
    Work:
      type: object
      description: A distinct intellectual or artistic creation (song, composition, etc.).
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        title:
          type: string
          example: Smells Like Teen Spirit
        type:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: Song
        type-id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        language:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          example: eng
        languages:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        iswcs:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          example:
          - T-101.690.320-9
        attributes:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
            properties:
              type:
                type: string
              type-id:
                type: string
              value:
                type: string
              value-id:
                type: string
                nullable: true
        disambiguation:
          type: string
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tag'
        rating:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rating'
        relations:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Relation'
    Relation:
      type: object
      description: Typed relationship between two MusicBrainz entities.
      properties:
        type:
          type: string
          example: composer
        type-id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        direction:
          type: string
          enum:
          - forward
          - backward
        target-type:
          type: string
          example: artist
        target-credit:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        attributes:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        artist:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Artist'
        url:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Url'
        work:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Work'
        recording:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Recording'
        begin:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        end:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        ended:
          type: boolean
    Url:
      type: object
      description: A URL linked to other MusicBrainz entities.
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        resource:
          type: string
          format: uri
          example: https://www.nin.com/
        relations:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Relation'
    MBID:
      type: string
      format: uuid
      pattern: ^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$
      description: MusicBrainz Identifier (UUID v4) - the canonical primary key for every entity.
      example: 5b11f4ce-a62d-471e-81fc-a69a8278c7da
    ReleaseGroup:
      type: object
      description: A logical grouping of releases (e.g. an album and its reissues).
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        title:
          type: string
          example: Nevermind
        primary-type:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          enum:
          - Album
          - Single
          - EP
          - Broadcast
          - Other
        primary-type-id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        secondary-types:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        secondary-type-ids:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        first-release-date:
          type: string
          example: '1991-09-24'
        disambiguation:
          type: string
        artist-credit:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
        releases:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Release'
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tag'
        rating:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rating'
    Track:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        position:
          type: integer
          example: 1
        number:
          type: string
          example: '1'
        title:
          type: string
          example: Smells Like Teen Spirit
        length:
          type: integer
          description: Length in milliseconds
          example: 301920
        artist-credit:
          type: array
          items:
            type: object
        recording:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Recording'
    Label:
      type: object
      description: A record label or imprint.
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/MBID'
        name:
          type: string
          example: DGC
        sort-name:
          type: string
        type:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          enum:
          - Imprint
          - Production
          - Original Production
          - Bootleg Production
          - Reissue Production
          - Distributor
          - Holding
          - Rights Society
          - Publisher
        type-id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        label-code:
          type: integer
          nullable: true
          description: Numeric label code without LC prefix
        country:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        area:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Area'
        ipis:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        isnis:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        disambiguation:
          type: string
        life-span:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/LifeSpan'
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Tag'
        rating:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Rating'
    LifeSpan:
      type: object
      description: Begin/end dates and whether the entity has ended.
      properties:
        begin:
          type: string
          description: Begin date (year, year-month, or full ISO date).
          example: 1988-01
        end:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: End date (year, year-month, or full ISO date), null if ongoing.
          example: '1994-04-05'
        ended:
          type: boolean
          description: Whether the entity has ended.
  parameters:
    Offset:
      name: offset
      in: query
      required: false
      description: Zero-based offset into the result set for pagination.
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 0
        default: 0
    Format:
      name: fmt
      in: query
      required: false
      description: Response serialization format. Defaults to XML; set to `json` for JSON.
      schema:
        type: string
        enum:
        - xml
        - json
        default: xml
    MBID:
      name: mbid
      in: path
      required: true
      description: MusicBrainz Identifier (UUID v4) of the entity.
      schema:
        type: string
        format: uuid
        pattern: ^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$
        example: 5b11f4ce-a62d-471e-81fc-a69a8278c7da
    Limit:
      name: limit
      in: query
      required: false
      description: Maximum number of results to return (1-100, default 25).
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 1
        maximum: 100
        default: 25
    Inc:
      name: inc
      in: query
      required: false
      description: Plus-separated list of sub-resources and relationships to include in the response.
      schema:
        type: string
        example: aliases+tags+ratings+artist-rels
  responses:
    NotFound:
      description: Entity not found
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
    TooManyRequests:
      description: Rate limit exceeded - clients must throttle to 1 request per second per IP
      headers:
        Retry-After:
          schema:
            type: integer
          description: Seconds to wait before retrying.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
  securitySchemes:
    HTTPBasic:
      type: http
      scheme: basic
      description: HTTP Basic authentication using MusicBrainz editor credentials. Required for submission and user-specific endpoints.
    OAuth2:
      type: oauth2
      description: OAuth 2.0 authentication via the MusicBrainz OAuth server.
      flows:
        authorizationCode:
          authorizationUrl: https://musicbrainz.org/oauth2/authorize
          tokenUrl: https://musicbrainz.org/oauth2/token
          scopes:
            profile: Access user profile
            email: Access user email
            tag: Submit tags
            rating: Submit ratings
            collection: Manage collections
            submit_barcode: Submit release barcodes
            submit_isrc: Submit recording ISRCs