# Music equivalent to IMDB.com **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217 "2010-07-01T17:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/1 "2010-07-01T17:48:25Z")
Is there a source for music information equivalent to [imdb.com](http://imdb.com) for films? I have an on-going argument with my brother-in-law in which I KNOW I’m right, but he is just not getting it. If i had an industry site that definitively listed who wrote and performed a certain song, I might be able to pound it into his f’ing head. Is there such a thing?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/2 "2010-07-01T17:51:23Z")
[allmusic.com](http://allmusic.com), perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/3 "2010-07-01T17:52:08Z")
You might try [Gracenote.com](http://www.gracenote.com). It used to be called CDDB. You can search by artist, album or track. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/4 "2010-07-01T17:54:20Z")
> [@Wakinyan](#): > > [allmusic.com](http://allmusic.com), perhaps? Yeah, I would say [allmusic](http://www.allmusic.com/) as well. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/5 "2010-07-01T18:05:07Z")
All I can think of is Allmusic, but I hate that site. It’s slow and full of errors and lacunae. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/6 "2010-07-01T18:07:35Z")
Would you care to share the argument with us? Maybe somebody here can find a good cite (on a good site) to support you. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/7 "2010-07-01T18:36:31Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Would you care to share the argument with us? Maybe somebody here can find a good cite (on a good site) to support you. The song “Superman” on the Five for Fighting album titled America Town was released in 2000. Somewhere over the years, someone on the Inter-Webs incorrectly attributed the song to David Gray. Now you can find numerous lyrics websites and mp3 copies floating around on the internet that list it as a David Gray song. Knucklehead brother-in-law finds one of these: > **[404](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/It%27s-Not-Easy-To-Be-Me-lyrics-David-Gray/3349A6AF2B0CEB8048256D0B0009ADC9)** and says it’s proof he’s correct. I point out to him that [ul] [li]A-David Gray’s own website does not list a song titled “It’s easy to be me”[/li][li]B- Five for Fighting’s website shows those lyrics belong to THEIR song.[/li][li]and C- There is even a discussion on the David Gray website about this, and they confirm it is not a David Gray song.[/li][li]and well, D- I hate when I know I’m right, and can’t get the unwashed masses to acknowledge[/li][/ul] So, there ya go, that’s our very high brow discussion. Time to forget about that whole meaning of life discussion, we have a music argument to settle.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/8 "2010-07-01T18:58:58Z")
Well, [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_%28It%27s_Not_Easy%29)and [allmusic](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:gjfpxvy5ldfe)both attribute the song to John Ondrasik aka Five for Fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/9 "2010-07-01T19:08:52Z")
The website of [BMI](http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyid=5291886&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID) (which collects royalties for composers) agrees with you: > [@](#): > > BMI Award winning song SUPERMAN (Legal Title) > BMI Work #5291886 > Alternate Titles: > SUPERMAN IT S NOT EASY > Songwriter/Composer Current Affiliation CAE/IPI # > ONDRASIK JOHN BMI 183414280 > > Publishers > EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC BMI 223437493 > FIVE FOR FIGHTING MUSIC BMI 183079849 > Artists > FIVE FOR FIGHTING > Denotes BMI Award Winning Song! ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/10 "2010-07-01T20:59:59Z")
Excellent!! (strokes chin with evil glee) Ultimately though, he is quite a dumbass brother-in-law, so all the evidence I gather may be like waves beating on the rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/11 "2010-07-01T21:14:00Z")
The BMI cite should be the trump card. They’re the ones who actually collect the royalties for use of the work and pay the composer. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/12 "2010-07-01T21:43:16Z")
I’d say allmusic is the equivalent to [allmovie](http://www.allmovie.com/), their other site. It’s similar to IMDB, not as complete, but better in some ways. [Covers Project](http://www.coversproject.com/) is a useful website sometimes. They don’t list Gray as ever covering that song on any release, although I don’t think they have info for live performances. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/13 "2010-07-01T22:11:25Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > All I can think of is Allmusic, but I hate that site. It’s slow and full of errors and lacunae. So, the equivalent to IMDB, then? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/14 "2010-07-01T22:14:19Z")
No, IMDB also has forums where one may find racist posters and twelve-year olds. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/15 "2010-07-01T22:40:49Z")
[RateYourMusic](http://rateyourmusic.com/) is almost as good as Almusic, and has a forum as well. The site has an…odd set of institutional biases tho. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/16 "2010-07-02T00:17:24Z")
Ok, old-fashioned, but reliable: If it’s pop music from one era or another, try Joel Whitburn’s books at your local library. Although I do not think his resources are available online, you may find a Joel Whitburn book at your local library (either for circulation or try reference, too). He has many books compiling Top 40 (and some Top 100) back to 1957 with some data mentioned from earlier charts. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-equivalent-to-imdb-com/545217/17 "2010-07-02T02:12:23Z")
Also: [Discogs](http://www.discogs.com/).