I was browsing through OHHLA.com (Online Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive) and realized that a lyrics archive would be an excellent application of Wiki technology. Although OHHLA is the most comprehensive website in its genre, there are still many less popular artists that are not covered, and most of the pages I've seen contain at least a mistake or two.
So I think a great new WikiMedia project would be a "WikiLyrics" that would cover music lyrics for all genres.
Hip-hop lyrics are particularly in need for a wiki because they are full of slang words and in-references that can be Wikified to articles explaining them. Hip-hop albums also rarely come with lyrics sheets though ironically, are probably most in need of them.
I've already Googled for "lyrics wiki" and found no significant hits.
I'm very enthusiastic about this idea but a major problem that will need to be resolved is that almost all lyrics are not open content and the GFDL will most certainly be incompatible. Though the RIAA is definitely tort-happy, I don't believe there have been any attempts to shut down online lyrics websites, especially since they should not undermine record sales.
I eagerly await your comments on this idea.
Kent Wang
Kent Wang wrote:
So I think a great new WikiMedia project would be a "WikiLyrics" that would cover music lyrics for all genres.
A core principle of ALL wikimedia projects is the concept of free content.
I'm very enthusiastic about this idea but a major problem that will need to be resolved is that almost all lyrics are not open content and the GFDL will most certainly be incompatible.
It's an unsurmountable problem.
I agree. I love the idea, but it's not for us.
tarquin wrote:
Kent Wang wrote:
So I think a great new WikiMedia project would be a "WikiLyrics" that would cover music lyrics for all genres.
A core principle of ALL wikimedia projects is the concept of free content.
I'm very enthusiastic about this idea but a major problem that will need to be resolved is that almost all lyrics are not open content and the GFDL will most certainly be incompatible.
It's an unsurmountable problem.
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
Kent-
Though the RIAA is definitely tort-happy, I don't believe there have been any attempts to shut down online lyrics websites
Incorrect. The best lyrics archive of all time was lyrics.sh, and it was shut down via court order by the Swiss RIAA equivalent. I think they reached a settlement of some kind, but the site that is now in its place is a spam-infested craphole. Everything2.com, which is a bit like a wiki, has recently started to enforce strict copyright rules on material such as lyrics.
There are lots of ad-infested lyrics archives on the net, but it seems like the good ones always get shut down sooner or later. If you want to deal with legal threats, then go ahead and set up a lyrics wiki. Nowadays when I search for lyrics, I just google for a phrase from the song which I can identify (remember to put the phrase in quotes), that usually does the trick.
Regards,
Erik
Completely disagree. Copyright problems would destroy the project. Read up on the history of www.lyrics.ch.
RIckK
Kent Wang kwang@kwang.org wrote: I was browsing through OHHLA.com (Online Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive) and realized that a lyrics archive would be an excellent application of Wiki technology.
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Actually, I was planning on start a project like that for a while now. Maybe I'll actually get around to doing it. :-) I believe that lyrics should be under fair use, and I think that most artists would agree with me. That's why people who buy music on eBay would more likely bid on CDs without the liner notes, as opposed to liner notes without CDs. While I think a lyric project would be a great use of our wiki software, I think it doesn't really belong on Wikimedia, which has prided itself on open content. Unless the Wikimedia version restricted its lyrics to public domain songs or songs under a free (as in freedom) license.
On Thu, 2004-01-08 at 14:16, Kent Wang wrote:
I was browsing through OHHLA.com (Online Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive) and realized that a lyrics archive would be an excellent application of Wiki technology. Although OHHLA is the most comprehensive website in its genre, there are still many less popular artists that are not covered, and most of the pages I've seen contain at least a mistake or two.
So I think a great new WikiMedia project would be a "WikiLyrics" that would cover music lyrics for all genres.
Hip-hop lyrics are particularly in need for a wiki because they are full of slang words and in-references that can be Wikified to articles explaining them. Hip-hop albums also rarely come with lyrics sheets though ironically, are probably most in need of them.
I've already Googled for "lyrics wiki" and found no significant hits.
I'm very enthusiastic about this idea but a major problem that will need to be resolved is that almost all lyrics are not open content and the GFDL will most certainly be incompatible. Though the RIAA is definitely tort-happy, I don't believe there have been any attempts to shut down online lyrics websites, especially since they should not undermine record sales.
I eagerly await your comments on this idea.
Kent Wang
WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@Wikipedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
You're going to get into a lot of trouble with it. As has been said here, lyrichs.ch was shut down by the police because American publishers sent the Swiss police to shut it down.
RickK
cprompt cprompt@tmbg.org wrote: Actually, I was planning on start a project like that for a while now. Maybe I'll actually get around to doing it. :-) I believe that lyrics should be under fair use, and I think that most artists would agree with me.
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"cprompt" cprompt@tmbg.org Œ¶Œg©ó¶l¥ó·s»D :1073618234.2414.9.camel@chai.snacksoft.com...
I believe that lyrics should be under fair use, and I think that most
artists would agree with me.
We believe many things, few of which are legally true. Few!
Many artists claim that it is their recording company/publisher that are territorial re: copyright, not themselves, that they are only open-minded freewheeling artists! Apparently they're not open-minded enough to stand up to their jefes anyway!
-- ___________________________ Menchi